HERRIMAN, UT / NEW YORK (Tuesday, January 28, 2025) – Major League Soccer today announced MLS club qualification criteria for official North American cup competitions during the 2025 and 2026 seasons, and the 2025 participants – which include Real Salt Lake and its Real Monarchs (MLS NEXT Pro) affiliate – are defined for the next two seasons. The four tournaments – CONCACAF Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the Canadian Championship – provide important opportunities for Clubs to compete for championships outside of MLS play.
Coming off a record-breaking 2024 season, Real Salt Lake has qualified for CONCACAF Champions Cup for the fourth time in its history, boasting an 11W-5L-6T record in continental competition. The 2025 campaign also marks the third consecutive season that RSL will participate in Leagues Cup against LIGA MX powers,along with fellow MLS competitors. The Claret-and-Cobalt pyramid also returns to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2025, represented by Real Monarchs, the Club’s MLS NEXT Pro (USSF Division III) side.
Last year, RSL Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s side finished sixth overall out of 29 MLS teams, while rising to third in the Western Conference with its 59-point haul in 2024, the highest point-total in its 20-season history. RSL now joins six other MLS sides – Seattle, Miami, LAFC, Columbus, Cincinnati and Sporting KC – to participate in each of this year’s CONCACAF Champions Cup, U.S. Open Cup and Leagues Cup tourneys, while also jostling for the MLS Supporters Shield bragging rights and MLS Cup 2025 supremacy.
In addition to these North American tournaments, Seattle Sounders FC and Inter Miami CF will also represent MLS in the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025, joining other top teams from around the world this summer.
CUP QUALIFICATION OVERVIEW
The framework for MLS club participation in North American cup competitions rewards club performance, manages player workload, and ensures that every MLS club has the opportunity to compete in at least one, but no more than two, North American competitions that run concurrently with the MLS league season.
This qualification structure will be in place for the 2025 and 2026 MLS seasons, providing a guideline for MLS’ qualification parameters during this exceptional moment – as the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 and FIFA World Cup 2026 are played in North America. This process will be re-evaluated for 2027 as the landscape of competitions continues to evolve. The qualification for each competition were determined as follows:
• CONCACAF Champions Cup: Criteria set by the regional governing body, CONCACAF.
• LEAGUES CUP: Eighteen total MLS clubs qualify to match the 18 participating LIGA MX clubs.
The top nine teams in each MLS Conference from the prior season qualify.
Modification for 2025
Due to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s participation in the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup and
defending their Canadian Championship title, Vancouver will not participate in Leagues Cup 2025.
Instead, expansion club San Diego FC will join the Leagues Cup 2025 tournament. The adjustment
allows for all 30 MLS teams to compete in at least one, but not more than two, North American cup
competitions.
• LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP: Aligned with the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup format, the number of MLS first teams participating in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup has increased from 8 to 16. In addition, 10 MLS NEXT Pro teams – including Head Coach Mark Lowry’s Real Monarchs SLC – will compete in the tournament.
The 16 participating MLS teams are determined as follows:
• Only U.S.-based clubs are eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup.
• MLS teams not competing in either Leagues Cup or CONCACAF Champions Cup automatically qualify for the U.S. Open Cup. For the 2025 tournament, this accounts for nine of the 16 MLS teams.
• The remaining teams are determined by Supporters’ Shield standings, excluding teams competing in CONCACAF Champions Cup. For the 2025 tournament, this accounts for seven of the 16 MLS teams.
• Canadian Championship: All three Canadian-based MLS clubs compete.
Competition Highlights for 2025
• CONCACAF Champions Cup: 10 MLS clubs will compete in the 2025 tournament, which begins on February 4 and concludes June 1. The MLS Cup Champion (LA Galaxy), and the Leagues Cup Champion(Columbus Crew) will begin tournament play in the Round of 16 while the eight other MLS teams will begin play in Round One.
• Leagues Cup: 18 MLS clubs will face off against all 18 Liga MX teams. Leagues Cup takes place from July 29 to August 31.
• Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: The 16 competing MLS teams will enter the U.S. Open Cup in the Round of 32, with eight of those teams hosting their opening matches. The 10 MLS NEXT Pro teams will enter the tournament in the First Round.
• Canadian Championship: Toronto FC, CF Montréal, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC will compete in the tournament. The Canadian Championship takes from place April through October.
Major League Soccer Club North America Cup Appearances in 2025
Eastern Conference
Club/Competitions
Atlanta United FC Leagues Cup
Charlotte FC Leagues Cup, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Chicago Fire FC Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
FC Cincinnati Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup
Columbus Crew Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup
D.C. United Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Inter Miami CF Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup
CF Montréal Leagues Cup, Canadian Championship
New York City FC Leagues Cup, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
New York Red Bulls Leagues Cup, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Nashville SC Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
New England Revolution Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Orlando City SC Leagues Cup, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Philadelphia Union Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Toronto FC Canadian Championship
Western Conference
Club Competitions
Austin FC Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Colorado Rapids Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup
FC Dallas Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Houston Dynamo FC Leagues Cup, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
LA Galaxy Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup
LAFC Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup
Minnesota United FC Leagues Cup, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Portland Timbers Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Real Salt Lake CONCACAF Champions Cup, Leagues Cup
San Jose Earthquakes Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
San Diego FCLeagues Cup
Seattle Sounders FC Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup
Sporting Kansas City Concacaf Champions Cup
St. Louis City SC Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Vancouver Whitecaps Concacaf Champions Cup, Canadian Championship
2025 MLS NEXT Pro Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Participating Teams
East
1. Carolina Core FC (Independent)
2. Chattanooga FC (Independent)
3. FC Cincinnati 2 (FC Cincinnati)
4. Columbus Crew 2 (Columbus Crew)
5. Inter Miami CF II (Inter Miami CF)
West
1. LAFC2 (Los Angeles Football Club)
2. Real Monarchs (Real Salt Lake)
3. Sporting KC II (Sporting Kansas City)
4. Tacoma Defiance (Seattle Sounders FC)
5. Ventura County FC (LA Galaxy)
Real Salt Lake concluded the first stage of its 21st preseason in Utah last week at the Zions Bank Training Center in Herriman, prior to Friday’s 2-2 draw in Santa Barbara, Calif., against NYCFC. Following another preseason match against Minnesota during the Jan. 24-30 window, RSL will return to Utah for Herriman-based sessions on Feb. 1-2 before spending 10 days at the Coachella Valley Invitational in Indio, Calif.
The Claret-and-Cobalt are now preparing for its fourth-ever CONCACAF Champions Cup foray, paired with Costa Rican side CS Herediano away on Wed., Feb. 19, with the return leg at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, on Wed., Feb. 26 (6:30p MT kickoff). RSL opens the 2025 MLS campaign – its 21st – away at San Jose Earthquakes on Sat., Feb. 22 (8:30p MT), with RSL’s 2025 MLS home opener set for Sat., March 1 against long-time rival Seattle Sounders FC (2:30p MT at America First Field).
Tickets and information for both competitions can be accessed at www.RSL.com/tickets.
