Three nations. Two leagues. One champion. The 2024 edition of Leagues Cup is just around the corner.
Now in the second year of its reimagined format, the Leagues Cup features every team from Major League Soccer and Liga MX in a World Cup-style tournament.
Here are some fast facts about the Leagues Cup:
- The tournament includes all 29 MLS teams and all 18 Liga MX clubs placed into 15 groups of three, and will run from July 26 – August 25, with both leagues pausing their seasons for the duration of the competition.
- The groupings are determined by 2023 league standings and geographic location. Club America and the Columbus Crew, the reigning champions of their respective leagues, have each received a bye to the Knockout Rounds.
- The Leagues Cup group stage utilizes a different point system than the MLS regular season. A win in regulation time results in three points for the victorious team and zero points for the losing team. If the game is tied at the end of 90 minutes, each team will receive one point, and the winner of the subsuquent penalty shootout will receive an additional point.
- Assigned to West Group 6, the Seattle Sounders will square off against their conference counterparts Minnesota United on July 26 (7 p.m. PT; Watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV | TICKETS) and Liga MX side Club Necaxa on August 4 (7:30 p.m. PT; Watch FREE on Apple TV, FS1, UniMas | TICKETS). As the highest-seeded team in the group, the Sounders will host both matches at Lumen Field.
- The top two teams from every group will advance to the Round of 32, with the third-place finisher eliminated from the competition.
- If the Sounders advance to the Round of 32, they will face either the winners or runners-up of West Group 2, which includes Chivas de Guadaljara, the San Jose Earthquakes and the LA Galaxy.
- The top three finishers in Leagues Cup will secure qualification for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, which is an expanded version of the Concacaf Champions League.
- Fans in over 100 countries and regions will be able to watch all 77 matches on MLS Season Pass, with select matches available to watch for free on Apple TV and simulcast on national television.
- The Sounders advanced to the 2021 Leagues Cup final, which had fewer teams from both leagues and utilized a single-elimination format. In 2023, the Sounders were unable to advance from their group after losing to Real Salt Lake and C.F. Monterrey.
- Fans aged 21+ can enter the official Leagues Cup Bracket Challenge HERE, with a chance to win $10,000.