Leagues Cup 2024 bracket, schedule, standings as Lionel Messi, Inter Miami aim to defend MLS vs Liga MX title

Kyle Bonn

Leagues Cup 2024 bracket, schedule, standings as Lionel Messi, Inter Miami aim to defend MLS vs Liga MX title image

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami look to defend their Leagues Cup title in 2024 as the competition enters the second year of its existence.

The Leagues Cup debuted in 2023, as both Major League Soccer and Liga MX clubs took a break from domestic league action to contest a knockout competition against one another.

Messi helped the Leagues Cup explode onto the U.S. soccer scene, leading Inter Miami to its first ever trophy as he made his club debut in the competition and pushed the team to silverware in dramatic fashion.

Now, details for the 2024 competition have been released as the two North American leagues have come together to tweak the format and layout of the tournament, hoping to build a response to criticism from last season's inaugural edition.

The Sporting News brings you the groups, fixtures, and schedule for this year's Leagues Cup as 46 clubs hope to dethrone Messi and Inter Miami.

MORE: How does the 2024 Leagues Cup work? A full breakdown of the new format with latest tweaks

How to watch 2024 Leagues Cup

 TV channelStreaming
Global —MLS Season Pass
USAFOX, FS1, TUDNFubo USAMLS Season Pass
CanadaTSN, RDSFubo CanadaMLS Season Pass

As was the case in 2023, all Leagues Cup matches across the entirety of the tournament will stream on MLS Season Pass for all subscribers across the world.

In the United States, select matches will be broadcast on FOX Sports, while TSN and RDS will have select games for air on TV in Canada. For those games, FOX and FS1 are available to stream on Fubo USA, while TSN and RDS are available to stream on Fubo Canada.

There will also be Spanish-language broadcasts of select matches in the USA, with that channel also available on Fubo.

Leagues Cup 2024 schedule, format

The 2024 Leagues Cup will proceed largely as it did in its inaugural 2023 season, with a few format tweaks.

As was the case in its first year, all 47 teams from across the United States, Canada, and Mexico (29 from MLS and 18 from Liga MX) will take part in the tournament, first contesting a group stage before a 32-team knockout bracket determines the eventual winner.

The group stage consists of 45 teams, with the previous year's league champions from both leagues — Columbus Crew and Club America — earning a bye to the knockout round. All other clubs were arranged into 15 groups of three by a selection process that included ranking the clubs into three tiers and crafting groups with one club from each tier, with geographical proximity taken into account.

The top two teams in each group will qualify for the knockout round, with all group matches played across 90 minutes. Three points are awarded for a win and one point for a draw, but with one additional quirk: all matches ending in a draw proceed to a penalty shootout, whereby the winner earns an additional point, much like the NHL.

Once the knockout-round bracket is set, play proceeds as usual in single-elimination competition until a winner is crowned, with a spot in next year's CONCACAF Champions Cup on the line.

RoundDatesTeams
Group StageJul. 26-Aug 647
Round of 32Aug. 7-932
Round of 16Aug. 12-1316
QuarterfinalsAug. 16-178
SemifinalsAug. 20-214
3rd Place / FinalSun, Aug. 254

Leagues Cup 2024 standings, fixtures, results

Hosting Rights

Unlike 2023, when group matches were contested in a single location, this year the MLS clubs will nearly all host group matches against Mexican opposition at their own stadiums, which will increase travel significantly for many Liga MX teams who have to travel across the U.S. to face multiple MLS sides.

Matches between two MLS clubs will be hosted by the higher-ranked side. Meanwhile, the four highest-ranked Liga MX clubs will have "hosting privileges," having earned limited travel through specific rounds of play. Those four sides are:

ClubRankVenue 1Venue 2Thru Round
Club America1Snapdragon Stadium
(San Diego, CA)
Dignity Health Sports Park
(Carson, CA)
Semifinals
Monterrey2Q2 Stadium
(Austin, TX)
 —Round of 16
Chivas Guadalajara5Levi's Stadium
(Santa Clara, CA)
Dignity Health Sports Park
(Carson, CA)
Round of 32
Tigres8Shell Energy
(Houston, TX)
NRG Stadium
(Houston, TX)
Group Stage

That's fine, until you look a little closer — Monterrey are in a group with Austin FC, whose home stadium is their "host" venue, meaning they're essentially the road team for that game, and same goes for Chivas whose second match against the LA Galaxy will be played at their "host" venue of Dignity Health Sports Park, which is the Galaxy's home stadium.

The lack of travel is nice and all, but they're still basically playing on the road.

Knockout Stage

One new feature of the 2024 Leagues Cup is the "hub" system to give deserving Liga MX clubs a softer travel burden. The highest-ranking Liga MX clubs in the Leagues Cup tiered system are given "hosting rights" through various stages of the knockout bracket, seeing them designated with a "host city" that allows the club to avoid traveling up to a certain point should they reach deeper into the knockout round.

Club America have "hub" rights through the semifinal, Monterrey have "hub" rights through the Round of 16, Chivas have "hub" rights through the Round of 32, and Tigres have "hub" rights for the group stage. Each club will be designated a city in which they may remain through their maximum stage before having to travel to the home city of a potential MLS opponent.

Round of 32

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Wed, Aug. 710:30 p.m.M6: Vancouver Whitecaps (1W7) 0-2 Pumas (2W1)BC Place
(Vancouver, Canada)
Wed, Aug. 710:30 p.m.M8: LAFC (2W7) 2-0 Austin FC (1W1)BMO Stadium
(Los Angeles, CA)
Thu, Aug. 87:30 p.m.M15: Inter Miami (2E3) 4-3 Toronto FC (1E6)Chase Stadium
(Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Thu, Aug. 89 p.m.M13: Tigres (1E3) 1-0 Pachuca (2E6)Q2 Stadium
(Austin, TX)
Thu, Aug. 810:30 p.m.M5: Seattle Sounders (2W6) 3-1 LA Galaxy (1W2)Lumen Field
(Seattle, WA)
Thu, Aug. 811 p.m.M7: SJ Earthquakes (2W2) 5-0 Necaxa (1W6)PayPal Park
(San Jose, CA)
Fri, Aug. 97:30 p.m.M14: New England Revolution (1E5) 1-1 NYCFC (2E1)
NYCFC adv. 7-6 on penalties
Yankee Stadium
(New York City, NY)
Fri, Aug. 97:30 p.m.M16: Columbus Crew (bye) 4-0 Sporting KC (2W4)Lower.com Field
(Columbus, OH)
Fri, Aug. 97:30 p.m.M9: FC Cincinnati (1E1) 1-1 Santos Laguna (2E7)
FC Cincinnati adv. 6-5 on penalties
TQL Stadium
(Cincinnati, OH)
Fri, Aug. 97:30 p.m.M10: Philadelphia Union (1E4) 2-0 CF Montreal (2E2)Subaru Park
(Chester, PA)
Fri, Aug. 97:30 p.m.M11: DC United (1E7) 1-2 Mazatlan (2E5)TBD
Fri, Aug. 97:30 p.m.M12: Orlando City (1E2) 0-0 Cruz Azul (2E4)
Cruz Azul adv. 5-4 on penalties
Inter & Co Stadium
(Orlando, FL)
Fri, Aug. 98:30 p.m.M2: St. Louis City (2W3) 3-1 Portland Timbers (1W5)CITYPARK
(St. Louis, MO)
Fri, Aug. 98:30 p.m.M3: Toluca (1W4) 2-2 Houston Dynamo (1W8)
Toluca adv. 5-4 on penalties
Shell Energy Stadium
(Houston, TX)
Fri, Aug. 99:30 p.m.M4: Colorado Rapids (2W5) 3-2 Juarez (1W3)DSG Park
(Commerce City, CO)
Fri, Aug. 910 p.mM1: Club America (bye) 2-1 Atlas (2W8)Snapdragon Stadium
(San Diego, CA)

Round of 16

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Mon, Aug. 1210:30 p.m.M3: Seattle Sounders 4-0 PumasLumen Field
(Seattle, WA)
Tue, Aug. 137:30 p.m.M8: Columbus Crew 3-2 Inter MiamiLower.com Field
(Columbus, OH)
Tue, Aug. 137:30 p.m.M5: FC Cincinnati 2-4 Philadelphia UnionTQL Stadium
(Cincinnati, OH)
Tue, Aug. 138 p.m.M6: Cruz Azul 2-2 Mazatlan
Mazatlan adv. 3-1 on pens
Audi Field
(Washington, D.C.)
Tue, Aug. 138 p.m.M7: Tigres 1-2 NYCFCRed Bull Arena
(Harrison, NJ)
Tue, Aug. 1310 p.m.M2: Colorado Rapids 2-1 TolucaDick's Sporting Goods Park
(Commerce City, CO)
Tue, Aug. 1310:30 p.m.M4: LAFC 4-1 San Jose EarthquakesBMO Stadium
(Los Angeles, CA)
Tue, Aug. 1310:30 p.m.M1: Club America 4-2 St. Louis CityDignity Health Sports Park
(Carson, CA)

Quarterfinals

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Sat, Aug. 176 p.m.QF4: Columbus Crew 1-1 NYCFC
Columbus Crew won 4-3 on pens
Lower.com Field
(Columbus, OH)
Sat, Aug. 177:30 p.m.QF3: Philadelphia Union 1-1 Mazatlan
Philadelphia won 4-3 on pens
Subaru Park
(Chester, PA)
Sat, Aug. 178 p.m.QF2: Seattle Sounders 0-3 LAFCLumen Field
(Seattle, WA)
Sat, Aug. 1710 p.m.QF1: Club America 0-0 Colorado Rapids
Colorado won 9-8 on pens
Dignity Health Sports Park
(Carson, CA)

Semifinals

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Wed, Aug. 217:30 p.m.SF1: Columbus Crew 3-1 Philadelphia UnionLower.com Field
(Columbus, OH)
Wed, Aug. 2110 p.m.SF2: LAFC 4-0 Colorado RapidsBMO Stadium
(Los Angeles, CA)

Third Place

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Sun, Aug. 254:30 p.m.Philadelphia Union vs. Colorado RapidsSubaru Park
(Chester, PA)

Final

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Sun, Aug. 257:15 p.m.Columbus Crew vs. LAFCLower.com Field
(Columbus, OH)

Group Stage Standings

The group stage of the 2024 Leagues Cup features 15 groups of three teams each, broken apart by East and West, crafted with geographical proximity in mind.

For tiebreaker purposes, head-to-head results is the only tiebreaker for two teams level on points. For this purpose, a penalty shootout win counts as a head-to-head victory. If three clubs are all level on points, goal difference, goals scored, and goals conceded are the tiebreakers in that order.

z = Clinched qualification to knockout stage as group winner
x = Clinched qualification to knockout stage
e = Eliminated

East 1 standings

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.FC Cincinnati-z262-0-0+3
2.NYCFC-x220-1-1-2
3.Queretaro-e210-1-1-1

East 1 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 288 p.m.NYCFC 0-0 Queretaro
NYCFC won 4-3 on pens
Yankee Stadium
(New York City, NY)
Aug. 18 p.m.FC Cincinnati 1-0 QueretaroTQL Stadium
(Cincinnati, OH)
Aug. 58 p.m.FC Cincinnati 4-2 NYCFCTQL Stadium
(Cincinnati, OH)

East 2 standings

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.Orlando City-z251-1-0+3
2.CF Montreal-x231-0-1-2
3.Atletico de San Luis-e210-1-1-1

East 2 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 268 p.m.Orlando City 4-1 CF MontrealInter&Co Stadium
(Orlando, FL)
Jul. 307 p.m.CF Montreal 3-2 Atletico de San LuisStade Saputo
(Montreal, Canada)
Aug. 48 p.m.Orlando City 1-1 Atletico de San Luis
Orlando City won 5-4 on pens
Inter&Co Stadium
(Orlando, FL)

East 3 standings

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.Tigres-z262-0-0+2
2.Inter Miami-x231-0-1+1
3.Puebla-e200-0-2-3

East 3 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 278 p.m.Inter Miami 2-0 PueblaChase Stadium
(Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Jul. 319:30 p.m.Tigres 2-1 PueblaShell Energy Stadium
(Houston, TX)
Aug. 38 p.m.Tigres 2-1 Inter MiamiNRG Stadium
(Houston, TX)

East 4 standings

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.Philadelphia Union-z241-1-0+1
2.Cruz Azul-x230-2-00
3.Charlotte FC-e220-1-1-1

East 4 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 278 p.m.Philadelphia 1-0 Charlotte FCSubaru Park
(Chester, PA)
Jul. 318 p.m.Charlotte FC 0-0 Cruz Azul
Charlotte FC won 4-2 on pens
Bank of America Stadium
(Charlotte, NC)
Aug. 48 p.m.Philadelphia 1-1 Cruz Azul
Cruz Azul won 5-3 on pens
Subaru Park
(Chester, PA)

East 5 standings

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.New England Rev.251-1-0+1
2.Mazatlan231-0-1+1
3.Nashville SC210-1-1-2

East 5 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 278 p.m.New England 1-0 MazatlanGillette Stadium
(Foxboro, MA)
Jul. 319 p.m.Nashville SC 0-2 MazatlanGEODIS Park
(Nashville, TN)
Aug. 67:30 p.m.New England 1-1 Nashville
New England won 5-4 on pens
Gillette Stadium
(Foxboro, MA)

East 6 standings

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.Toronto FC-z251-1-0+1
2.Pachuca-x220-1-1-1
3.NY Red Bulls-e220-2-00

East 6 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 278 p.m.NY Red Bulls 0-0 Toronto FC
Toronto FC won 5-4 on pens
Red Bull Arena
(Harrison, NJ)
Jul. 308 p.m.NY Red Bulls 1-1 Pachuca
Pachuca won 5-4 on pens
Red Bull Arena
(Harrison, NJ)
Aug. 48 p.m.Toronto FC 2-1 PachucaBMO Field
(Toronto, Canada)

East 7

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.DC United-z251-1-0+3
2.Santos Laguna-x220-1-1-3
3.Atlanta United-e220-2-00

East 7 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 268 p.m.Atlanta United 3-3 DC United
DC United won 6-5 on pens
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
(Atlanta, GA)
Jul. 318 p.m.DC United 3-0 Santos LagunaAudi Field
(Washington, DC)
Aug. 44 p.m.Atlanta United 0-0 Santos Laguna
Santos Laguna won 5-3 on pens
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
(Atlanta, GA)

West 1 standings

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.Austin FC-z262-0-0+3
2.Pumas-x220-1-1-1
3.Monterrey-e210-1-1-2

West 1 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 269 p.m.Pumas 2-3 Austin FCQ2 Stadium
(Austin, TX)
Jul. 309 p.m.Monterrey 0-2 Austin FCQ2 Stadium
(Austin, TX)
Aug. 310 p.m.Monterrey 1-1 Pumas
Pumas won 3-0 on pens
Q2 Stadium
(Austin, TX)

West 2 standings

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.LA Galaxy-z251-1-0+1
2.San Jose Earthquakes-x220-1-1-1
3.Chivas Guadalajara-e220-2-00

West 2 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 2710 p.m.Chivas 1-1 San Jose
San Jose won 4-3 on pens
Levi's Stadium
(Santa Clara, CA)
Jul. 3110:30 p.m.San Jose 1-2 LA GalaxyPayPal Park
(San Jose, CA)
Aug. 410:30 p.m.Guadalajara 2-2 LA Galaxy
LA Galaxy won 5-4 on pens
Dignity Health Sports Park
(Santa Clara, CA)

West 3 standings

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.Juarez-z251-1-0+2
2.St. Louis City-x241-1-0+1
3.FC Dallas-e200-0-2-3

West 3 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 279 p.m.St. Louis City 2-1 FC DallasCITYPARK
(St. Louis, MO)
Jul. 319 p.m.FC Dallas 0-2 JuarezToyota Stadium
(Frisco, TX)
Aug. 49 p.m.St. Louis City 1-1 Juarez
Juarez won 4-1 on pens
CITYPARK
(St. Louis, MO)

West 4 standings

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.Toluca-z262-0-0+3
2.Sporting KC-x231-0-10
3.Chicago Fire-e200-0-2-3

West 4 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 289 p.m.Sporting KC 2-1 Chicago FireChildren's Mercy Park
(Kansas City, MO)
Aug. 19 p.m.Chicago Fire 1-3 TolucaSeatGeek Stadium
(Bridgeview, IL)
Aug. 59 p.m.Sporting KC 1-2 TolucaChildren's Mercy Park
(Kansas City, MO)

West 5 standings

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.Portland Timbers-z262-0-0+5
2.Colorado Rapids-x220-1-10
3.Club Leon-e210-1-1-1

West 5 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 2810:30 p.m.Club Leon 1-2 Portland TimbersProvidence Park
(Portland, OR)
Aug. 110:30 p.m.Portland Timbers 4-0 Colorado RapidsProvidence Park
(Portland, OR)
Aug. 59 p.m.Colorado Rapids 1-1 Club Leon
Colorado won 4-3 on pens
Dicks Sporting Goods Park
(Commerce City, CO)

West 6 standings

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.Necaxa-z231-0-1+1
2.Seattle Sounders-x231-0-10
3.Minnesota United-e231-0-1-1

West 6 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 2610 p.m.Seattle Sounders 2-0 Minnesota UnitedLumen Field
(Seattle, WA)
Jul. 309 p.m.Minnesota United 1-0 NecaxaAllianz Field
(Saint Paul, MN)
Aug. 410:30 p.m.Seattle Sounders 1-3 NecaxaLumen Field
(Seattle, WA)

West 7 schedule

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.Vancouver Whitecaps-z251-1-0+2
2.LAFC-x241-1-0+3
3.Tijuana-e200-0-2-5

West 7 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 2611 p.m.LAFC 3-1 TijuanaBMO Stadium
(Los Angeles, CA)
Jul. 3010:30 p.m.LAFC 2-2 Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver won 4-2 on pens
BMO Stadium
(Los Angeles, CA)
Aug. 310 p.m.Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 TijuanaBC Place
(Vancouver, Canada)

West 8 standings

PosTeamGPPtsW-D-LGD
1.Houston Dynamo-z231-0-1+2
2.Atlas-x231-0-10
3.Real Salt Lake-e231-0-1-2

West 8 fixtures

DateTime (ET)MatchLocation
Jul. 278 p.m.Houston Dynamo 0-1 AtlasShell Energy Stadium
(Houston, TX)
Aug. 19 p.m.Real Salt Lake 2-1 AtlasAmerica First Field
(Sandy, UT)
Aug. 59 p.m.Houston Dynamo 3-0 Real Salt LakeShell Energy Stadium
(Houston, TX)

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.