CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP
CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 ties defined
Pachuca open the Round of 16, which features a ‘Clásico Nacional’ while Leo Messi’s Inter Miami take on MLS contemporaries, Nashville.
The CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 matchups and schedule have been defined, with all of the matches to be played between Tuesday 5 and Thursday 14 March. Arguably the most attractive tie of the round is the direct clash between Liga MX rivals Chivas and América. The first leg of this latest installment of the Clásico Nacional will take place on 6 March in Guadalajara with the return leg on Wednesday 13 March at the Azteca. The two clubs with the biggest following in Mexico will go head to head with the winner advancing to the quarter finals.
Chivas dreaming of Club World Cup return
Obviously, both of them have aspirations to go all the way and win tournament to book a place at the next Club World Cup. Guadalajara have made just one appearances at the Club World Cup - in 2018. They were eliminated in their first outing, losing their Second Round game against Kashima Antlers 3-2 while América have qualified three times, finishing fourth in 2006 and 2016.
2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16
First leg
5 March
- Philadelphia Union vs Pachuca
- Orlando City vs Tigres
- Herediano vs Robinhood
6 March
- New England Revolution vs Alajuelense
- Houston Dynamo vs Columbus Crew
- Guadalajara vs América
7 March
- Cincinnati vs Monterrey
- Nashville vs Inter Miami
Second leg
12 March
- Columbus Crew vs Houston Dynamo
- Pachuca vs Philadelphia Union
- Tigres vs Orlando City
13 March
- Robinhood vs Herediano
- Inter Miami vs Nashville
- América vs Guadalajara
14 March
- Alajuelense vs New England Revolution
- Monterrey vs Cincinnati
Whoever wins the tie between América and Guadalajara will face the winner of the tie between Costa Rican outfit Alajuelense of MLS side New England Revolution. Among the other ties, Costa Rica’s Herediano take on Suriname’s Robinhood while Pachuca will face Major League Soccer opposition with Philadelphia Union standing in the way of the quarter finals.
Inter Miami meet another fellow MLS expansion team, Nashville with the winners setting up a quarter final clash against the winners of the match between Cincinnati and Rayados. Elsewhere, UANL Tigres will face Orlando - whoever comes out of top of that one will face the victors of the match between the Houston Dynamo and Columbus Crew.
Looking at the Round of 16 ties and the bracket, should Messi’s Inter Miami advance and get past Rayados in the next round, they could find themselves once again in Monterrey in the semi-finals against Tigres. First though, they have to eliminate Nashville - the two teams have only met once before, playing out a 0-0 draw in last year’s MLS regular season.