LEAGUES CUP
Leagues Cup 2024: games, bracket, schedule and all you need to know
We all remember what happened last year as a Lionel Messi inspired Inter Miami lifted the inaugural crown, but who will triumph this time around?
On Thursday the official Leagues Cup 2024 Group Stage Schedule and tournament hub venues were revealed, alongside the Bracket Announcement sponsored by Coors Light. The Leagues Cup, a CONCACAF-sanctioned competition, is set to excite fans once again as 18 clubs from Mexico’s LIGA MX and 29 clubs from Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States and Canada gear up for a month-long battle, adopting a World Cup-style club tournament format. Let’s dig into the dates and detail of the tournament.
When does the 2024 Leagues Cup begin and end?
Scheduled to run from 26 July to 25 August 2024, the event organisers will be keen to build on last year’s momentum. The tournament, slated to be held across Canada and the U.S., holds notable significance as it will determine three qualifiers for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup. The ultimate victor of the that tournament – the latest one currently in motion – will earn the prestigious honour of representing the region at the FIFA Club World Cup, adding an extra layer of motivation for participating teams.
Group stage
The opening game of the group stage will see Atlanta United and D.C. United clash at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Georgia, kicking off on Friday 26 July. That will be followed by a showdown between LIGA MX’s Pumas and MLS’s Austin FC at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. The evening will also witness LAFC locking horns with Tijuana at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles and Seattle Sounders facing off against Minnesota United at Lumen Field in Seattle.
The group games should be done and dusted by 6 August and this will feature a number of intriguing cross-league encounters, including the highly-anticipated clash between Tigres and Inter Miami at NRG Stadium in Houston on 3 August as well as Chivas hosting LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson on 4 August. Check out the bracket:
2024 Leagues Cup knockout games and final
Advancing teams will progress to the single-game elimination knockout rounds, commencing with the round of 32 from 7-9 August, followed by the round of 16 on 12/13 August. The quarterfinals are scheduled for 16/17 August, leading up to the semifinals on 20 and 21 August.
The pinnacle of the Leagues Cup 2024, the final (as well as the third-place match) is set to take place on Saturday 25 August.
These decisive matches will determine the three clubs that will earn coveted berths in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup. Match timings and broadcast details for the elimination rounds and Finals will be unveiled once the matchups are confirmed, promising an enthralling culmination to this prestigious tournament.
When will Inter Miami start the 2024 Leagues Cup?
Defending champions Inter Miami commence their title defence on Saturday 27 July, squaring off against Puebla at Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Messi, Suárez, Busquets and co., as well as their fans and the owners that invested so much, will be wanting a repeat of the glory from last summer.