Leagues Cup
36 clubs, MLS vs. Liga MX, across the US, Canada and Mexico — August 4 to September 6, 2026
Leagues Cup 2026 runs August 4 through the September 6 final, pitting all 18 MLS clubs against all 18 Liga MX clubs in an inter-league format unique to North American soccer — no other confederation runs a tournament that directly pits two entire top-flight leagues against each other mid-season. New for 2026, four matches are played in Mexico itself, alongside the bulk of fixtures across the US and Canada.
Quick facts
Format
Phase One (August 4–13) is a straight MLS-vs-Liga MX round robin — three matches per club, all cross-league. The top four clubs from each league's Phase One table advance to a single-elimination knockout bracket, with quarterfinal pairings set by table position (MLS's top seed faces Liga MX's fourth seed, and so on) — a format built specifically to guarantee inter-league matchups all the way to the final.
Why it matters beyond a regular MLS season
The top three finishers qualify for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, giving the tournament real stakes beyond a mid-season exhibition — and facing Liga MX clubs (generally considered the stronger league historically) gives MLS teams and their fans a genuine measuring stick that regular-season play doesn't provide.
Finding matches near you
With 36 clubs across three countries, fixtures are genuinely spread out — check individual club schedules for exact dates and cities rather than assuming games cluster in any one region. The four Mexico-hosted matches are a new wrinkle for 2026 worth checking if you're specifically interested in seeing a match south of the border.
Practical tips
- —Check your specific MLS or Liga MX club's schedule directly — with 36 teams involved, there's no single hub city or venue to plan a trip around.
- —Phase One tickets (Aug 4–13) are generally easier to get and cheaper than the knockout rounds, which build in intensity toward the September 6 final.
- —If you want to catch one of the four Mexico-hosted matches specifically, confirm which clubs and cities are involved once the schedule is released — this is new for 2026, not an established fixture.
- —The Sept 6 final is the tournament's showcase match — expect the highest demand and pricing of the whole competition for that date.
