All 36 participating teams in this year’s Leagues Cup have played their opening two matches, with one final matchday left to determine the eight knockout-stage teams. The group stage consists of all teams playing three games against teams from the other league, guaranteeing that all games in Phase One will feature an MLS vs. Liga MX matchup.
Through two matches, Liga MX’s table is much more settled compared to the MLS’ table.
As things stand, the teams in the top four for Liga MX are America, Juarez, Cruz Azul, and Leon. In contention to make a jump are Tigres, Toluca, Monterrey, and Atlante, who are yet to be eliminated. The remaining ten Liga MX teams are eliminated and unable to qualify for the knockout stage.
In the MLS, 16 of 18 teams are still in contention, with just Minnesota and Vancouver eliminated after two games. Last year, the four MLS teams that qualified for the knockouts did not lose a match and had 7 or more points. Through their first two games, six teams have six points, with LAFC (5 pts) and Real Salt Lake (4 pts) still in contention based on last season’s 7-point threshold on the MLS side.
The teams in the top four on the MLS side right now are Austin FC, Charlotte FC, FC Cincinnati, and Chicago Fire FC. Columbus (6 pts) and FC Dallas (6 pts) are also both undefeated and will need teams above them to drop some points to qualify for the next stage. Inter Miami, who lost to Monterrey in Matchday 2, seem likely to not qualify.
The quarterfinal matchups (as things stand) to begin the knockout stage will be:
- Austin FC (MLS 1) vs. Leon (Liga MX 4)
- Charlotte FC (MLS 2) vs. Cruz Azul (Liga MX 3)
- FC Cincinnati (MLS 3) vs. Juarez (Liga MX 2)
- Chicago Fire FC (MLS 4) vs. America (Liga MX 1)
Both clubs that qualify for the final, along with the winner of the third-place playoff, will automatically qualify for the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
You can watch the Leagues Cup live on Apple TV, which streams all 62 tournament matches globally across the U.S. without blackouts.
