2023 LEAGUES CUP
With less than 50 days to kick-off, what is the MLS/Liga MX Leagues Cup?
The new incarnation of the Leagues Cup will see 47 clubs participate with all 18 Liga MX and 29 MLS teams in action.
A totally new and reimagined format of the MLS/Liga MX Leagues Cup kicks off on 21 July in Miami as Orlando SC face Houston Dynamo in a tournament that will see 47 clubs participate with all 18 Liga MX and 29 MLS teams in action.
The official CONCACAF competition takes place from July 21-Aug. 19 at MLS stadiums in the U.S. and Canada and three teams from the Leagues Cup will qualify for the 2024 CONCACAF Champions League and as the competition looms, sponsors and partners such as Coors Light and Adidas sign up to the new initiative.
Leagues Cup: format
Group Stage
45 teams have been divided into 15 groups of three sides across four regions -- West, Central, South and East -- based on their geographic location with 2022 MLS Cup champion Los Angeles FC and Liga MX Apertura 2022 champions Pachuca both getting byes to the next stage.
The seeding system to allocate teams has been based on the 2022 MLS season Supporters Shield standings with the aggregate 2022 Liga MX table being used to seed the Mexican sides.
The top two teams from each of the 15 groups will advance to the knockout round of 32. No games in the group stage will end in a tie, with a penalty shootout deciding the winner if necessary. A group stage win earns a team three points with a penalty shootout wins securing two and a shootout loss earning one point for the defeated team.
West
West 1: Tigres UANL (No. 2 LIGA MX), Portland Timbers (No. 14 MLS), San Jose Earthquakes (No. 25 MLS)
West 2: Monterrey (No. 3 LIGA MX), Real Salt Lake (No. 13 MLS), Seattle Sounders FC (No. 20 MLS)
West 3: LA Galaxy (No. 7 MLS), Club Leon (No. 9 LIGA MX), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (No. 16 MLS)
Central
Central 1: América (No. 1 LIGA MX), Columbus Crew (No. 15 MLS), St. Louis CITY SC (No. 28 MLS)
Central 2: Puebla (No. 6 LIGA MX), Minnesota United FC (No. 10 MLS), Chicago Fire FC (No. 23 MLS)
Central 3: Chivas Guadalajara (No. 7 LIGA MX), FC Cincinnati (No. 9 MLS), Sporting Kansas City (No. 21 MLS)
Central 4: Nashville SC (No. 8 MLS), Toluca (No. 8 LIGA MX), Colorado Rapids (No. 17 MLS)
South
South 1: Austin FC (No. 3 MLS), Mazatlán FC (No. 13 LIGA MX), FC Juárez (No. 16 LIGA MX)
South 2: Santos Laguna (No. 4 LIGA MX), Orlando City SC (No. 12 MLS), Houston Dynamo FC (No. 24 MLS)
South 3: Cruz Azul (No. 5 LIGA MX), Inter Miami CF (No. 11 MLS), Atlanta United (No. 22 MLS)
South 4: FC Dallas (No. 6 MLS), Necaxa (No. 10 LIGA MX), Charlotte FC (No. 18 MLS)
East
East 1: Philadelphia Union (No. 1 MLS), Club Tijuana (No. 15 LIGA MX), Querétaro (No. 17 LIGA MX)
East 2: CF Montréal (No. 2 MLS), Pumas (No. 14 LIGA MX), D.C. United (No. 27 MLS)
East 3: New York City FC (No. 4 MLS), Atlas (No. 12 LIGA MX), Toronto FC (No. 26 MLS)
East 4: New York Red Bulls (No. 5 MLS), Atlético de San Luis (No. 11 LIGA MX), New England Revolution (No. 19 MLS)
Knockout Rounds
The top teams in each group will secure home advantage in the one-off game Round of 32 knockout fixtures that will be staged over 2-4 August.
The competition then continues on a single game knockout format through to the final which will take place on 19 August with the match set to be preceded by a third-fourth game to determine the final team who secures the Concacaf CCL place.
How to follow the 2023 Leagues Cup
The Apple TV MLS Season Pass will show every single game from the competition with additional broadcasting details in the US/Mexico set to be confirmed nearer the start date.
AS USA will also be carrying extensive coverage of the competition with special features and exclusive interviews ahead of the tournament.
Fans wanting to attend games in person can no do so with match tickets on sale via the individual club websites.