2026 Leagues Cup

Soccer tournament held in Canada, the United States, and Mexico From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2026 Leagues Cup will be the sixth edition of the Leagues Cup, an international club soccer tournament contested by Major League Soccer (MLS) and Liga MX clubs in North America. It will be held from August 4 to September 6, and feature 36 teams. Like the 2025 edition, only the top 18 MLS teams from the 2025 season qualified for the tournament. All 18 Liga MX clubs will participate.

Host countriesCanada
Mexico
United States
Dates4 August – 6 September
Teams36 (from 3 associations)
Quick facts Tournament details, Host countries ...
2026 Leagues Cup
Tournament details
Host countriesCanada
Mexico
United States
Dates4 August – 6 September
Teams36 (from 3 associations)
← 2025
2027 →
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Seattle Sounders FC are the defending champions, having won their first Leagues Cup title by defeating Inter Miami CF 3–0 in the 2025 final. This will be the first edition of the tournament to feature games played in Mexico.[1]

Format

The tournament will consist of a group stage, known as "Phase One", and a knockout phase. During phase one, teams will play three games against teams in the other league (i.e., all games will be MLS vs Liga MX).[1] The top four teams from each league will advance to the knockout stage, which will consist of quarterfinals, semifinals and a final. Like previous editions of the Leagues Cup, the top three clubs will qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup.[1]

The 2026 tournament will follow the same format as the 2025 tournament. In Phase One, teams earn three points for a win in regulation, two points for a win in a penalty shoot-out, or one point for a loss in a penalty shoot-out.[2] In the event two or more teams end the group stage tied on points, these tiebreakers in order will be used for ranking:[3]

  1. Greater number of wins in regular time.
  2. Greater goal difference.
  3. Greater number of goals scored.
  4. Fewer number of goals conceded.
  5. Fewer points in the team’s Fair Play Table.
  6. A draw organized by the Organizing Committee.

Teams

Thirty-six teams will participate in the Leagues Cup, including all 18 Liga MX teams and 18 out of 30 MLS teams.[1] The 18 MLS teams qualified for Leagues Cup by reaching the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs.[4]

Draw

To determine matchups, all teams were placed into a combined ranking that used the 2025 Supporters' Shield table for MLS teams and the most recent 34 matches in the 2025 Clausura and Apertura seasons for Liga MX teams. These teams were then divided into an East region and a West region based on geographical and performance criteria. Within each region, teams were assigned to tiers based on the combined ranking, with the restriction that each tier included three teams from each league.

More information Rank, Tier ...
Eastern clubs
RankTierTeamLeague
4Tier 1Cruz AzulLiga MX
5Tier 1Philadelphia UnionMLS
6Tier 1FC CincinnatiMLS
7Tier 1Inter Miami CFMLS
11Tier 1MonterreyLiga MX
20Tier 1PachucaLiga MX
12Tier 2Charlotte FCMLS
14Tier 2New York City FCMLS
16Tier 2Nashville SCMLS
22Tier 2NecaxaLiga MX
28Tier 2LeónLiga MX
29Tier 2Pumas UNAMLiga MX
17Tier 3Columbus CrewMLS
18Tier 3Chicago Fire FCMLS
19Tier 3Orlando City SCMLS
32Tier 3AtlasLiga MX
33Tier 3Atlético San LuisLiga MX
35Tier 3Santos LagunaLiga MX
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More information Rank, Tier ...
Western clubs
RankTierTeamLeague
1Tier 1TolucaLiga MX
2Tier 1Tigres UANLLiga MX
3Tier 1AméricaLiga MX
8Tier 1San Diego FCMLS
9Tier 1Vancouver Whitecaps FCMLS
10Tier 1Los Angeles FCMLS
13Tier 2Minnesota United FCMLS
15Tier 2Seattle Sounders FCMLS
21Tier 2GuadalajaraLiga MX
23Tier 2JuárezLiga MX
24Tier 2Austin FCMLS
27Tier 2TijuanaLiga MX
25Tier 3FC DallasMLS
26Tier 3Portland TimbersMLS
30Tier 3Real Salt LakeMLS
31Tier 3QuerétaroLiga MX
34Tier 3AtlanteLiga MX
36Tier 3PueblaLiga MX
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Regional groupings

Finally, six "regional groupings" were formed by drawing one team per league from each of the three tiers of a region. Teams will play three matches against teams from their set who are not from their league.[5]

More information Tier, Team ...
Eastern 1
TierTeamLeague
1FC CincinnatiMLS
1PachucaLiga MX
2Charlotte FCMLS
2Pumas UNAMLiga MX
3Columbus CrewMLS
3AtlasLiga MX
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More information Tier, Team ...
Eastern 2
TierTeamLeague
1Inter Miami CFMLS
1MonterreyLiga MX
2Nashville SCMLS
2LeónLiga MX
3Orlando City SCMLS
3Atlético San LuisLiga MX
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More information Tier, Team ...
Eastern 3
TierTeamLeague
1Cruz AzulLiga MX
1Philadelphia UnionMLS
2New York City FCMLS
2NecaxaLiga MX
3Chicago Fire FCMLS
3Santos LagunaLiga MX
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More information Tier, Team ...
Western 1
TierTeamLeague
1Tigres UANLLiga MX
1Vancouver Whitecaps FCMLS
2Minnesota United FCMLS
2JuárezLiga MX
3Real Salt LakeMLS
3AtlanteLiga MX
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More information Tier, Team ...
Western 2
TierTeamLeague
1TolucaLiga MX
1Los Angeles FCMLS
2Seattle Sounders FCMLS
2GuadalajaraLiga MX
3FC DallasMLS
3QuerétaroLiga MX
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More information Tier, Team ...
Western 3
TierTeamLeague
1AméricaLiga MX
1San Diego FCMLS
2Austin FCMLS
2TijuanaLiga MX
3Portland TimbersMLS
3PueblaLiga MX
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Round dates

The schedule of the competition was as follows.[5]

More information Phase, Round ...
Schedule for 2026 Leagues Cup
Phase Round Date
League stage Matchday 1 August 4–6
Matchday 2 August 7–9
Matchday 3 August 11–13
Knockout stage Quarterfinals August 25–27
Semifinals September 1–2
Third place playoff September 6
Final
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League phase

Main article: 2026 Leagues Cup league phase

Table

Liga MX

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team
 Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 América 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage
2 Atlante 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Atlas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Atlético San Luis 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Cruz Azul 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Guadalajara 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Juárez 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 León 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Monterrey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Necaxa 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Pachuca 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Puebla 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Pumas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Querétaro 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 Santos Laguna 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 Tigres 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
17 Tijuana 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 Toluca 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
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Source: Leagues Cup

See above for tie-breaking criteria.

Major League Soccer

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team
 Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Austin FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to knockout stage
2 Charlotte FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Chicago Fire FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 FC Cincinnati 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Columbus Crew 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 FC Dallas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Los Angeles FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Inter Miami CF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Minnesota United FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Nashville SC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 New York City FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Orlando City SC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Philadelphia Union 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Portland Timbers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 Real Salt Lake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 San Diego FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
17 Seattle Sounders FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
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Source: Leagues Cup

See above for tie-breaking criteria.

Results

More information Team 1, Score ...
Matchday 1
Team 1ScoreTeam 2
Columbus Crew United StatesAug 4Mexico Atlas
FC Cincinnati United StatesAug 4Mexico Pachuca
Charlotte FC United StatesAug 4Mexico Pumas UNAM
Minnesota United FC United StatesAug 4Mexico Juárez
Tigres UANL MexicoAug 4United States Real Salt Lake
Vancouver Whitecaps FC CanadaAug 4Mexico Atlante
Inter Miami CF United StatesAug 5Mexico Atlético San Luis
Monterrey MexicoAug 5United States Orlando City SC
Nashville SC United StatesAug 5Mexico León
FC Dallas United StatesAug 5Mexico Querétaro
Los Angeles FC United StatesAug 5Mexico Guadalajara
Toluca MexicoAug 5United States Seattle Sounders FC
New York City FC United StatesAug 6Mexico Santos Laguna
Cruz Azul MexicoAug 6United States Philadelphia Union
Chicago Fire FC United StatesAug 6Mexico Necaxa
Austin FC United StatesAug 6Mexico Tijuana
Portland Timbers United StatesAug 6Mexico Puebla
América MexicoAug 6United States San Diego FC
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More information Team 1, Score ...
Matchday 2
Team 1ScoreTeam 2
Charlotte FC United StatesAug 7Mexico Atlas
Columbus Crew United StatesAug 7Mexico Pachuca
FC Cincinnati United StatesAug 7Mexico Pumas UNAM
Tigres UANL MexicoAug 7United States Minnesota United FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC CanadaAug 7Mexico Juárez
Orlando City SC United StatesAug 8Mexico León
Inter Miami CF United StatesAug 8Mexico Monterrey
Guadalajara MexicoAug 8United States FC Dallas
Real Salt Lake United StatesAug 8Mexico Atlante
Toluca MexicoAug 8United States Los Angeles FC
Seattle Sounders FC United StatesAug 9Mexico Querétaro
Cruz Azul MexicoAug 9United States New York City FC
Philadelphia Union United StatesAug 9Mexico Necaxa
Chicago Fire FC United StatesAug 9Mexico Santos Laguna
Nashville SC United StatesAug 9Mexico Atlético San Luis
Austin FC United StatesAug 9Mexico Puebla
América MexicoAug 9United States Portland Timbers
San Diego FC United StatesAug 9Mexico Tijuana
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More information Team 1, Score ...
Matchday 3
Team 1ScoreTeam 2
Columbus Crew United StatesAug 11Mexico Pumas UNAM
Charlotte FC United StatesAug 11Mexico Pachuca
FC Cincinnati United StatesAug 11Mexico Atlas
Minnesota United FC United StatesAug 11Mexico Atlante
Real Salt Lake United StatesAug 11Mexico Juárez
Tigres UANL MexicoAug 11Canada Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Orlando City SC United StatesAug 12Mexico Atlético San Luis
Inter Miami CF United StatesAug 12Mexico León
Monterrey MexicoAug 12United States Nashville SC
Toluca MexicoAug 12United States FC Dallas
Los Angeles FC United StatesAug 12Mexico Querétaro
San Diego FC United StatesAug 12Mexico Puebla
Seattle Sounders FC United StatesAug 12Mexico Guadalajara
Philadelphia Union United StatesAug 13Mexico Santos Laguna
New York City FC United StatesAug 13Mexico Necaxa
Cruz Azul MexicoAug 13United States Chicago Fire FC
América MexicoAug 13United States Austin FC
Portland Timbers United StatesAug 13Mexico Tijuana
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Knockout stage

The quarterfinal pairings will be determined as follows:

  • MLS 1 vs Liga MX 4
  • MLS 2 vs Liga MX 3
  • MLS 3 vs Liga MX 2
  • MLS 4 vs Liga MX 1

Bracket

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Third place playoff

The winners of the third place playoff will qualify as the last seed to the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Final

Both clubs that make the final will qualify for the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup, with the winners qualifying directly to the round of 16.

References

External links

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