The Leagues Cup is an annual soccer competition between clubs from Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States and Canada and Liga MX in Mexico. Here's how it works, particularly the 2025 format:
- The tournament includes 36 teams: the top 18 MLS clubs (based on the previous season's standings) and all 18 Liga MX clubs.
- The competition is divided into two phases: Phase One (group stage) and the knockout stage.
- In Phase One, each club plays three matches exclusively against teams from the opposite league (MLS teams play Liga MX teams and vice versa). There are no draws; tied matches go directly to penalty shootouts.
- Points are awarded as follows:
- 3 points for a regulation win
- 2 points for a penalty shootout win
- 1 point for a penalty shootout loss
- 1 point each if a match is tied before penalties (both teams get 1 point each, then the shootout winner earns an additional point)
- Teams are ranked in league-specific tables (MLS teams ranked against MLS teams, Liga MX against Liga MX) based on their points.
- The top four teams from each league table advance to the knockout stage (quarterfinals), which guarantees MLS vs Liga MX matchups.
- The knockout rounds are single-elimination, progressing through quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final.
- The top three finishers in the Leagues Cup earn qualification to the CONCACAF Champions Cup for the following year. The winner receives a bye to the Round of 16 in that competition.
- The tournament runs during the MLS and Liga MX seasons, with matches played in venues across the United States and Canada.
This ensures high interleague competition all the way through the quarterfinals and offers a pathway to international competition for top teams.
