December 17 – The Leagues Cup will undergo a dramatic change in 2025 according to Liga MX president Mikel Arriola, who spoke to reporters on Sunday having taken over the reins as acting commissioner of the league after the surprise ousting of Juan Carlos Rodriguez.
The previous two tournaments have both been played during a self-imposed month-long midseason break for both Major League Soccer (MLS) and Liga MX teams.
Arriola, said that the tournament would remain a summer event, however, the matches would now be held during the week, mirroring major European competitions where midweek matches hold prime-time audience’s captive.
There will also be a major change in the format and number of participants with the MLS reducing its number of teams in the competition to 18, the same number as Liga MX clubs.
With all the matches held in the US, the burden of travel has previously been on the Mexican teams who were overwhelmed by the MLS teams, in contrast to the MLS clubs’ ongoing failure to overcome Mexican dominance in Concacaf’s Champions Cup.
“We just approved the new Leagues Cup format,” Arriola said. “We’re no longer going to hold camps there.”
In 2023, and 2024, all matches were played exclusively in the US or Canada, forcing some Mexican teams to set up training camps in various hubs throughout the US.
“We’ll play midweek so Mexican teams don’t struggle, and Liga MX games will be played on the weekends,” Arriola added.
Earlier this month at his annual league address, MLS Commissioner, Don Garber said, “We need more MLS versus Liga MX matches. That was really the point of the Leagues Cup in the beginning. We’re looking at modifications that will make it more focused on what we’re trying to achieve, which is this great rivalry between our two leagues.”
In the first edition in 2023 Inter Miami dominated the competition with Lionel Messi at his majestic best. In 2024 Columbus Crew beat LAFC in the final.
Squeezing the Leagues Cup into the 2025 calendar will be challenging with Concacaf’s Gold Cup and FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup also taking place next summer in the US.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1734409557labto1734409557ofdlr1734409557owedi1734409557sni@o1734409557fni1734409557