Leagues Cup 2025 will introduce a new format as it enters its third year, featuring 36 teams—18 from Major League Soccer (MLS) and 18 from LIGA MX. The tournament will run through August, with most knockout matches scheduled for midweek while the regular seasons of both leagues continue.
The competition will begin with Phase One, in which all matches exclusively pit MLS clubs against LIGA MX sides. Each team plays three games against clubs from the opposite league within their groupings. The matchups are determined by Leagues Cup Ranking and regional considerations.
A league-specific points system is used in the standings: wins by MLS teams contribute to an MLS-only table, while LIGA MX victories count toward their own table. There are no draws; tied matches go directly to penalty shootouts. The top four teams from each league’s table advance to the quarterfinals, which continue the interleague matchups.
Quarterfinal pairings are based on Phase One performance, and the four advancing clubs move on to semifinals regardless of league affiliation. All knockout stage matches that end in a tie proceed straight to penalties.
The winner of Leagues Cup 2025, along with both finalists and the Third Place match winner, will secure spots in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup. This tournament offers a pathway to international competitions such as the FIFA Club World Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
As hosts of MLS Cup 2024 presented by Audi, LA Galaxy will have hosting privileges throughout Leagues Cup 2025. On the LIGA MX side, Club América and five other high-ranked teams—Cruz Azul, Toluca, Tigres UANL, CF Monterrey, and Pumas UNAM—will also receive varying levels of hosting benefits aimed at reducing travel demands.
Due to their participation in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup as Canadian Championship winners, Vancouver Whitecaps FC will not compete in this edition of Leagues Cup. Expansion team San Diego FC will take their place.
The tournament is set to feature a total of 62 matches—including at least 58 contests between MLS and LIGA MX clubs—with nine teams from each MLS conference qualifying based on last season’s standings alongside every club from Mexico’s top division.
