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Leagues Cup: 2025 dates, schedule, teams, history and how to watch

Top-flight soccer in the United States, Canada and Mexico pauses each summer for Leagues Cup, which sees teams from Major League Soccer and Liga MX compete against one another.

The 2023 and 2024 competitions were staged at grounds across the US and Canada, although Liga MX representatives are keen for future editions to also take place in Mexico. 

The highlight from the 2023 edition was Lionel Messi making his Inter Miami debut, leading the MLS franchise to a first Leagues Cup title as he scored 10 goals in seven games, including in a final which saw them triumph on penalties over Nashville SC.

In 2024, Diego Rossi and Juan 'Cucho' Hernandez led the Columbus Crew past Los Angeles FC by a 3-1 score in the final, which was a rematch of the 2023 MLS Cup Final.

Leagues Cup 2025 expected start date

The 2025 Leagues Cup is expected to start in late July 2025. The tournament has started in late July in each of the past two seasons.

The 2025 Leagues Cup Final is scheduled to be played in late August. The 2023 final was played on August 19, and the 2024 final was played on August 25.

Leagues Cup format

Leagues Cup begins with a group stage that consists of 15 groups of three teams. Teams were sorted into three tiers based on their league performance last season and one team from each tier forms a group, with organizers further sorting groups based on geography to make travel easier.

The top two teams in each group advance to the round of 32 where they will be joined by the reigning MLS and Liga MX champions.

There are no ties in the group stage, with each team awarded a point if the score is level at 90 minutes, with a bonus point then awarded to the side who wins the subsequent penalty shootout. 

There is no extra time in the knockout rounds. Tied games will go straight to penalties, even in the group stage.

How to watch Leagues Cup, TV channel and streaming

All 2024 Leagues Cup matches were available to watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Select group stage matches were broadcast on FOX Sports 1 in the United States.

Official broadcast information for the 2025 Leagues Cup has yet to be announced, but is expected to continue to air on MLS Season Pass.

Leagues Cup history

The 2024 Leagues Cup was the fourth competitive running of a tournament which first became part of the North American soccer calendar in 2019. A total of 47 teams - all 29 from MLS and all 18 from Liga MX - have participated in the 2023 and 2024 editions.

Eight teams played in the first two editions (2019 and 2021) as well as in 2022 Leagues Cup Showcase, a non-competitive version of the tournament which was won by Mexican club Atlas.

The Leagues Cup Showcase in 2022 was played instead of the full Leagues Cup because of fixture congestion resulting from the 2022 FIFA World Cup being played in the winter.

The four competitive editions of the tournament were won by Cruz Azul in 2019, Club Leon in 2021, Inter Miami in 2023 and the Columbus Crew in 2024.

Leagues Cup past winners

Year

Winner

Score of final game

Runner-up

2019

Cruz Azul

2-1

Tigres UANL

2020

Canceled - pandemic

2021

Club Leon

3-2

Seattle Sounders

2022*

No champion crowned

2023

Inter Miami

1-1 (10-9 on pens)

Nashville SC

2024

Columbus Crew

3-1

Los Angeles FC

* = the 2022 edition of Leagues Cup was a series of exhibition matches called Leagues Cup Showcase, and no champion was crowned.

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