Vamos, mis amigos: Leagues Cup is back. Everyone’s favorite two-league, mid-summer tournament returns for a third year, and this edition brings with it a new format, new opportunities, and new opponents. It’s got the makings of yet another fun interruption from regular season action; let’s walk through this year’s tournament together to get in the proper mood for another clash with our rivals to the south.
Shiny New Format!
While this season’s tournament will run from July 31 to August 31, there will only be a week-long break in the regular season calendar this time around. Why, you ask? Well, it’ll make sense as we run through the basics of the new-and-improved format.
First and foremost among the changes is that this edition will only feature 36 teams: 18 from each league. That means that every Liga MX club will compete, while only the teams that qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2024 will be eligible for this year’s Leagues Cup (with the exception of San Diego taking Vancouver’s place, because Canada). Fewer teams equals fewer games. Fewer games equals less interruption to the regular season.
All 36 teams will fight for the title across two phases. Phase One entails three matchups against teams from the opposite league, meaning MNUFC (and all MLS competitors) will play three Liga MX teams. After everyone has played their three matches, the top four point-earners from each league will advance to Phase Two, the knockout phase. These quarterfinals will pit teams from opposing leagues against one another, ensuring even more interleague matchups in important matches. As in years past, three Concacaf Champions Cup spots are up for grabs, with the winners, runners-up, and third-place teams all qualifying for the 2026 tournament.
A Long, Storied History
Let me be your wise, old guide as we take a jaunt down Leagues Cup memory lane. Way back in 2023, your Loons put together one of the most exciting cup runs in club history, as Bongokuhle Hlongwane’s shooting boots powered the Black and Blue all the way to the quarterfinals. The South African winger scored three consecutive braces to open the tournament that year, finishing the campaign with seven goals in just five games. Inter Miami lifted the trophy, of course, but who cares? I only remember Bongi.
Just a year later, MNUFC was paired with Necaxa and Seattle in the final year of three-team groups. They split the results, and everyone in the group ended up with three points apiece. The Loons missed out on the knockouts due to goal difference alone, saving the rest of the field from the reemergence of Leagues Cup Bongi. The Crew took down LAFC in the final, making that team from Ohio’s capital the reigning champions. I like that more than Miami, personally.
And then, of course, there was that time when … oh wait, that’s it. Memory lane is a lot shorter than I thought it was. Guess you can’t have too many memories for a tournament that’s only two years old, huh? Time to make some more, I suppose.
Meet the Opponents
We’ll be diving into each of our Leagues Cup opponents a little deeper before each match, but now feels like a good time to introduce you to them. Loons faithful, get ready to welcome two new guests to Allianz Field, and prepare yourselves to take on one of the world’s most legendary clubs.
Querétaro F.C.
Your Loons will be kicking this year’s Leagues Cup off against none other than Querétaro F.C.! Los Gallos Blancos — the White Roosters, as they’re commonly known — have existed in one form or another since 1950. They’ll be traveling to Minnesota all the way from Santiago de Querétaro in the state of Querétaro, just northwest of Mexico City. That’s almost 2,000 miles away.
Their history includes promotions, clever workarounds to avoid relegation (we’ll cover that story before the match, don’t worry), and even a season’s worth of play from the legendary Ronaldinho back in 2014. They finished the 2024-25 Apertura season in 17th place, then followed that up with a 12th-place finish in the Clausura season. They don’t pose the biggest threat of any Liga MX team, but they still won’t be an easy opponent.
Club América
No disrespect to the rest of Liga MX, but this is the big one, folks. Club América may be Concacaf’s most recognizable club, and it’s certainly one of its most successful. With 16 domestic titles and seven continental trophies, América is historic, dominant, and ever-present. They finished 8th in last season’s Apertura and 2nd in the Clausura. They’re trending in the right direction, and they’re always a threat.
Since their founding in 1917, the biggest club in Mexico has seen some true legends of the game wear their colors, including Hugo Sanchez and Cuauhtémoc Blanco, among others. The Loons are lucky enough to avoid visiting the Estadio Azteca, América’s massive home stadium in Mexico City. We’ll explore some more of their storied history before the match at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, but for now, know this: we’re coming up against more than a club. They’re a phenomenon.
Atlético de San Luis
Hailing from the capital city of the Mexican state of San Luis Potosí, Atlético de San Luis is the youngest team we’ll play in Phase One. After a crazy shuffle of teams took place in 2013, the club as we know it today replaced San Luis FC, as CF Veracruz moved in to replace the previous club. The new club, now majority owned by the same group that owns Atletico de Madrid of Spain’s La Liga, has been playing in the Mexican first division since 2019. They earned a 6th-place finish in the 2024-25 Apertura season, as well as a 15th-place finish in the following Clausura.
There you have it: The stage is set. Three opportunities for your Loons to step up, make new memories, score more goals, and reignite a rivalry. Bongi’s favorite tournament is almost here. You ready for this?
