When does the Leagues Cup 2024 start? Inter Miami to defend title

The Leagues Cup, a tournament that has faced criticism from sections of the fanbase for being held in the middle of the Mexican football season, has confirmed its return for the year 2024. The competition is set to commence on Friday 26 July with the final scheduled for Sunday 25 August. Inter Miami emerged as surprise champions of the 2023 edition by defeating Nashville in a penalty shootout in the final, a victory marked not only the first title in the club’s history but also Lionel Messi’s first trophy with David Beckham’s club shortly after joining.

Leagues Cup 2024 confirms dates

Mexican teams were notably outperformed by their Major League Soccer counterparts and faced logistical challenges, among others, throughout the competition. A prime example was León, who found themselves stranded in Canada and had to spend a night at the airport. Mikel Arriola, the Executive President of Liga MX, had stated at the time that he would “do everything possible” to host tournament matches on Mexican soil, aiming to reduce the travel-related strain on the clubs.

“I believe that this will be determined by an analysis of the sporting aspects, as well as what we need to do to be able to have those alternatives [venues in Mexico],” the executive stated four months ago to TUDN. “We have heard complaints from fans about their team always playing away, and they have consistently raised issues about refereeing and VAR.

“From this analysis, we will make decisions next year to implement modifications.”