The excitement for soccer fans has ramped up with the announcement of the 2025 Leagues Cup schedule. LAFC and the Leagues Cup recently revealed the club's Phase One schedule, which kicks off on July 29, featuring teams from both Major League Soccer (MLS) and Liga MX.
LAFC will start the tournament by hosting Liga MX's Mazatlán FC on Tuesday, July 29, at BMO Stadium. Following this, they will face Pachuca on Friday, August 1, and conclude the phase against Tigres on Tuesday, August 5. All matches from this enthralling tournament will be streamed live on the MLS Season Pass through Apple TV.
Having shown remarkable performance last year, LAFC managed to reach the Leagues Cup Final against the Columbus Crew after defeating Colorado Rapids, Seattle Sounders, San Jose Earthquakes, and Austin FC during the knockout stages. The success of LAFC, along with their ambitious schedule, draws attention to the competitive dynamics within the league.
The 2025 Leagues Cup is expected to be fiercely contested, featuring 36 clubs, with all 18 Liga MX teams participating alongside 18 qualifying MLS teams. The top nine teams based on their performance during the 2024 MLS season from each conference will make the cut for this exciting competition.
“This year promises to be even bigger with three spots making way for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, where victorious clubs will represent their regions on the FIFA international stage,” stated the Leagues Cup organizers during the announcement.
One significant change for 2025 is the introduction of two distinct rounds: Phase One and the Knockout Rounds. Phase One is packed with action, comprising three consecutive matches per club, summing up to 54 matches between club rivals from MLS and Liga MX. This phase will take place from July 29 through August 7, 2025.
Matchups have been structured based on the Leagues Cup ranking, which correlates directly with the teams’ performances across their respective league matches throughout the season. For MLS teams, rankings rely on the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield standings, whereas Liga MX clubs correlate with the cumulative outcomes from the Clausura and Apertura seasons.
Clubs will be categorized by regional tiers, resulting from combining the Leagues Cup rankings and geographical locations. For Phase One, clubs will be grouped evenly across the Eastern and Western regions, each having three tiers, ensuring fair competition.
Clubs ranked from 1-3 will constitute Tier 1, Tier 2 will include rankings 4-6, and Tier 3 encompasses rankings 7-9 from each league. LAFC will compete as one of the Tier 1 teams within the Western region.
Following Phase One, the top four clubs from both MLS and Liga MX will advance to the Knockout Rounds, embarking on single-game elimination matches set to begin with the Quarterfinals on August 19-20, proceeding to the Semifinals from August 26-27, culminating with the final match on August 31—marking the end of the tournament.
Alongside the competition format, privileges have been allocated to the top six Liga MX clubs, including Club América, Cruz Azul, and others, allowing them to experience less travel and to secure the hosting privileges at MLS stadiums.
For the knockout matches, important MLS venues have been predetermined for Liga MX seeded teams, ensuring spectators get to enjoy thrilling confrontations across various locations, including Dignity Health Sports Park and the majestic BMO Stadium.
Leagues Cup 2025's format promises no draws to excite fans, where orchestrated matches drawing to ties will be decided via penalty shootouts. These dynamics, especially with the stakes raised for International competitions, evoke enthusiasm among soccer fans.
Soccer enthusiasts across over 100 countries can catch every match live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, complemented by various broadcast networks including Fox Sports and TSN.
With the tournament drawing near, fans are encouraged to stay updated via LeaguesCup.com and LAFC.com for ticketing information and accessible viewing options, ensuring no one misses this tangible showcase of inter-league soccer prowess.
Here’s to anticipation building for what promises to be another exhilarating edition of the Leagues Cup!