Leagues Cup Returns: What To Know, Predictions For MLS-Liga MX Tournament

The summer of soccer continues after the best World Cup ever. This time, select teams from Major League Soccer and their Liga MX counterparts will kick off the Leagues Cup in the latest edition of the tournament.

Here’s what to know as 36 teams featuring star players like Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi square off in the Leagues Cup. The action begins on Wednesday with a full slate of games, including the Seattle Sounders taking on Toluca (10 p.m. ET on FS1).

In all there are 36 teams who’ll participate in the Leagues Cup. The tournament will feature 18 of the 30 MLS clubs and all 18 Liga MX squads. The 18 MLS clubs that qualified were based on the 2025 regular season table. Check out the full schedule.

Each team will play three opponents from the other league for a total of 54 MLS vs. Liga MX catchups in the first phase alone. But each league will have its own specific table for this competition. The top four from each table advance to the knockout round.

This year’s edition of the Leagues Cup is played in two phases. The tournament uses a no-ties format to ensure a winner in every match: 

• Phase One (Aug. 4–13) — 54 MLS vs. LIGA MX matchups in a round-robin format

• 3 points for a regulation win
• 2 points for a penalty shootout win (after a tie)
• 1 point for a penalty shootout loss

• Knockout Rounds (Aug. 25–Sept. 6)
      – Single-elimination bracket beginning with the quarterfinals and culminating in the final on Sept. 6.

Following Argentina’s 1-0 defeat to Spain on July 19 at the FIFA World Cup final, Messi took some time off before reporting back to duty with Inter Miami. He is expected to play for Inter Miami during the Leagues Cup and the rest of the MLS regular season. 

He’ll be joined by his Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul and newly arrived Brazilian midfielder Casemiro. 

It was at this tournament in 2023 in which Messi made his Inter Miami debut. He and Miami went on to win the inaurgural edition, giving him his first piece of silverware stateside.  

Inter Miami’s League Cup Schedule

Aug. 5: Inter Miami vs. Atlético San Luis
Aug. 8: Inter Miami vs. Monterrey
Aug. 12: Inter Miami vs. León

Several of the players who were part of the USA’s squad this summer at the World Cup are expected to play. Those include defender Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), goalkeeper Matt Freese (NYCFC) and midfielder Alejandro Zendejas (Club América). 

Other players from the USMNT squad include keeper Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), midfielder Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders) and defender Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), 

Two players who just missed the World Cup roster were Real Salt Lake duo Diego Luna and Zavier Gozo. Those two will be playing in the Leagues Cup as well. 

Plenty of international star power will be featured throughout the tournament. That includes LAFC’s Son Heung-min, who has been part of several South Korea World Cup squads. Vancouver Whitecaps’ Thomas Mueller won the 2014 World Cup with Germany, while new Orlando City signing Antoine Griezmann lifted the World Cup trophy with France in 2018. Robert Lewandowski, who featured for Poland, will play for the Chicago Fire. 

The Liga MX teams feature several talents from Mexico’s World Cup team, including 17-year-old Gilberto Mora (Tijuana). Four players from Chivas – Luis Romo, Roberto Alvarado, Brian Gutierrez, Armando Gonzalez – played for Mexico this summer. 

The Leagues Cup provides three spots for the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup, which involves top teams across North America. The Leagues Cup winner gets a Round of 16 spot in that tournament, which has a direct path to bigger events such as the FIFA Club World Cup. 

The first two editions of this tournament saw teams from Liga MX win (Cruz Azul in 2019, León in 2021).