2023 Leagues Cup: Schedule, groups and where to watch

2023-05-19 03:27

The 2023 CONCACAF Leagues Cup, a month-long tourney will halt all league play across North America beginning July 21 through a final match scheduled for August 19.

Major League Soccer and Liga MX clubs are getting ready for the reinvented 2023 Leagues Cup and, well, so should you.

Call the Leagues Cup a better idea at regional unity than the North American Free Trade Agreement or a cash-grab by soccer clubs – criticism certainly runs on both sides of that aisle. For soccer fans in North America it means one thing: more soccer, más futbol, plus fut!

Founded in 2019 as an eight-team, single-elimination knockout tournament, the Leagues Cup picked up where the North American SuperLiga (2007–10) left off. It has now blossomed into a 47-team tournament between Liga MX and MLS clubs from the U.S. and Canada.

The three-nation commitment to expanding the appeal of the sport can be seen in this year’s tournament as all domestic action in both leagues will pause to lessen the impact of fixture congestion.

For the first time ever, all Liga MX and MLS teams will face off in what is bound to be a thrilling Summer competition. And as the rivalry between the two leagues heats up, clubs will be fighting for more than just a spot in the upcoming Concacaf Champions League edition.

Here's all you need to know about the upcoming tournament...

How does the 2023 Leagues Cup work?

The month-long tournament will halt all league play across North America beginning July 21 through a final match scheduled for August 19. There will be 15, three-team groups arranged by geographic zones and will feature round-robin play, with the top two advancing to a knockout stage of one-off matches.

The Leagues Cup will award three points to winners and draws are not an option – tied games will go directly to penalties with the winner through this method receiving two points for their victory and the loser one point.

The winner will have their spot in the round of 16 of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions League secured while the final’s loser and third-place winner will get a spot in the first round of the competition.

How to watch the 2023 Leagues Cup on TV

All of the tournament will take place in U.S. and Canadian stadiums, with Liga MX teams arranged by geography. MLS Season Pass on Apple TV will air all of the matches with TelevisaUnivision, FOX Sports, TSN and RDS picking up a few of the games.

2023 Leagues Cup groups & schedule

WEST ONE

07/22/23 - Portland Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes
07/26/23 - Portland Timbers vs. Tigres UANL
07/30/23 - San Jose Earthquakes vs. Tigres UANL

WEST TWO

07/22/23 - Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders
07/26/23 - Real Salt Lake vs. CF Monterrey
07/30/23 - Seattle Sounders vs. CF Monterrey

WEST THREE

07/21/23 - Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Club Léon
07/25/23 - LA Galaxy vs. Club Léon
07/29/23 - LA Galaxy vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

CENTRAL ONE

07/23/23 - Columbus Crew vs. St. Louis City SC
07/27/23 - St. Louis City SC vs. Club América
07/31/23 - Columbus Crew vs. Club América

CENTRAL TWO

07/23/23 - Minnesota United vs. Puebla
07/27/23 - Minnesota United vs. Chicago Fire
07/31/23 - Chicago Fire vs. Puebla

CENTRAL THREE

07/23/23 - FC Cincinnati vs. Sporting Kansas City
07/27/23 - FC Cincinnati vs. Chivas
07/31/23 - Sporting Kansas City vs. Chivas

CENTRAL FOUR

07/23/23 - Nashville SC vs. Colorado Rapids
07/27/23 - Nashville SC vs. Toluca
07/31/23 - Colorado Rapids vs. Toluca

SOUTH ONE

07/21/23 - Austin FC vs. Mazatlán FC
07/25/23 - Mazatlán FC vs. FC Juárez
07/29/23 - Austin FC vs. FC Juárez

SOUTH TWO

07/21/23 - Orlando City vs. Houston Dynamo
07/25/23 - Houston Dynamo vs. Santos Laguna
07/29/23 - Orlando City vs. Santos Laguna

SOUTH THREE

07/21/23 - Inter Miami vs. Cruz Azul
07/25/23 - Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United
07/29/23 - Atlanta United vs. Cruz Azul

SOUTH FOUR

07/21/23 - FC Dallas vs. Charlotte FC
07/25/23 - FC Dallas vs. Necaxa
07/29/23 - Charlotte FC vs. Necaxa

EAST ONE

07/22/23 - Philadelphia Union vs. Tijuana
07/26/23 - Philadelphia Union vs. Querétaro
07/30/23 - Tijuana vs. Querétaro

EAST TWO

07/22/23 - CF Montréal vs. Pumas UNAM
07/26/23 - CF Montréal vs. D.C. United
07/30/23 - D.C. United vs. Pumas UNAM

EAST THREE

07/23/23 - New York City FC vs. Atlas
07/26/23 - New York City FC vs. Toronto FC
07/30/23 - Toronto FC vs. Atlas

EAST FOUR

07/22/23 - New York Red Bulls vs. New England Revolution
07/26/23 - New England Revolution vs. Atlético San Luis
07/30/23 - New York Red Bulls vs. Atlético San Luis

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2023 Leagues Cup knockout rounds

The round of 32 matches will be played between August 2–4 with LAFC and Pachuca receiving byes to this stage based on their top spot placements during the 2022 regular season.

Then, between August 6–8, the round of 16 will take place with quarterfinals scheduled for August 11 and 12.

2023 Leagues Cup round schedule

This article was originally published on 90min as 2023 Leagues Cup: Schedule, groups and where to watch.