The Leagues Cup is an annual soccer tournament between Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs from the United States and Canada and Liga MX clubs from Mexico. Here's how the 2025 Leagues Cup works:
- The tournament features 36 teams: all 18 Liga MX clubs and the top 18 MLS clubs (mostly those that qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs the previous season).
- It is played in two rounds: Phase One (group stage) and the Knockout Rounds.
- In Phase One, each club plays three matches exclusively against teams from the other league (MLS teams play Liga MX teams and vice versa). There are no draws; tied matches go straight to penalty shootouts.
- Teams earn points in a league-specific table: 3 points for a regulation win, 2 points for a penalty shootout win, and 1 point for a penalty shootout loss.
- The top four teams from each league's table advance to the Knockout Rounds.
- The Knockout Rounds are single-elimination matchups starting with quarterfinals, where MLS teams are paired against Liga MX teams based on their Phase One rankings (e.g., MLS #1 vs Liga MX #4).
- Winners advance to semifinals and then the final, with a third-place match also played.
- The top three teams in the tournament earn automatic qualification for the next year's CONCACAF Champions Cup, with the champion receiving a bye to the Round of 16.
- All games are hosted in Canada and the United States during the MLS and Liga MX seasons.
This format emphasizes interleague competition with guaranteed MLS vs Liga MX matchups through the quarterfinals and beyond, creating a regional rivalry and pathway to international club competition.