What happens if there is a tie in the Leagues Cup knockout stage?
Here’s all you need to know about the ways of deciding a draw in Leagues Cup.
The Leagues Cup returns this week with the quarter-final round, with some enticing games coming up.
Leagues Cup quarter-final draw:
The action begins on Tuesday, August 25, when CF Monterrey host Chicago Fire FC at SeatGeek Stadium (8:30 p.m. ET), followed by Club León against Real Salt Lake at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado (10:30 p.m. ET). The remaining two quarterfinals take place on Wednesday, with Toluca FC facing Austin FC at Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey (8:30 p.m. ET) and Club América taking on Columbus Crew at Dignity Health Sports Park in California (10:45 p.m. ET).
What happens if there is a draw?
Unlike many major competitions, there is no extra time in the Leagues Cup knockout rounds. If the teams cannot be separated at the end of regulation, the match goes directly to a penalty shootout. The winner of the shootout progresses to the next round. Simples.
That rule applies throughout the knockout bracket, from the quarterfinals through to the final.
The format is designed to guarantee a winner in every knockout fixture while keeping the schedule relatively compact. The 2026 tournament features 36 clubs, with the top four MLS and top four Liga MX teams from Phase One advancing to the quarterfinals. The knockout stage runs from August 25 through to September 6.
It is worth distinguishing this from Phase One, where matches can also finish level after 90 minutes but have a different points system. A win in 90 minutes is worth three points, while a match that ends tied sends the teams to a shootout. The shootout winner receives two points and the loser gets one.
In the knockout rounds, however, there are no points at stake. A shootout simply determines who survives and who is eliminated.
The winner of the Leagues Cup earns a direct place in the Round of 16 of the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Quarterfinal matchups are set! 🔥
— Leagues Cup (@LeaguesCup) August 14, 2026
Estos son los cuatro mejores equipos de @MLS y @LigaBBVAMX 🔝
Who lifts the #LeaguesCup2026 trophy el próximo 6 de septiembre? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ydRYHQgc9E
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