The summer of soccer continues after the best World Cup ever. This time, select teams from Major League Soccer and their Liga MX counterparts will kick off the Leagues Cup in the latest edition of the tournament.
Here’s what to know as 36 teams featuring star players like Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi square off in the Leagues Cup. The action begins on Wednesday with a full slate of games, including the Seattle Sounders taking on Toluca (10 p.m. ET on FS1).
Club America will be one of the Liga MX powerhouses in the Leagues Cup. (Photo by Mauricio Salas/Jam Media/Getty Images)
In all there are 36 teams who’ll participate in the Leagues Cup. The tournament will feature 18 of the 30 MLS clubs and all 18 Liga MX squads. The 18 MLS clubs that qualified were based on the 2025 regular season table. Check out the full schedule.
Each team will play three opponents from the other league for a total of 54 MLS vs. Liga MX catchups in the first phase alone. But each league will have its own specific table for this competition. The top four from each table advance to the knockout round.
This year’s edition of the Leagues Cup is played in two phases. The tournament uses a no-ties format to ensure a winner in every match:
• Phase One (Aug. 4–13) — 54 MLS vs. LIGA MX matchups in a round-robin format
• 3 points for a regulation win
• 2 points for a penalty shootout win (after a tie)
• 1 point for a penalty shootout loss
• Knockout Rounds (Aug. 25–Sept. 6)
– Single-elimination bracket beginning with the quarterfinals and culminating in the final on Sept. 6.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will participate in the Leagues Cup.
Several of the players who were part of the USA’s squad this summer at the World Cup are expected to play. Those include defender Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), goalkeeper Matt Freese (NYCFC) and midfielder Alejandro Zendejas (Club América).
Other players from the USMNT squad include keeper Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), midfielder Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders) and defender Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati),
Two players who just missed the World Cup roster were Real Salt Lake duo Diego Luna and Zavier Gozo. Those two will be playing in the Leagues Cup as well.
Son Heung-Min and LAFC should be one of favorites at the Leagues Cup. (Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images)
The first two editions of this tournament saw teams from Liga MX win (Cruz Azul in 2019, León in 2021). Since then, it’s been all MLS with Inter Miami (2023), the Columbus Crew (2024), and the Seattle Sounders (2025) taking it all. In fact, no Liga MX team has even made the final since 2021.
For this edition, expect that to change. Look for a top-tier team like Club América to try and reach the final. Pumas UNAM, Cruz Azul and Toluca have also been among the best Liga MX teams in recent seasons.
On the MLS side, don’t discount Messi and Inter Miami reaching the final again. Nashville tops the current MLS standing while Vancouver and LAFC are also teams primed for a deep run here.
