Major League Soccer (MLS) and Liga MX, with the support of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf), today announced the creation of Leagues Cup™, an annual competition between the two top soccer leagues in North America to be played starting this July.
The 2019 edition of Leagues Cup will feature four clubs from each league in an eight-team single-elimination tournament that launches with quarterfinals on July 23 and 24 at the stadiums of the MLS clubs. The semifinals will be August 20 at venues to be determined based on quarterfinal results. The Leagues Cup final will be held on Wednesday, September 18 at a U.S. venue to be announced.
For 2020 and beyond, MLS and Liga MX will explore the option to expand Leagues Cup to encompass more participating teams. While sporting criteria will determine participants for both leagues in future editions of Leagues Cup, for the inaugural 2019 edition, the four Liga MX clubs were selected based on results in recent competitions, while the four MLS club participants were invited to compete. All clubs have won domestic titles. (Also, the tournament is officially a Concacaf tournament)
MLS Clubs:
- Chicago Fire – MLS Cup and four-time U.S. Open Cup champions;
- Houston Dynamo – Two-time MLS Cup champions and reigning U.S. Open Cup champion;
- LA Galaxy – Five-time MLS Cup champion and two-time U.S. Open Cup champion;
- Real Salt Lake – MLS Cup champion.
Liga MX Clubs:
- Club America – 13-time Liga MX champion and six-time Copa MX champion;
- Cruz Azul – Eight-time Liga MX champion and four-time Copa MX champion;
- Tigres UANL – Three-time Copa MX champion, reigning Campeones Cup and seven-time reigning Liga MX champion;
- Club Tijuana – Liga MX champion.
Tickets to the general public to Leagues Cup will be available starting Thursday, June 6 at 10:00 a.m. local time by visiting www.LeaguesCup.com. Fans can sign-up to receive additional information including presale access at LeaguesCup.com.
“We are excited to take our partnership with Liga MX to the next level with Leagues Cup,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “We have an intense rivalry between our national teams, and Leagues Cup provides a terrific opportunity to increase the growing rivalry between MLS and Liga MX clubs.”
Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the preeminent soccer enterprise in North America, will operate and commercialize Leagues Cup.
Leagues Cup™ 2019 Schedule
(All Times Eastern) / * Subject to change
Tuesday, July 23
Chicago Fire vs. Cruz Azul (SeatGeek Stadium – Bridgeview, IL) 8:30 p.m.
LA Galaxy vs. Club Tijuana (Dignity Health Sports Park – Carson, Calif.) 11:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 24
Houston Dynamo vs. Club America (BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston, TX) 8:30 p.m.
Real Salt Lake vs. Tigres UANL (Rio Tinto Stadium – Salt Lake City, UT) 10:30 p.m.
Tuesday, August 20
Semifinal 1 *
Semifinal 2 *
Wednesday, September 18
Final
* Leagues Cup Semifinals:
- If a Semifinal is MLS club vs. MLS club, BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston and Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles have been pre-determined to host the semifinals on its respective side of the bracket
- If a Semifinal is Liga MX club vs. Liga MX club, BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston and Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles have been pre-determined to host the semifinals on its respective side of the bracket
- If a Semifinal is MLS club vs. Liga MX club, the MLS team will host the Semifinal game
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