Leagues Cup altered into 36-team format for 2025

Field Level Media|published: Fri 31st January, 16:07 2025

MLS: Leagues Cup-Final-LAFC at Columbus Crew

Aug 25, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; A general view of the leagues cup champion trophy during the match between LAFC and Columbus Crew at Lower.com Field. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Leagues Cup will have a new format in 2025 with fewer teams and MLS clubs facing each other before the quarterfinals, while Liga MX clubs do the same.

While every team from both leagues played in last year's tournament, the 2025 event will be reduced to 18 teams from each league. All 2024 MLS Cup playoff participants qualify for Leagues Cup, while Liga MX will include teams ranked from the 2024 Clausura and Apertura tournaments.

The top four teams from the MLS side in Phase One will advance to the quarterfinals, along with the top four from the Liga MX side. All four quarterfinal games will be a matchup of an MLS club vs. a Liga MX club.

The two teams in the final and the winner of the third-place game will earn spots in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Leagues Cup will take place July 29-Aug. 31 in the United States and Canada.

Among the hiccups with the 2024 Leagues Cup is that only two of the final eight clubs were from Mexico. And neither of those two made it into the final four of the tournament.

While the Columbus Crew won the 2024 Leagues Cup, the debut of the tournament was won by Inter Miami in 2023 when Lionel Messi was making his debut with the club.

--Field Level Media

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