The 2026 Leagues Cup returns with a refreshed format following the FIFA World Cup, bringing together the best clubs from Major League Soccer (MLS) and Liga MX in North America’s premier club competition. Unlike previous editions, the tournament has been streamlined to 36 teams, creating a more competitive schedule while preserving the intense MLS vs. Liga MX rivalry.
The tournament begins on August 4, 2026, and concludes with the Leagues Cup Final on September 6, 2026. For the first time in tournament history, selected Phase One matches will also be played in Mexico, adding another exciting dimension to the competition.
Officially sanctioned by Concacaf, the 2026 Leagues Cup offers more than silverware. The top three finishers will qualify for the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup, making every match crucial in the race for continental success.
Following the massive success of the 2026 edition, Seattle Sounders FC (1st title) is the Current champions and part of the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Here’s everything you need to know, including the complete schedule, qualified teams, draw, stadiums, standings, fixtures, and knockout bracket.
2026 Leagues Cup: Full Format, Draw, Stadiums & Group Stage Breakdown
The 2026 Leagues Cup is set to deliver another month of thrilling MLS vs. Liga MX action, featuring 36 clubs competing across North America. Running from August 4 to September 6, 2026, the tournament introduces a revamped Phase One format, new host venues in Mexico, and a direct path to the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Here’s a full breakdown of the format, draw, stadiums, and group standings.
Tournament Infomation
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of Teams | 36 (18 MLS clubs + 18 Liga MX clubs) |
| Tournament Format | Phase One + Knockout Stage |
| Phase One Format | Every club plays 3 matches, all against teams from the opposite league (MLS vs Liga MX only) |
| League Tables | Separate MLS and Liga MX standings |
| Advancement | Top 4 MLS clubs + Top 4 Liga MX clubs qualify for the Quarter-finals (8 teams total) |
| Knockout Stage | Quarter-finals → Semi-finals → Third-Place Match → Final |
| Competition Dates | 4 August – 6 September 2026 |
| Defending Champions | Seattle Sounders FC |
| Host Countries | United States, Mexico & Canada (selected Phase One matches are played in Mexico for the first time) |
| Total Matches | 54 Phase One matches plus Knockout Round fixtures |
| Qualification Reward | Top 3 clubs qualify for the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup (Champion advances directly to the Round of 16) |
2026 Leagues Cup Format
The 2026 Leagues Cup retains its unique “No Draws” format. If a match is level after 90 minutes, it goes directly to a penalty shootout. Teams earn 3 points for a regulation win, 2 points for a shootout win, and 1 point for a shootout loss.
Tournament Format
Phase One
- Every club plays three matches exclusively against teams from the opposite league (MLS vs Liga MX).
- Clubs are ranked in separate MLS and Liga MX league tables.
- The top four clubs from each league qualify for the Knockout Stage (8 teams total).
Phase One Schedule
- Matchday 1: 4–6 August 2026
- Matchday 2: 7–9 August 2026
- Matchday 3: 11–13 August 2026
Knockout Stage
- Quarter-finals: 25–27 August 2026
- Semi-finals: 1–2 September 2026
- Third-Place Match: 6 September 2026
- Final: 6 September 2026
Knockout Format
- Quarter-final pairings:
- MLS #1 vs Liga MX #4
- MLS #2 vs Liga MX #3
- MLS #3 vs Liga MX #2
- MLS #4 vs Liga MX #1
- All knockout matches are single-elimination.
- If a knockout match is tied after 90 minutes, it proceeds directly to a penalty shootout (no extra time).
2026 Leagues Cup Stadiums and Venues
The 2026 Leagues Cup will be played across the United States, Mexico, and Canada for the first time in tournament history. While most matches will continue to be hosted at MLS stadiums, selected Phase One fixtures will take place at Liga MX venues in Mexico, making the competition a truly North American event.
Some of the key venues hosting 2026 Leagues Cup matches include:
- BMO Stadium – Los Angeles, California
- Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte, North Carolina
- Inter&Co Stadium – Orlando, Florida
- TQL Stadium – Cincinnati, Ohio
- Allianz Field – Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Q2 Stadium – Austin, Texas
- Providence Park – Portland, Oregon
- BC Place – Vancouver, Canada
- Estadio Nemesio Diez – Toluca, Mexico
- Estadio Akron – Guadalajara, Mexico
- Estadio BBVA – Monterrey, Mexico
- Estadio Olímpico Universitario – Mexico City, Mexico
Venue allocation is based on club qualification, regional travel, competitive balance, stadium availability, and expected attendance. Most MLS clubs host one or more home matches, while several Liga MX clubs welcome Leagues Cup fixtures in Mexico for the first time.
Teams – MLS and Liga MX
The 2026 Leagues Cup features 36 clubs:
- 18 Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs – the top nine teams from both the Eastern Conference and Western Conference based on the 2025 MLS regular-season standings.
- 18 Liga MX clubs – all teams from the Mexican top division qualify automatically.
Unlike previous editions, there are no traditional groups. Instead, clubs compete in Phase One, where every team plays three matches exclusively against clubs from the opposite league (MLS vs. Liga MX). Teams are then ranked in separate MLS and Liga MX league tables, with the top four clubs from each league advancing to the knockout stage.
Eastern Clubs
| Rank | Tier | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Tier 1 | Cruz Azul | Liga MX |
| 5 | Philadelphia Union | MLS | |
| 6 | FC Cincinnati | MLS | |
| 7 | Inter Miami | MLS | |
| 11 | Monterrey | Liga MX | |
| 20 | Pachuca | Liga MX | |
| 12 | Tier 2 | Charlotte FC | MLS |
| 14 | New York City FC | MLS | |
| 16 | Nashville SC | MLS | |
| 22 | Necaxa | Liga MX | |
| 28 | León | Liga MX | |
| 29 | Pumas UNAM | Liga MX | |
| 17 | Tier 3 | Columbus Crew | MLS |
| 18 | Chicago Fire FC | MLS | |
| 19 | Orlando City SC | MLS | |
| 32 | Atlas | Liga MX | |
| 33 | Atlético San Luis | Liga MX | |
| 35 | Santos Laguna | Liga MX |
Western Clubs
| Rank | Tier | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tier 1 | Toluca | Liga MX |
| 2 | Tigres UANL | Liga MX | |
| 3 | América | Liga MX | |
| 8 | San Diego FC | MLS | |
| 9 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | MLS | |
| 10 | Los Angeles FC | MLS | |
| 13 | Tier 2 | Minnesota United FC | MLS |
| 15 | Seattle Sounders FC | MLS | |
| 21 | Guadalajara | Liga MX | |
| 23 | Juárez | Liga MX | |
| 24 | Austin FC | MLS | |
| 27 | Tijuana | Liga MX | |
| 25 | Tier 3 | FC Dallas | MLS |
| 26 | Portland Timbers | MLS | |
| 30 | Real Salt Lake | MLS | |
| 31 | Querétaro | Liga MX | |
| 34 | Atlante | Liga MX | |
| 36 | Puebla | Liga MX |
Group Stage Draw
The 2026 Leagues Cup Draw divided the 36 qualified clubs into two regions of 18 teams each: Eastern Region and Western Region. Within each region, clubs were further split into Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 based on the official Leagues Cup rankings.
Each club will play three Phase One matches, facing opponents exclusively from the opposite league (MLS vs Liga MX). Rather than traditional groups, clubs compete in separate MLS and Liga MX league tables, with the top four teams from each league advancing to the quarter-finals.
| Region | Teams |
|---|---|
| Eastern Region | 18 clubs (9 MLS + 9 Liga MX) |
| Western Region | 18 clubs (9 MLS + 9 Liga MX) |
Eastern Region
| Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cruz Azul Philadelphia Union FC Cincinnati Inter Miami CF Monterrey Pachuca | Charlotte FC New York City FC Nashville SC Necaxa León Pumas UNAM | Columbus Crew Chicago Fire FC Orlando City SC Atlas Atlético San Luis Santos Laguna |
Western Region
| Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Toluca Tigres UANL América San Diego FC Vancouver Whitecaps FC Los Angeles FC | Minnesota United FC Seattle Sounders FC Guadalajara Juárez Austin FC Tijuana | FC Dallas Portland Timbers Real Salt Lake Querétaro Atlante Puebla |
Note: The Eastern 1, Eastern 2, Eastern 3, Western 1, Western 2, and Western 3 sets used in the 2025 Leagues Cup have been removed for the 2026 tournament under the revised Phase One format.
2026 Leagues Cup Points Table
Get the 2026 season Leagues Cup standings. Find the full standings with win, loss and draw record for each team.
Liga MX
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | América | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 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 UNAM | 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 UANL | 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 |
Major League Soccer
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 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 |
2026 Leagues Cup Knockout Stage
The top four clubs from the MLS standings and the top four clubs from the Liga MX standings will advance to the Knockout Stage.
The eight qualified teams will compete in a single-elimination bracket, with every quarter-final featuring an MLS vs. Liga MX matchup. If a knockout match is level after 90 minutes, it goes directly to a penalty shootout (no extra time).
Quarter-finals
| Date | Fixture | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 25–27 August 2026 | MLS #1 vs Liga MX #4 | TBD |
| 25–27 August 2026 | MLS #2 vs Liga MX #3 | TBD |
| 25–27 August 2026 | MLS #3 vs Liga MX #2 | TBD |
| 25–27 August 2026 | MLS #4 vs Liga MX #1 | TBD |
Semi-finals
The four quarter-final winners will advance to the Leagues Cup 2026 Semi-finals.
| Date | Fixture | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 September 2026 | Winner QF1 vs Winner QF2 | TBD |
| 1–2 September 2026 | Winner QF3 vs Winner QF4 | TBD |
Third-Place Match
| Date | Fixture | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 6 September 2026 | Loser SF1 vs Loser SF2 | TBD |
Final
The two clubs that win their semifinals and reach the final will secure a spot in the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup, with the champions earning a direct place in the round of 16.
| Date | Fixture | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 6 September 2026 | Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 | TBD |
