The road to 2029 is already narrowing for US professional soccer after another setback in the region’s top club tournament.
MLS once had three Club World Cup places, but the 2029 path is already looking far more complicated
MLS has failed again in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and the places for the 2029 Club World Cup are beginning to run out if US professional soccer is to have representatives.
MLS had three seats at the Club World Cup
Unlike the previous 2025 tournament, MLS had three representatives. The first was the Seattle Sounders, after winning the 2022 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
The second was LAFC, who beat Club América in a playoff after León were excluded over multi-club ownership. León had beaten the California side in 2023. Finally, Inter Miami received an invitation from Gianni Infantino as host of the tournament.
What does MLS need to reach the Club World Cup?
Today, those three places Major League Soccer had at the 2025 Club World Cup look far from secure for teams from the league. Although three editions of the CONCACAF Champions Cup remain, the clubs from the United States and the three from Canada would need to win the next regional titles to match that number of participants.
Where will the 2029 Club World Cup be played?
The bad news for MLS is that they will no longer have the two opportunities handed to LAFC and Inter Miami. Another playoff looks unlikely, and the host place probably will not go to them, since the 2029 Club World Cup is expected to be played outside the United States.
So the only lifeline for MLS teams is to win the 2027, 2028 and 2029 CONCACAF Champions Cups. Otherwise, they will have no chance.
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