MLS Liga MX Leagues Cup competition kicks off July 21

U-T En Español: Peridico Electrnico

Copyright © 2023, The San Diego Union-Tribune

MLS, Liga MX Leagues Cup competition kicks off July 21

Austin FC fans celebrate a goal by Maximiliano Urruti during the second half of an MLS soccer game to defeat CF Montreal, Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Austin, Texas. Austin won 1-0.

(Michael Thomas / Associated Press)

Major League Soccer and Liga MX announced the bracket and schedule Thursday for this summers Leagues Cup competition between the two leagues.

The tournament was expanded this year to include all 18 Liga MX clubs and 29 MLS clubs as the United States and Mexico prepare to host the 2026 World Cup with Canada. Both leagues will pause their seasons for the CONCACAF-sanctioned event.

The group stage will open July 21 and the top two finishers from each group will advance to the knockout stage.The title and third-place matches will be held on Aug. 19.

The top three finishersin the World Cup-style competitionearn spots in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions League.

Pachuca and LAFC have byes and advance directly to the round of 32 as champions from their respective leagues. LAFC won the 2022 MLS Cup and Pachuca had the most combined points accumulated across Liga MXs Clausura and Apertura seasons during 2022.

MLS venues will host the knockout round matches. The advancing MLS teams will host matches with Liga MX clubs and matches between Liga MX clubs will be held at a venue designated by the organizing committee.

Games between MLS clubs will be hosted by the group winner. In the round of 16, games between MLS clubs will be hosted by the team with the better 2022 regular-season record.

Leagues Cup matches will be televised on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, Fox Sports, TelevisaUnivision and TSN in Canada.

The groups were previously announced.

Sign up for U-T Sports daily newsletter

The latest Padres, Chargers and Aztecs headlines along with the other top San Diego sports stories every morning.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Mark Scheifele scored his second goal of the game at 4:31 overtime to give the Winnipeg Jets a 5-4 victory over Florida on Saturday night, ending the Panthers winning streak at three games

John Tavares scored two of the four goals in the second period as the Toronto Maple Leafs roared back to down the Edmonton Oilers 7-4 on Saturday night

Boston overcame Atlantas fourth-quarter comeback bid as Jayson Tatum led a balanced scoring attack with 34 points, including 11 in the final period, in the Celtics 134-125 win over the Hawks

Daniss Jenkins scored 22 of his 27 points in the second half and Walter Clayton Jr. scored 17 points and Iona beat Marist 76-55 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament championship game and clinched an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament

Wendell Carter had 27 points and 11 rebounds and the Orlando Magic bounced back from a fourth-quarter collapse to beat the Miami Heat 126-114 in overtime

Jordan Kyrou scored three goals, seldom-used goaltender Thomas Greiss stopped 38 shots and the St. Louis Blues cruised to a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets