Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will face Sporting Kansas City, while Los Angeles FC will meet the Colorado Rapids in the first round of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup tournament next February.
The Champions Cup draw was announced on Tuesday, with 10 MLS clubs in the 27-team field to decide which team is the best in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
The tournament begins on Feb. 4 – well before the Feb. 22-23 start of the 2025 MLS season. The final will be played on June 1.
Five clubs, including two MLS teams, will enter the tournament in the round of 16. L.A. Galaxy, the MLS Cup champions, will face the winner between Real Salt Lake and CS Herediano (Costa Rica). The Columbus Crew, this year’s Leagues Cup winners, await the winner of LAFC-Colorado in the second round.
The Inter Miami-Kansas City winner would advance to face Cavalier FC (Jamaica), the 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup champions. Club América (MEX) and LD Alajuelense (CRC) also advanced to the Round of 16.
The Seattle Sounders will face Antigua GFC (Guatemala); the Vancouver Whitecaps will meet Deportivo Saprissa (Costa Rica) and FC Cincinnati will meet FC Motagua (Honduras) in the other first-round matches involving MLS teams.
The tournament crowns the best club in North America, and will certainly help Inter Miami and Seattle prepare for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup next summer.
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Concacaf Champions Cup first round matches
The first round will see two matchups between MLS teams:
Match 1: LAFC vs. Colorado Rapids
Match 2: Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City
Match 3: Monterrey (MEX) vs. Forge FC (CAN)
Match 4: Vancouver Whitecaps FC (CAN) vs. Deportivo Saprissa (CRC)
Match 5: Pumas UNAM (MEX) vs. Calvary FC (CAN)
Match 6: Guadalajara (MEX) vs. Cibao FC
Match 7: Cruz Azul (MEX) vs. Real Hope FA (HAI)
Match 8: Seattle Sounders vs. Antigua GFC (GUA)
Match 9: Tigres UANL (MEX) vs. Real Esteli FC (NCA)
Match 10: FC Cincinnati vs. FC Motagua (HON)
Match 11: Real Salt Lake vs. CS Herediano (CRC)
Which teams are participating in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup?
Here are the 27 teams, and how they qualified:
Canadian Championship (one club): Vancouver Whitecaps FC (CAN)
Canadian Premier League (two clubs): Cavalry FC (CAN) and Forge FC (CAN)
Concacaf Caribbean Cup (three clubs): Cavalier FC (JAM), Cibao FC (DOM), Real Hope FA (HAI)
Concacaf Central American Cup (six clubs): Antigua GFC (GUA), CS Herediano (CRC), Deportivo Saprissa (CRC), FC Motagua (HON), LD Alajuelense (CRC), Real Estelí FC (NCA)
Leagues Cup (three clubs): Colorado Rapids (USA), Columbus Crew (USA), Los Angeles FC (USA)
Liga MX (six clubs): CD Guadalajara (MEX), CF Monterrey (MEX), Club América (MEX), Cruz Azul (MEX), Pumas UNAM (MEX), Tigres UANL (MEX)
MLS (five clubs): FC Cincinnati (USA), Inter Miami CF (USA), LA Galaxy (USA), Real Salt Lake (USA), Seattle Sounders FC (USA)
US Open Cup (one club): Sporting Kansas City (USA)
When will the Concacaf Champions Cup will be played?
Round One begins with games to be played over the following dates: Feb. 4-6, 11-13, 18-20 and 25-27.
The Round of 16 will be played on March 4-6, and March 11-13. The quarterfinals will be played on April 1-3 and April 8-10. The semifinals are April 22-24 and April 29-May 1.
The final is scheduled for June 1.
What is the Concacaf Champions Cup tournament format?
The first four rounds will have opponents each host a home match, with aggregate goal scoring. The final will be a single match to decide the champion.
Concacaf Champions Club winners
Mexican clubs have traditionally dominated the tournament, winning 18 of the last 19 Champions Cups. Club America (7), Cruz Azul (6), Pachuca (6) and Monterrey (5) have won the most titles in Champions Cup history.
Columbus Crew lost last year’s final to Pachuca, while LAFC lost the final in 2020 and 2023. Real Salt Lake (2011) and Toronto FC (2018) have also reached the final.
Messi and Inter Miami were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Monterrey last April.