This article is part of our MLS Preview series.
It's the second year of the current iteration of the Leagues Cup, which pits Major League Soccer against Liga MX. Last season's competition saw the introduction of Lionel Messi, as Inter Miami defeated Nashville SC on penalties in the final.
FORMAT
There are a few differences in the format this season. The competition has been simplified to only two regions (East and West). Each group has three teams, with the top two moving to the Round of 32. The Liga MX and MLS winners from the previous season, Club America and Columbus Crew, get an automatic bye to the Round of 32.
While all matches take place in either the United States or Canada, this season, the top four Liga MX clubs (Club America, Monterrey, Guadalajara and Tigres) get "hub rights" that allow them to host matches in a fixed location and play teams on neutral sites in the knockout rounds. Club America's hub privilege lasts through the semifinals, Monterrey through the Round of 16, Guadalajara through the Round of 32, and Tigres for group stage matches only.
The groups are created in a tier system, with each group comprising a Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 club. In the group stage, a regulation win counts as three points. If a match is a draw after 90 minutes, a penalty shootout will ensue, with the winning side gaining two points and the losing side receiving a single point.
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FOR THE WINNERS
Teams are competing for a spot in the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup with the top three receiving automatic bids to the competition. Last year's competition was shocking, as several teams showed no interest in the tournament, fielding flat-out embarrassing teams. Some teams rotated goalkeepers, while others fielded a complete B squad as they wanted to focus on league play or recover from injuries.
Teams Already Qualified for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup
Liga MX
- Club America - 2023 Apertura Winner
- Tigres UANL - 2023 Apertura Runner-Up
- Cruz Azul - 2024 Clausura Runner-Up
- Monterrey - Aggregate Table amongst teams who didn't already qualify
- Chivas Guadalajara - Aggregate Table amongst teams who didn't already qualify
- Pumas UNAM - Aggregate Table amongst teams who didn't already qualify
If any of the six Liga MX sides finish top 3 in the Leagues Cup, CCC bids will be given to:
- One of the teams above in the top 3, Toluca qualify
- Two of the teams above in the top 3, Toluca & Pachuca qualify
- Three of the teams above in the top 3, Toluca, Pachuca & Leon qualify
MLS
- None have qualified yet
- Bids Available
- MLS Cup Winner
- Eastern Conference Regular Season Champion
- Western Conference Regular Season Champion
- Two clubs with the most points in the regular season that aren't already qualified
- Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Winner
- The semifinals are Sporting KC vs. Indy Eleven and Seattle vs. LAFC
- Canadian Championship Winner
- The semifinals are Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Pacific FC & Toronto FC vs. Forge FC
I know that's a lot to take in, but it can help to determine who will put all their eggs in the Leagues Cup basket like Inter Miami did last season.
GROUP STAGES
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FC Cincinnati (2 Home)
- MLS: second in Eastern Conference (second Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, lost in round of 32 to Nashville on penalties
NYCFC (1 Home, 1 Away)
- MLS: 5th in Eastern Conference (10th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost in round of 32 to RBNY 1-0
Queretaro (2 Away)
- Liga MX: 11th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost in quarterfinals to Philadelphia 2-1
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Orlando City (2 Home)
- MLS: 7th in Eastern Conference (14th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, lost in round of 32 to Inter Miami 3-1
Atletico San Luis (2 Away)
- Liga MX: 14th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
CF Montreal (1 Home, 1 Away)
- MLS: 11th in Eastern Conference (19th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
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Tigres UANL (2 Neutral)
- Liga MX: third in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, lost in round of 16 to Monterrey 1-0
Puebla (1 Away, 1 Neutral)
- Liga MX: 18th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
Inter Miami (1 Home, 1 Neutral)
- MLS: 1st in Eastern Conference (1st Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, champion
*Tigres vs. Puebla is being played at Shell Energy Stadium, home of the Houston Dynamo
*Inter Miami vs. Tigres is being played at NRG Stadium, home of the Houston Texans
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Philadelphia Union (2 Home)
- MLS: 10th in Eastern Conference (25th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, third place
Charlotte FC (1 Home, 1 Away)
- MLS: 6th in Eastern Conference (13th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, lost in quarterfinals to Inter Miami 4-0
Cruz Azul (2 Away)
- Liga MX: 1st in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost in round of 32 to Charlotte on penalties
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New England Revolution (2 Home)
- MLS: 15th in Eastern Conference (28th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost in round of 16 to Queretaro on penalties
Nashville SC (1 Home, 1 Away)
- MLS: 12th in Eastern Conference (21st Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost in final to Inter Miami on penalties
Mazatlan (2 Away)
- Liga MX: 16th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, lost in round of 32 to FC Dallas 2-1
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Pachuca (2 Away)
- Liga MX: 8th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Bye to round of 32, lost in round of 32 to Houston on penalties
New York Red Bulls (2 Home)
- MLS: 4th in Eastern Conference (9th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, lost to Philadelphia in round of 16 on penalties
Toronto FC (1 Home, 1 Away)
- MLS: 8th in Eastern Conference (20th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
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Atlanta United (2 Home)
- MLS: 9th in Eastern Conference (23rd Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
Santos Laguna (2 Away)
- Liga MX: 17th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
D.C. United (1 Home, 1 Away)
- MLS: 13th in Eastern Conference (22nd Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost to Philadelphia in round of 32 on penalties
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Monterrey (1 Away, 1 Neutral)
- Liga MX: 4th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, lost in third place play-off to Philadelphia 3-0
Pumas UNAM (1 Away, 1 Neutral)
- Liga MX: 7th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, lost to Queretaro in round of 32 1-0
Austin FC (2 Home)
- MLS: 10th in Western Conference (14th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
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Chivas Guadalajara (2 Away)
- Liga MX: 6th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
San Jose Earthquakes (2 Home*)
- MLS: 14th in Western Conference (29th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
LA Galaxy (1 Home, 1 Away)
- MLS: 1st in Western Conference (third Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
*San Jose vs. Guadalajara is at Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers
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St. Louis City SC (2 Home)
- MLS: 13th in Western Conference (27th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
FC Dallas (1 Home, 1 Away)
- MLS: 11th in Western Conference (18th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost in round of 16 to Inter Miami on penalties
Juarez (2 Away)
- Liga MX: 15th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost in round of 32 to LAFC 7-1
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Toluca (2 Away)
- Liga MX: 5th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, lost in round of 16 to Minnesota United on penalties
Sporting Kansas City (2 Home)
- MLS: 12th in Western Conference (26th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost in round of 32 to Toluca 4-1
Chicago Fire (1 Home*, 1 Away)
- MLS: 14th in Eastern Conference (24th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, lost in round of 32 to Club America 1-0
Chicago vs. Toluca is at SeatGeek Stadium, home of the Chicago Fire II & Chicago Red Stars of NWSL
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Leon (2 Away)
- Liga MX: 10th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, lost in round of 32 to Real Salt Lake 3-1
Portland Timbers (2 Home)
- MLS: 8th in Western Conference (12th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost in round of 32 to Monterrey 1-0
Colorado Rapids (1 Home, 1 Away)
- MLS: 4th in Western Conference (8th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
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Seattle Sounders (2 Home)
- MLS: 7th in Western Conference (11th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
Minnesota United (1 Home, 1 Away)
- MLS: 9th in Western Conference (16th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost in Quarterfinals to Nashville 5-0
Necaxa (2 Away)
- Liga MX: 9th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
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Los Angeles FC (2 Home)
- MLS: second in Western Conference (4th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Bye to the round of 32, lost in Quarterfinals to Monterrey 3-2
Vancouver Whitecaps (1 Home, 1 Away)
- MLS: 5th in Western Conference (7th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost in round of 32 to Tigres on penalties
Tijuana (2 Away)
- Liga MX: 13th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: third in group, eliminated
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Houston Dynamo (2 Home)
- MLS: 6th in Western Conference (15th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost in round of 16 to Charlotte 2-1
Real Salt Lake (1 Home, 1 Away)
- MLS: third in Western Conference (5th Overall)
- 2023 Leagues Cup: second in group, lost in round of 16 to LAFC 4-0
Atlas (2 Away)
- Liga MX: 12th in 2024 aggregate table
- 2023 Leagues Cup: Won group, lost in round of 32 to New England on penalties
BRACKET
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