Leagues Cup 2025 Features More Inter-League MLS vs. LIGA MX Matches;
RSL One of 18 MLS Clubs Representing MLS in Official CONCACAF Tourney from July 29 – August 31;
To be Played Concurrently with MLS and LIGA MX league seasons
HERRIMAN, Utah; NEW YORK and MEXICO CITY (Thursday, January 30, 2025) – In conjunction with the Leagues Cup Organizing Committee, Real Salt Lake today learned the new and enhanced format for its participation in the upcoming Leagues Cup 2025, which will feature exclusively Inter-League matches between Major League Soccer (MLS) and LIGA MX clubs, through the Quarterfinal stage.
The official 2025 Leagues Cup tourney, sanctioned by CONCACAF with games to be played in the United States and Canada, will kick off later this year on Tuesday, July 29, and run through the Leagues Cup Final on Sunday, August 31, crowning the top club amongst the two premier North American soccer leagues.
Now in its third edition, Leagues Cup 2025 will once again award three spots in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup, where the winner will represent the region at FIFA international club competitions.
Participating Clubs
Real Salt Lake will be one of 18 MLS sides participating in Leagues Cup 2025, which will feature 36 clubs total, including all 18 LIGA MX teams. RSL’s 59-point campaign last season earned a third-place finish in the MLS Western Conference, qualifying for this year’s Leagues Cup as one of the top nine teams in each MLS Conference to have participated in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs from the prior season.
Per MLS’ new North American cup qualification criteria, MLS expansion club San Diego FC, set to debut this season, will take the place of Vancouver Whitecaps FC for Leagues Cup 2025.
2025 Format
New for this year, Leagues Cup 2025 will be played in two rounds: Phase One and the Knockout Rounds. Phase One will feature three consecutive match dates per club to be played back-to-back, with all 54 Phase One matches will be played between MLS and LIGA MX clubs.
The MLS and LIGA MX regular seasons will continue play through the month of August, with most Leagues Cup knockout matches played midweek.
The Leagues Cup Ranking combines MLS and LIGA MX league performance across 34 regular-season matches into a unified table. MLS teams will be ranked based on the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield standings – Real Salt Lake ranked sixth overall – with San Diego listed last, while LIGA MX clubs will be ranked based on the cumulative 34 matches in the 2024 Clausura and Apertura tournaments.
Regional Tiers: Clubs will be divided evenly into two regions of 18 teams each: Eastern and Western. The Leagues Cup Organizing Committee determined regional assignments based on Leagues Cup Ranking and geographical considerations. Within each region, the 18 teams will be sorted into three tiers:
- Tier 1: Teams ranked 1-3 from each league (RSL ranked West 3 based on 2024 finish)
- Tier 2: Teams ranked 4-6 from each league
- Tier 3: Teams ranked 7-9 from each league
Six sets will be formed to facilitate Phase One play, three sets in the East and three sets in the West. Each set will include six clubs: one MLS club and one LIGA MX club from each of the Tiers (Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3). Each set will include six clubs: one MLS club and one LIGA MX club from each of the Tiers (Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3).
Phase One Matchups: Each club will play three matches against the three opponents from the opposite league within their set. Leagues Cup Phase One matches are determined by the Leagues Cup Ranking, as well as by region.
More information regarding Leagues Cup 2025 matchups and schedule and other details will be announced in the coming weeks.
Points System: While competing on the field against teams from the opposite league, MLS and LMX teams will be competing in a league-specific table against the teams from their own league. New to this format, clubs will earn points within their league-specific tables. For example, an MLS club's win earns points in the Leagues Cup MLS table, while a LIGA MX win contributes to the Leagues Cup LIGA MX table. Further competition details, including tie-breaking criteria, will be included in the tournament regulations.
The top four (4) clubs from each Leagues Cup league-specific table advance to the Quarterfinals. The tables were designed to ensure more Inter-League matches into the Knockout Rounds.
Knockout Rounds: Following Phase One, the advancing four (4) clubs from the MLS and LIGA MX tables will be placed in a fixed bracket to compete in the single-game elimination Knockout Rounds beginning with the Quarterfinals (four matches), featuring only MLS vs. LIGA MX matchups. The Quarterfinal pairings will be decided based on Leagues Cup Phase One performance with an inverse order of ranking among the respective league tables (MLS 1 vs. LIGA MX 4, MLS 2 vs. LIGA MX 3, MLS 3 vs. LIGA MX 2, and MLS 4 vs. LIGA MX 1).
The four (4) advancing clubs will compete in the two Semifinal matches, as determined by the bracket. The Leagues Cup 2025 Third Place match and Final will determine the three clubs that qualify for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.
This new format, based on the Leagues Cup Ranking, was created following a collaborative effort of the Leagues Cup Organizing Committee, comprised of representatives from Leagues Cup, MLS and LIGA MX leadership. Considerations included rewarding regular season results and geographical regions while addressing learnings from past editions of the tournament and featuring more Inter-League MLS and LIGA MX matchups.
No Draws: Leagues Cup 2025 will maintain its current No Draws format. Each club receives one point if the game is tied after 90 minutes. The winner of the subsequent penalty shootout will earn an additional point. Regulation wins count as three points. During the Leagues Cup Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Third Place and Final, if tied at the end of regulation time, the winner will be determined by a subsequent penalty shootout.
Match Officials and technology: CONCACAF will appoint match officials for Leagues Cup 2025. The tournament will also again feature VAR technology, including a virtual offside line.
Broadcast: Fans in over 100 countries and regions will be able to watch all Leagues Cup matches on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, the subscription service from Apple and Major League Soccer that is available on smart TVs, streaming devices, Apple devices, set-top boxes, game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com. In addition, TelevisaUnivision, FOX Sports, TSN and RDS will be the linear broadcast home for select matches.
