Leagues Cup bracket, schedule, results for 2026 competition between MLS and Liga MX

Leagues Cup bracket, schedule, results for 2026 competition between MLS and Liga MX originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

As North American soccer returns to action following the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil, league action pauses briefly as clubs from host nations United States, Canada, and Mexico all come together for a month-long clash.

The Leagues Cup gets under way for a sixth edition in 2026 — and fourth since the big rebrand in 2023 — as 36 clubs from across the three countries in Major League Soccer and Liga MX match up.

So far, MLS clubs have won each of the last three editions since the competition brought the two leagues together in the hopes of pushing out the U.S. Open Cup as the premier cup competition in the United States. Last time around, the Seattle Sounders triumphed to earn a place in the CONCACAF Champions Cup the following season.

The Sporting News brings you a look at the 2026 tournament bracket, league phase matchups, and results.

Leagues Cup format for 2026 tournament

For the 2026 competition, the Leagues Cup format will reflect something similar to that of the UEFA Champions League, having also adopted the Swiss Model by instituting a league phase and a knockout stage.

First, the teams will play three games in the league phase. The matchups were determined by a draw which used an eastern and western breakdown to minimize travel, and was seeded by overall combined table finish by putting the two league tables together.

Six-team regional groupings were made by selecting one team from each league (MLS and Liga MX) from each of the three tiers. From these regional groupings, each of the three Liga MX teams played each of the three MLS teams.

From there, they will be sorted by league (MLS and Liga MX) to ensure that an equal number of teams from each league advance to the knockout stage.

The top four in each table will advance to the quarterfinals. To begin the knockout phase, the four quarterfinal games will each feature one MLS team and one Liga MX team. The first-place MLS finisher will play the fourth-place Liga MX finisher, and so-on.

For continental qualification purposes, both finalists will earn a spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16, while the third-place finisher will secure a position in the CONCACAF Champions Cup first round.

Leagues Cup dates, roundsRoundMatchesDatesLeague Phase, Matchweek 118Aug. 4-6League Phase, Matchweek 218Aug. 7-9League Phase, Matchweek 318Aug. 11-13Quarterfinals4Aug. 25-27Semifinals2Sep. 1-2Final & third place match2Sep. 6Leagues Cup schedule, resultsLeague phase

Matchweek 1

DateTime (ET)MatchLocationAug. 47:45 p.m.Columbus Crew 3-1 AtlasScottsMiracle-Gro Field (Columbus, OH)Aug. 47:45 p.m.FC Cincinnati 3-1 PachucaTQL Stadium (Cincinnati, OH)Aug. 48 p.m.Charlotte FC 3-0 PumasBank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC)Aug. 48:30 p.m.Minnesota United 1-2 FC JuarezAllianz Field (St. Paul, MN)Aug. 410 p.m.Tigres 1-1 Real Salt Lake
Tigres won 6-5 on pensAmerica First Field (Sandy, UT)Aug. 410:30 p.m.Vancouver Whitecaps 0-1 AtlanteBC Place (Vancouver, Canada)Aug. 57:30 p.m.Inter Miami 4-2 Atletico San LuisNu Stadium (Miami, FL)Aug. 57:30 p.m.Monterrey 1-2 Orlando CityInter.co Stadium (Orlando, FL)Aug. 58:30 p.m.Nashville SC 0-1 Club LeonGEODIS Park (Nashville, TN)Aug. 58:30 p.m.FC Dallas 2-0 QueretaroTexas Health Stadium (Mansfield, TX)Aug. 510 p.m.Toluca 3-0 Seattle SoundersEstadio Nemesio Diez (Toluca, Mexico)Aug. 510:30 p.m.LAFC 1-1 Chivas Guadalajara
LAFC won 5-4 on pensBMO Stadium (Los Angeles, CA)Aug. 67:30 p.m.NYCFC 2-0 Santos LagunaSports Illustrated Stadium (Harrison, NJ)Aug. 68 p.m.Cruz Azul 1-0 Philadelphia UnionSubaru Park (Chester, PA)Aug. 68:30 p.m.Chicago Fire 2-0 NecaxaSeatGeek Stadium (Bridgeview, IL)Aug. 69 p.m.Austin FC 2-0 TijuanaQ2 Stadium (Austin, TX)Aug. 610 p.m.Club America 3-1 San Diego FCEstadio Banorte (Mexico City, Mexico)Aug. 610:30 p.m.Portland Timbers 5-2 PueblaProvidence Park (Portland, OR)

Matchweek 2

DateTime (ET)MatchLocationAug. 77:30 p.m.Charlotte FC 2-0 AtlasBank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC)Aug. 77:30 p.m.Columbus Crew 2-1 PachucaScottsMiracle-Gro Field (Columbus, OH)Aug. 78 p.m.FC Cincinnati 2-0 PumasTQL Stadium (Cincinnati, OH)Aug. 79 p.m.Tigres 0-0 Minnesota United
Tigres won 4-2 on pensAllianz Field (St. Paul, MN)Aug. 710:30 p.m.Vancouver Whitecaps 1-3 JuarezBC Place (Vancouver, Canada)Aug. 86:30 p.m.Orlando City 1-2 Club LeonInter.co Stadium (Orlando, FL)Aug. 88 p.m.Inter Miami 1-2 MonterreyNu Stadium (Miami, FL)Aug. 89 p.m.Chivas Guadalajara 0-1 FC DallasPayPal Park (San Jose, CA)Aug. 810 p.m.Real Salt Lake 4-0 AtlanteAmerica First Field (Sandy, UT)Aug. 811:10 p.m.Toluca 0-1 LAFCBMO Stadium (Los Angeles, CA)Aug. 93:30 p.m.Seattle Sounders 3-0 QueretaroLumen Field (Seattle, WA)Aug. 97:30 p.m.Cruz Azul 2-1 NYCFCSports Illustrated Stadium (Harrison, NJ)Aug. 97:30 p.m.Philadelphia Union 3-1 NecaxaSubaru Park (Chester, PA)Aug. 98 p.m.Chicago Fire 3-1 Santos LagunaSeatGeek Stadium (Bridgeview, IL)Aug. 98 p.m.Nashville SC 4-1 Atletico San LuisGEODIS Park (Nashville, TN)Aug. 99 p.m.Austin FC 3-0 PueblaQ2 Stadium (Austin, TX)Aug. 910 p.m.San Diego FC 1-0 TijuanaSnapdragon Stadium (San Diego, CA)Aug. 910:15 p.m.Club America 3-1 Portland TimbersProvidence Park (Portland, OR)

Matchweek 3

DateTime (ET)MatchLocationAug. 117:30 p.m.Columbus Crew 1-1 Pumas
Columbus wins 4-3 on pensScottsMiracle-Gro Field (Columbus, OH)Aug. 117:30 p.m.Charlotte FC 0-1 PachucaBank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC)Aug. 118 p.m.FC Cincinnati 1-2 AtlasTQL Stadium (Cincinnati, OH)Aug. 118:30 p.m.Minnesota United 3-1 AtlanteAllianz Field (St. Paul, MN)Aug. 119:30 p.m.Real Salt Lake 3-0 JuarezAmerica First Field (Sandy, UT)Aug. 1110 p.m.Tigres 1-1 Vancouver Whitecaps
Tigres wins 5-4 on pensEstadio Universitario (Nuevo Leon, Mexico)Aug. 127:30 p.m.Orlando City vs. Atletico San LuisInter.co Stadium (Orlando, FL)Aug. 127:30 p.m.Inter Miami vs. Club LeonNu Stadium (Miami, FL)Aug. 128 p.m.Monterrey vs. Nashville SCGEODIS Park (Nashville, TN)Aug. 1210 p.m.Toluca vs. FC DallasEstadio Nemesio Diaz (Toluca, Mexico)Aug. 1210:15 p.m.San Diego FC vs. PueblaSnapdragon Stadium (San Diego, CA)Aug. 1210:30 p.m.LAFC vs. QueretaroBMO Stadium (Los Angeles, CA)Aug. 1210:30 p.m.Seattle Sounders vs. Chivas GuadalajaraLumen Field (Seattle, WA)Aug. 137 p.m.Philadelphia Union vs. Santos LagunaSubaru Park (Chester, PA)Aug. 137:30 p.m.NYCFC vs. NecaxaSports Illustrated Stadium (Harrison, NJ)Aug. 138:30 p.m.Club America vs. Austin FCQ2 Stadium (Austin, TX)Aug. 139 p.m.Cruz Azul vs. Chicago FireSeatGeek Stadium (Bridgeview, IL)Aug. 1310:30 p.m.Portland Timbers vs. TijuanaProvidence Park (Portland, OR)Knockout stage

Quarterfinals

DateTime (ET)MatchLocationAug. 25-27TBDMLS #1 vs. Liga MX #4TBDAug. 25-27TBDMLS #2 vs. Liga MX #3TBDAug. 25-27TBDLiga MX #2 vs. MLS #3TBDAug. 25-27TBDLiga MX #1 vs. MLS #4TBD

Semifinals

DateTime (ET)MatchLocationSep. 1-2TBDTBD vs. TBDTBDSep. 1-2TBDTBD vs. TBDTBD

Third place playoff

DateTime (ET)MatchLocationSep. 6TBDSemifinal loser vs. Semifinal loserTBD

Final

DateTime (ET)MatchLocationSep. 6TBDSemifinal winner vs. Semifinal winnerTBD