Why Leagues Cup 2025 is the most important yet

For the third summer in a row, Major League Soccer and Liga MX are shutting down domestic play to stage a binational tournament that once seemed like a novelty and now feels like a proving ground. The 2025 Leagues Cup kicks off July 29 and runs through August 31, with 36 teams from the U.S., Mexico, and Canada playing for regional pride and qualification to the Concacaf Champions Cup.

While Inter Miami‘s Lionel Messi remains the tournament’s biggest draw, the storylines run deeper this time around. FC Cincinnati and Club América enter as favorites, each riding waves of strong domestic form. LA Galaxy welcome back Riqui Puig from injury. LAFC are aiming to rebound from a shaky summer. And new MLS franchise San Diego FC will make its Leagues Cup debut, stepping in for Vancouver to maintain league balance.

All group-stage matches are strictly MLS vs. Liga MX. It’s a structural shift designed to heighten rivalry, and it shows. The group pairings are loaded with intrigue. Miami will face Atlas, Necaxa, and Pumas at Chase Stadium, where fans will pack the stands to see Messi and a supporting cast that includes Suárez, Busquets, and Jordi Alba. Across the country, LAFC hosts Mazatlán in a must-win to revive their season.

A tournament with rising stakes

Unlike its 2019 and 2021 predecessors, the modern Leagues Cup is no longer a niche summer event. Since 2023, it’s been fully sanctioned by Concacaf and functions as a direct qualifying pathway to the Champions Cup. The top three finishers this year—both finalists and the third-place winner—will punch their ticket to the 2026 continental tournament. And with that tournament now tied to the expanded FIFA Club World Cup cycle, the ripple effects are enormous.

That elevation in stakes has changed how clubs approach the event. In 2023, Inter Miami lifted the trophy in dramatic fashion, with Messi leading the way. In 2024, Columbus Crew stunned pundits by edging past Club León to claim the title. This year, the field looks deeper. Club Tigres and Club América return with vengeance. Monterrey and Pachuca bring knockout pedigree. And MLS sides like Orlando City, Philadelphia Union, and Houston Dynamo are aiming for deep runs.

Coaches are responding accordingly. Steve Cherundolo of LAFC called the tournament “a rhythm builder” for the second half of the season. Gonzalo Pineda of Atlanta United sees it as a “measuring stick for progress.”

Fans are engaged as well. With Apple TV’s Season Pass broadcasting every match globally and ticket sales surging in cities like Miami, Austin, and Los Angeles, the Leagues Cup is beginning to resemble a true summer centerpiece.

The question now isn’t whether the Leagues Cup is here to stay. It’s who will shape its legacy next.

Leagues Cup champions by year