2025 Leagues Cup Groups: How it works and teams in each of the 12 groups
This year's tournament runs from July 29 to August 31, pausing regular season play as matches take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The Columbus Crew enter the competition as reigning champions, following their memorable title run in 2024.
All matches will stream on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV, with select games also airing on FS1. Check out how each of the 12 groups breakdown: 2025 Leagues Cup Groups East 1
Lionel Messi delivered a standout performance, scoring twice and providing an assist as Inter Miami defeated New York Red Bulls 5–1 in MLS action. Messi's connection with Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and his clinical finishing helped power Miami to a dominant victory. East 2 East 3 East 4 East 5 East 6 East 7 West 1 West 2 West 3 West 4 West 5 West 6 West 7 West 8 How were the 2025 Leagues Cup groups determined?
For the 2025 Leagues Cup, clubs were divided into groups based on a tiered ranking system. The 36 participating teams were split evenly into Eastern and Western regions, with each region featuring three tiers determined by league performance: Tier 1: Top 3 ranked teams from each league
Tier 2: Teams ranked 4–6
Tier 3: Teams ranked 7–9
The Leagues Cup Ranking was created by combining each league's regular season results. MLS teams were ranked using the 2024 Supporters' Shield standings, with San Diego FC, as an expansion team, seeded last. Liga MX rankings were based on combined results from the 2024 Clausura and Apertura seasons, totaling 34 matches. How does it work? What is the 2025 Leagues Cup point system?
During Phase One of the tournament (July 29–August 7), each team plays three matches, all against clubs from the opposite league. While facing interleague opponents, clubs earn points towards a league-specific table. That means MLS teams are competing against other MLS teams in their standings, and Liga MX clubs do the same within their own league. The top 4 clubs with the most points from each league will move on to the Knockout Rounds, right into the quarterfinals.
The point system for the 2025 Leagues Cup is as follows: No ties
Each team will receive one (1) point if the game is tied after 90 minutes
The winner of the subsequent penalty shootout will earn an additional point
Regulation wins count as 3 points
The quarterfinal pairings will be based on the final results from Phase One. Like Phase One, all quarterfinal matches will still feature MLS vs. Liga MX contests.
MLS 1 vs. Liga MX 4MLS 2 vs. Liga MX 3MLS 3 vs. Liga MX 2
MLS 4 vs. Liga MX 1
From there, the winning teams continue to advance and face whatever other team advances, regardless of league. The 2025 Leagues Cup Third Place match and Final will decide the three clubs that qualify for the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup. How can I watch the 2025 Leagues Cup? What channel will it be on?
You can watch the 2025 Leagues Cup on FOX Sports, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and Apple TV+. Twelve group stage matches will air on FS1 while most other matches will be on Apple TV+ or MLS Season Pass. How can I stream the 2025 Leagues Cup?
All the 2025 Leagues Cup matches that are on FS1 will be available on FOXSports.com or the FOX Sports app.
For those without cable, there are live-streaming services that carry FS1, including YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV and fuboTV. Get more from the Leagues Cup Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
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USA Today
2 minutes ago
- USA Today
Son Heung-min unveiled at LAFC press event; blockbuster signing reportedly sets MLS record
LOS ANGELES — It's always Sonny in Los Angeles. Los Angeles Football Club officially unveiled Son Heung-min, their reportedly record-breaking signing, at a press conference at BMO Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 6. "I'm here to win, I will perform. I will definitley show you something exciting," Son said. Son, 33, is considered to be arguably the greatest Asian soccer player ever, having appeared for South Korea 134 times (scoring 51 goals). In a decade with Tottenham, Son scored 173 goals and added 101 assists, captaining the London-based club to its first trophy in 17 years as Spurs won the 2024-25 Europa League final in May. The now-former Tottenham star noted that LAFC was not originally his first choice when moving from the north London side, but was convinced by LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington. "I honestly and openly share what this club is about," Thorrington said at the press conference. "I ask: 'Does this match with your ambition?' and in this case ... it has." Son is one of the highest profile signings in the club's – and arguably league – history following the footsteps of Carlos Vela, Gareth Bale and Olivier Giroux into the Hollywood spotlight. Thorrington said the move was nine years in the making. "What I call the walking paradox that is Sonny, that is this unbelievably charismatic guy but matched with his humility that he walks around with, and his patience, that's what we aspire to be," Thorrington said. The fee LAFC shelled out to seal his move to MLS is to be the largest in league history, according to multiple reports. While MLS clubs have rarely been willing to share exact transfer fees, GiveMeSport reported Aug. 5 that the transfer will be will surpass Emmanuel Latte Lath's move to Atlanta United this past winter for $22 million. ESPN and The Athletic reported ahead of the announcement that the fee would be at least $26 million, which would mark a new transfer fee record for the league. Thorrington declined to disclose the terms of the contract when asked. MLS AT 30: What's next after remarkable growth Debut timetable to be determined Son did not provide a timetable on when he will join the team on the field, saying that he will work with the coaching staff to get on the pitch as soon as possible. "I came here to play soccer and I'm ready to play, but there is some preparation work to be done," Son said. LAFC stands in sixth place in the Western Conference on 36 points with 12 games remaining in MLS play. The team's next three league games are on the road at the Chicago Fire, New England Revolution and FC Dallas. If the club intends to hold the debut until their return to Expo Park, it could be made in a Sunday showcase against San Diego FC on Aug. 31. A 2-1 win over UANL Tigres – with a heavily rotated side and Son looking on from a suite – on Tuesday, Aug. 5 gave LAFC a long-shot chance at progressing in Leagues Cup. Korean-American community buzzes about Son signing Rumors of the Black and Gold signing the South Korean superstar sent a buzz through the Korean-American community as news on the progression of the deal were reported out, principally by Tom Bogert of GiveMeSport and international transfer maven Fabrizio Romano. "Son Heung-min's transfer to LAFC presents a rare and powerful opportunity to shift that attention toward LAFC and the MLS," Kyeongjun Kim, a writer with The Korean Daily, the largest Korean-language media outlet in the U.S., told USA TODAY in an email ahead of Wednesday's press conference. "Already, many Korean fans are posting on social media asking how to buy LAFC season tickets or inquiring about the match schedule." Photos published by Agance France-Presse show fans lining up at Los Angeles International Airport at the rumored time of arrival for Son, with one sign reading "Welcome to LA" in Korean. Daniel Park, a native of South Korea who was already in the country on a business trip but took time to visit BMO Stadium just before the press conference, described Son as a celebrity who transcended sports. Beyond his success on the field, Son is a behemoth in the advertising world. Adidas, Burberry, Calvin Klein and Tumi have all named Son a brand ambassador and launched major ad campaigns around him, while he is one of just five soccer players to have a custom character "skin" in one of the most popular video games in the world, Fortnite. "Son's move to the LAFC is as exciting — if not moreso — than when Chan-ho Park and Hyun-jin Ryu joined the Dodgers," Kim wrote. Son is not the first South Korean signing for the club, which had defender Kim Moon-hwan from 2021-2022. Contributing: Jason Anderson, USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles Times
2 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Son Heung-min is an LAFC building block to win and grow global brand
Already the home of Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles is now also the home of South Korea's Shohei Ohtani. Like Ohtani, Son Heung-min has been the most popular athlete in his home country by a wide margin for close to a decade. Like Ohtani, Son has a pleasant disposition that has endeared him to people from a wide range of backgrounds. Son was introduced as the latest addition to LAFC at a news conference on Wednesday at BMO Stadium, and he was everything he was made out to be. He came across as sincere. He was warm. He was funny. 'I'm here to win,' Son said. 'I will perform and definitely show you some exciting … 'Are we calling it football or soccer?' None of this means Son will turn LAFC into the Dodgers overnight, of course. By this point, Major League Soccer and its teams understand that profile players aren't transformative figures as much as they are building blocks. Son will be the newest, and perhaps most solid, block that will be stacked on the foundation established by the club's first designated player, the now-retired Carlos Vela. Outside of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, there might not be a player in the world who could be of a greater value than Son to LAFC, which continues to fight for relevance on multiple fronts. There was a reason the transfer fee paid by LAFC to Tottenham Hotspur of England was the highest in MLS history, a reported $26 million. 'Son's arrival marks a new chapter, not just for LAFC but for the league and for football in the United States,' general manager John Thorrington said. 'He brings not only incredible quality on the field but a magnetic presence off it, someone who inspires millions around the world and now will do so here in Los Angeles.' The most talented Mexican player of his generation, Vela forged an immediate connection with the community, carving out a place for LAFC in the congested Los Angeles sports market. Son will do the same, as this city is home to a large Korean community. Supporters of Mexico's national soccer team also share a fondness of Son because of a late goal he scored against Germany in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup, which enabled El Tri to advance to the round of 16. More than ethnic background, Vela's success with LAFC was driven by performance. Son is expected to deliver on that front as well. Son might be 33, but he remains a world-class attacker. He should be one of MLS' best players from the moment he steps on the field, if not the best after Messi of Inter Miami. 'We can say I'm old, but I still have good physicality, good legs and still I have good quality,' Son said. LAFC has become a model franchise in MLS not just because of how it markets itself. The club makes smart soccer decisions and Son is the latest. What will distinguish Son from Vela is the opportunity he will present LAFC to build its global brand. 'From the early days of building this club, we've dreamt of building a club that would win trophies and make a major positive impact in our community and Los Angeles, but also make a mark on the world stage of global football,' lead managing owner Bennett Rosenthal said. As much success as it has enjoyed domestically, as much attention as it received for participating in the recent Club World Cup, LAFC doesn't have as much international name recognition as Inter Miami, which employs Messi; or the Galaxy, for which David Beckham played; or even the New York Cosmos, which made its name by signing Pele in the 1970s. Son played 10 seasons with Tottenham, and by one estimate, the club had 12 million supporters in South Korea — or about one in four people in the country. Koreans traveled to London to watch Son play for Tottenham, just as many Japanese people travel to watch Ohtani at Dodger Stadium. Korean companies sponsored the Spurs. The eyes of South Korea have shifted to LAFC. The team scheduled Son's introductory news conference for 2 p.m. local time — or 6 a.m. in South Korea. An estimated 40 Korean journalists were issued credentials to cover the event. Son acknowledged that as he prepared for life after Tottenham, LAFC was 'not my first choice.' A conversation with Thorrington after the season changed his mind. 'He showed me the destination where I should be,' Son said. Son attended LAFC's Leagues Cup victory over Tigres of Mexico on Tuesday night and received a loud ovation when he was shown on the video scoreboard. 'It was just insane,' he said. 'I just wanted to run into the pitch.' Son will be reunited with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, his former teammate at Tottenham. 'He's back to [being] my captain,' Son said. 'So I have to say something good about him because otherwise in the locker room, he's just going to kill me.' Son laughed. His personality will play in Los Angeles, just as it did in London. He will make LAFC a known commodity in South Korea, perhaps beyond. He will further enhance a structure that was built by Vela, ensuring the team's next star will have an even greater platform on which to perform. He won't be as prominent locally as Ohtani or Luka Doncic, but he doesn't have to be.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'What a city': Son Heung-min lands at Los Angeles FC with plans for trophies, love for Korean fans
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Son Heung-min has arrived at Los Angeles FC with great excitement and even greater ambitions for the next stage of his groundbreaking soccer career. 'I'm here to win, and I will perform,' Son said at a packed news conference. 'I will definitely show you something exciting ... are we calling it football or soccer? I will definitely show some exciting football, and we definitely will have success.' LAFC formally introduced its new forward Wednesday at BMO Stadium, where his likeness already looms over the main entrance gates and on video boards surrounding the stadium. The 33-year-old South Korean superstar is back on the Pacific Rim after a professional career spent in Europe, including the past decade at Tottenham. 'What can I say? Dream come true. LA, what a city,' said Son, who will wear No. 7 in black and gold. Son had suitors from around the globe after he decided to leave Spurs, and he said the decision to join LAFC initially wasn't obvious. He came around to the idea of moving to MLS after conversations with LAFC general manager John Thorrington, who sold Son on the 8-year-old club's ambition to be an international brand and the most successful club in North America. 'If I'm honest, it was not my first choice,' Son said. 'But (from the) first call when I talked to John after the season finished, he just changed my mind. He changed my heart. He changed my brain. He showed me the destination where I should be. Right now, I'm here. I'm more than happy.' Son laughingly said he was also pitched aggressively by Hugo Lloris, his longtime teammate at Tottenham who is now LAFC's starting goalkeeper. Son is South Korea's most popular athlete, and he is widely considered to be the greatest Asian soccer player in history. He said he already feels at home in Los Angeles, which has the world's largest ethnic Korean population outside Korea and a robust base of soccer fans from all backgrounds who appreciate his accomplishments. Son's introductory news conference was attended by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, South Korea's consul general, several additional politicians, dozens of Korean journalists and dozens of drum-beating, singing fans from the LAFC supporters' group famous for its relentless, raucous noise during matches. Son already got a taste of LAFC fans' passion Tuesday when he attended the club's Leagues Cup victory over Tigres. 'On behalf of millions of Angelenos and soccer fans around the world — Sonny, welcome to Los Angeles,' Bass said. 'This is a moment that will be remembered in the city for generations to come.' Son joins a lengthy list of soccer stars from European leagues who moved to Hollywood for a second act in their careers. Gareth Bale, Giorgio Chiellini and Olivier Giroud have all suited up for LAFC, while the crosstown rival LA Galaxy have welcomed even more European superstars, including David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robbie Keane and Marco Reus. Son did not appear to be in decline during the past season as Tottenham's captain, and he said he is in good game shape after participating in Spurs' summer tour of Asia. He did not set a date for his LAFC debut, but it could be this month. 'I just felt like I need a new chapter, I need a new challenge, and I choose LAFC,' Son said. 'I think we can say I'm old, but I still have a good physicality, good legs, and still have a good quality. I'm here to perform, but also I want to give some advice to the young players for improvement. That's why we are here.' ___ AP soccer:
