The 2025 Leagues Cup has reached its thrilling climax with just four teams remaining as the Leagues Cup 2025 Semifinal approaches on Wednesday, August 27. In a remarkable turn of events, all four Liga MX teams were eliminated in the quarterfinals, making this the second consecutive edition where no Mexican club has reached the final four.
The stage is now set for two captivating all-MLS showdowns that promise to deliver high-quality football and intense drama.
Inter Miami vs Orlando City and LA Galaxy vs Seattle Sounders are playing the semifinal match of the Leagues Cup 2025.
Leagues Cup 2025 Semifinal
Table of Contents
After winning the Leagues Cup 2025 Knockout Stage represents the thrilling conclusion of the annual North American tournament featuring top clubs from Major League Soccer (MLS) and Mexico’s Liga MX.
Inter Miami vs Orlando City
(8:30 PM ET – Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale)
In a high-stakes Florida derby at Chase Stadium on August 27, 2025, Inter Miami and Orlando City go head-to-head for a spot in the Leagues Cup final. With regional bragging rights and a pathway to the Concacaf Champions Cup on the line, this matchup promises electric intensity and decisive drama.
The Florida Derby takes centre stage as Inter Miami hosts Orlando City in what promises to be the most intriguing Leagues Cup 2025 Semifinal clash. This matchup carries significant narrative weight, particularly given Orlando’s recent dominance over its cross-state rivals.
Orlando City enters this semifinal as the psychological favorites based on their recent head-to-head record against Inter Miami.
The Lions have been dominant in 2025, outscoring Inter Miami 7-1 across their two regular-season meetings.
Orlando secured a commanding 3-0 victory at Chase Stadium in May and followed it up with an emphatic 4-1 triumph at Inter&Co Stadium in August.
In their latest encounter, Orlando City completely overwhelmed Inter Miami with Luis Muriel scoring twice, Martín Ojeda extending his club record to 17 goals for the season, and Marco Pašalić adding the fourth goal.
The performance was so dominant that Orlando managed to limit Miami to an expected goals total of just 0.7.
Inter Miami’s chances may hinge significantly on Lionel Messi’s fitness status. The Argentine superstar has been battling a persistent right hamstring injury that forced him to miss the quarterfinal victory over Tigres UANL.
Messi initially injured his hamstring during the group stage match against Necaxa on August 2, requiring an 11th-minute substitution.
Medical tests confirmed a “minor muscle injury” in his right leg, but the injury appeared to resurface during Miami’s MLS match against LA Galaxy on August 16.
Despite playing 45 minutes as a substitute and contributing a goal and an assist, Messi was frequently seen stretching his right leg and showed visible discomfort.
Statistics reveal the significant impact of Messi’s absence on Inter Miami’s performance.
Historical data shows that with Messi on the field, Miami has won 39 games, lost 13, and drawn 19 in 71 appearances. However, without the Argentine maestro, the team’s performance drops considerably.
In 2024, Inter Miami played five games without Messi, collecting three losses, one draw, and one win. The team’s average performance rating also decreases from 7.10 with Messi to 6.88 without him.
This psychological and tactical impact cannot be understated, especially against an Orlando City side that has already proven they can dominate Miami even with Messi in the lineup.
Inter Miami vs Orlando City lineups for Leagues Cup 2025 Semifinal
- Inter Miami predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Ustari (GK), Weigandt, Lujan, Falcon, Allen — Bright, Busquets — Allende, De Paul, Segovia — Suarez.
- Orlando City predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Gallese (GK), Freeman, Schlegel, Jansson, Brekalo — Atuesta, Araujo — Pasalic, Ojeda, Angulo — Muriel.
LA Galaxy vs Seattle Sounders
(10:45 PM ET – Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson)
On Wednesday, August 27, the LA Galaxy host the Seattle Sounders in a high-stakes Leagues Cup 2025 Semifinal at Dignity Health Sports Park, where the Galaxy are fighting for silverware to salvage a rough MLS season while the Sounders aim to complete their trophy cabinet. Seattle enter as the form team—undefeated in the tournament so far—making this clash both a revenge opportunity and a battle of champions
The second Leagues Cup 2025 Semifinal features two historically successful MLS franchises with contrasting 2025 campaigns.
Seattle Sounders entered the knockout stage as the number one seed among MLS teams, having dominated the group stage with a perfect record of three wins, 11 goals scored, and only two goals conceded.
This impressive run continued into the knockout phase, where they defeated Puebla 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw.
The Sounders have been one of MLS’s most consistent performers over the past decade, with two MLS Cup titles and a 2022 CONCACAF Champions League victory.
Under Brian Schmetzer’s management, they’ve maintained their reputation as knockout competition specialists.
The defending MLS Cup champions have experienced one of the most dramatic season turnarounds in recent memory.
The Galaxy endured a historically poor start to 2025, not recording its first victory until its 17th game of the season. They had lost 12 of their first 16 matches and were languishing at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
However, the Leagues Cup has provided a platform for the LA Galaxy’s resurgence.
Their path to the semifinals included a crucial 2-1 victory over Pachuca in the quarterfinals, showcasing their ability to perform in knockout scenarios despite their regular-season struggles.
The Galaxy’s poor 2025 regular season record of 3 wins, 7 draws, and 16 losses placed them 30th out of 30 teams in MLS. They’ve scored just 29 goals while conceding 55, creating a goal difference of -26. This makes their semifinal appearance all the more remarkable.
They’ve scored just 29 goals while conceding 55, creating a goal difference of -26. This makes their semifinal appearance all the more remarkable.
The Galaxy and Sounders have a rich playoff history, with the LA Galaxy leading the postseason series 3-1. Their most recent playoff meeting was in 2024, where the Galaxy defeated Seattle 1-0 in the Western Conference Final.
The Galaxy have historically had Seattle’s number in crucial knockout matches, winning playoff series in 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2024.
LA Galaxy vs Seattle Sounders lineups for Leagues Cup 2025 Semifinal
- LA Galaxy’s possible starting lineup: Novak Mićović (GK), Mauricio Cuevas, Emiro Garcés, Zanka, Julián Aude, Marco Reus (c), Edwin Cerrillo, Diego Fagundez, Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil, Matheus Nascimento
- Seattle Sounders possible starting lineup: Frei (GK); A. Roldan, Andrade, Ragen, Tolo, Baker-Whiting; De la Vega, C. Roldan, Vargas, Ferreira; Musovski
Tournament Format
The 2025 Leagues Cup features a new format with all 18 Liga MX teams competing against the top 18 MLS clubs from the previous season.
The tournament’s knockout stage awards three CONCACAF Champions Cup berths to the top three finishers, making these semifinals crucial for continental competition qualification.
Predictions and Analysis
Inter Miami vs Orlando City
Orlando City are the favourite for this semifinal based on several key factors
- Recent Head-to-Head Dominance: Orlando’s 7-1 aggregate advantage in 2025 demonstrates their tactical superiority over Miami
- Messi’s Uncertain Status: The ongoing hamstring injury significantly impacts Miami’s attacking threat and overall team psychology
- Home Advantage Neutralized: While Miami has home-field advantage, Orlando has already won at Chase Stadium this season
- Defensive Solidity: Orlando’s ability to limit Miami’s high-scoring attack to minimal chances in recent meetings
Predicted Result: Orlando City to advance 2-1
LA Galaxy vs Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders are the clear favorites despite LA Galaxy’s defensive home advantage:
- Superior Tournament Form: Seattle’s perfect group stage record and dominant goal difference showcase their current quality
- Galaxy’s Season-Long Struggles: LA’s historically poor 2025 regular season indicates systemic issues that may resurface under pressure
- Playoff Experience: While both teams have playoff pedigree, Seattle’s recent consistency gives them the edge
- Tactical Advantage: Seattle’s 11 goals in three group stage matches demonstrate their attacking potency
Predicted Result: Seattle Sounders to advance 3-1
Final
The Leagues Cup Final is scheduled for Saturday, August 31, with the winner earning automatic qualification to the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16.
Both finalists will secure CONCACAF Champions Cup berths, while the third-place playoff winner will claim the final continental competition spot.
The semifinals represent the pinnacle of North American club football, with four storied franchises battling for continental glory.
While Orlando City and Seattle Sounders enter as favourites based on current form and recent performances, the knockout format ensures that anything can happen over 90 minutes of football.
TV Schedule and Broadcast of the Leagues Cup 2025 Semifinal
Coverage: Both semifinal matches will be broadcast live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, with kickoff times of 8:30 PM ET (Miami vs Orlando) and 10:45 PM ET (Galaxy vs Seattle).
The stage is set for two compelling semifinals that will determine which clubs advance to contest the 2025 Leagues Cup Final and secure their places in next year’s CONCACAF Champions Cup.
