Leagues Cup 2025: Teams, New Format, Schedule, Kick-Off Time - All you need to know
Leagues Cup
officially kicked off Tuesday night (July 29), as reigning champions
Columbus Crew
begin their title defense in a revamped format. This year's edition introduces a new twist, with only 18 teams from Major League Soccer (MLS) and 18 from
Liga MX
participating, each competing within their respective leagues in Phase One group play. The interleague showdown will run from July 29 to August 31, offering a month-long spectacle of North American soccer.
To accommodate the tournament, MLS will pause regular league play until August 9, allowing full focus on the Cup's early stages. With national pride and regional bragging rights on the line, fans can expect intense matchups and high-stakes drama as top clubs from both leagues battle for supremacy.
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Leagues Cup Teams
One of the biggest changes in the 2025 edition of the Leagues Cup is its expanded format. While the tournament originally featured just eight teams in its debut, this year's competition includes a total of 36 clubs - 18 from Liga MX and 18 from MLS. All Liga MX teams have been included, ensuring full representation from Mexico's top flight. For Major League Soccer, only clubs that qualified for the
MLS Cup Playoffs
earned a spot in the tournament, raising the overall level of competition.
New
Leagues Cup Format
Live Events
In the 2025 Leagues Cup format, each MLS and Liga MX team will play three matches against opponents from their own league. After these intraleague fixtures, the top four teams from each group based on points will advance to the quarterfinals.
From the knockout stage onward, teams will be re-seeded to maximise cross-league matchups between MLS and Liga MX clubs, increasing the interleague competition that defines the tournament.
Running from July 29 to August 31, the Leagues Cup introduces another key change - starting in the quarterfinals, all matches will be played midweek. This adjustment is designed to reduce disruption to both domestic leagues, which previously paused entirely during the tournament.
Leagues Cup Points System
Any match that ends in a draw after 90 minutes will go directly to a penalty shootout - no extra time will be played. The tournament's points system has also been adjusted to reflect this format: teams will earn three points for a win in regulation, two points for a shootout win, one point for a shootout loss, and zero points for a loss in regular time. This structure adds strategic weight to every group-stage match and ensures added drama in closely contested fixtures.
Leagues Cup Schedule (Phase One: July 29 - August 7 - All times are Eastern)
Tuesday, July 29
Toluca vs Columbus Crew, 7pm
CF Montreal vs Club Leon, 7pm
NYCFC vs Puebla, 8pm
Tigres vs Houston Dynamo, 9pm
LAFC vs Mazatlan, 10:30pm
Pachuca vs San Diego FC, 11pm
Wednesday, July 30
Inter Miami vs Atlas, 7:30pm
Necaxa vs Atlanta United, 7:30pm
Pumas vs Orlando City, 8pm
Minnesota United vs Queretaro, 8:30pm
Club America vs Real Salt Lake, 9:30pm
Portland vs San Luis, 10:30pm
Thursday, July 31
Monterrey vs Cincinnati, 7pm
Chivas Guadalajara vs RBNY, 7:30pm
Charlotte vs Juarez, 7:30pm
Colorado Rapids vs Santos Laguna, 9:30pm
Cruz Azul vs Seattle Sounders 10:30pm
LA Galaxy vs Club Tijuana, 11pm
Friday, August 1
NYCFC vs Club Leon, 6pm
Columbus Crew vs Puebla, 7pm
Houston Dynamo vs Mazatlan, 8:30pm
Toluca vs Montreal, 9pm
LAFC vs Pachuca, 10:30pm
Tigres vs San Diego, 11pm
Saturday, August 2
Orlando City vs Atlas, 6pm
Inter Miami vs Necaxa, 7pm
Pumas vs Atlanta United, 9pm
Club America vs Minnesota United, 9pm
Real Salt Lake vs San Luis, 9:30pm
Portland Timbers vs Queretaro, 11pm
Sunday, August 3
Cincinnati vs Juarez, 5:30pm
Chivas Guadalajara vs Charlotte, 7:50pm
Monterrey vs RBNY, 8:30pm
Colorado Rapids vs Club Tijuana, 9:30pm
Seattle Sounders vs Santos Laguna, 10:30pm
LA Galaxy vs Cruz Azul, 10:30pm
Tuesday, August 5
Columbus Crew vs Club Leon, 7:30pm
Toluca vs NYCFC, 7:30pm
Montreal vs Puebla, 8pm
Houston Dynamo vs Pachuca, 8:30pm
Mazatlan vs San Diego, 10pm
Tigres vs LAFC, 10:30pm
Wednesday, August 6
Orlando City vs Necaxa, 7pm
Inter Miami vs Pumas, 7:30pm
Atlanta United vs Atlas, 7:30pm
Minnesota United vs San Luis, 8:30pm
Real Salt Lake vs Queretaro, 9:30pm
Club America vs Portland Timbers, 9:30pm
Seattle Sounders vs Club Tijuana, 11pm
Thursday, August 7
Cincinnati vs Chivas Guadalajara, 7pm
Monterrey vs Charlotte, 7:30pm
RBNY vs Juarez, 7:30pm
Cruz Azul vs Colorado Rapids, 8:30pm
LA Galaxy vs Santos Laguna, 11pm
QUARTERFINALS FORMAT:
MLS 1 vs LIGA MX 4
MLS 2 vs LIGA MX 3
MLS 3 vs LIGA MX 2
MLS 4 vs LIGA MX 1
Quarterfinals: August 19-20
Semifinals: August 26-27
Third Place: August 31
Final: August 31
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