The Leagues Cup is a yearly soccer competition where teams from Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States and Liga MX in Mexico compete. It started in July 2019 with four teams from each league. The tournament expanded in 2023 to include all clubs from MLS and Liga MX. It serves as a regional cup for North America, covering Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The top three Leagues Cup teams qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and the champions get a bye to the round of 16.
Who won the League Cup 2023 MLS?
The League Cup doesn’t actually operate within Major League Soccer, it’s a separate tournament involving both MLS and Liga MX clubs. However, your question can be interpreted in two ways:
- Who won the 2023 Leagues Cup overall? In this case, the winner was Inter Miami CF, an MLS team, who defeated Nashville SC in the final on penalties.
- Which MLS team performed best in the 2023 Leagues Cup? While Inter Miami ultimately took home the trophy, several other MLS teams made it far in the competition:
- Los Angeles FC: Reached the Quarterfinals before losing to Atlas FC.
- Philadelphia Union: Reached the Round of 16 before losing to Cruz Azul.
- New York City FC: Reached the Round of 16 before losing to Club Puebla.
So, depending on your interpretation, either Inter Miami CF or multiple MLS teams could be considered winners based on performance.
How long has Leagues Cup been around?
While the concept of a tournament featuring both MLS and Liga MX teams has been discussed for years, the official Leagues Cup in its current format is a young competition:
- Officially debuted in July 2019 with just four teams from each league participating in a single-elimination format.
- 2020 edition was planned but canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Expanded to include all MLS and Liga MX clubs in 2023, taking on its current regional cup format for Concacaf North America.
Therefore, Leagues Cup has only been around for a total of three years as of today, January 5, 2024, though its origins and discussions reach back further. It’s still a relatively new tournament evolving and growing each year, aiming to become a major event in North American soccer.
Is the League Cup a domestic Cup?
Arguments for considering it a domestic cup:
- Regional scope: It includes all top-flight clubs from three North American countries (Canada, Mexico, and the United States). This regional scale could be seen as similar to many domestic cups that include teams from various divisions within a single country.
- Single competition format: It functions as a single, unified tournament for all the participating clubs, similar to how domestic cups operate within most countries.
- Participation: While not limited to a single country, it still involves only teams from a specific geographical region (North America), unlike international competitions like the Champions League.
Arguments against considering it a domestic cup:
- Multiple countries: Participation extends beyond a single nation, involving clubs from three different countries with their own domestic cup competitions.
- External organization: It’s sanctioned by CONCACAF, the governing body for football in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, rather than the individual national federations responsible for domestic cups.
- Unique nature: The inclusion of teams from two distinct leagues (MLS and Liga MX) creates a unique competition format not typically seen in domestic cups.
What is the tiebreaker for the League Cup
The tiebreakers for the Leagues Cup actually depend on when the tie occurs and whether it’s within the group stage or the knockout rounds. Here’s a breakdown:
Group Stage:
- Points: Like most tournaments, teams receive 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. If teams are tied on points after all group matches, the following tiebreakers are applied:
- Head-to-head result: If the tied teams played each other in the group stage, the result of that match determines the higher-ranked team.
- Goal difference: The team with the better goal difference (goals scored minus goals conceded) in all group matches advances.
- Most goals scored: If goal difference is the same, the team that scored the most goals in all group matches takes the higher spot.
- Fewest number of cards received: If all the above are equal, the team with the fewest yellow and red cards receives the higher ranking.
- Fair play table: As a final tiebreaker, the team’s position in the fair play table based on disciplinary points is used.
Knockout Rounds:
- Extra Time: If a match in the knockout rounds ends in a draw after regulation time, 30 minutes of extra time are played in two halves.
- Penalty Shootout: If the score remains tied after extra time, the winner is determined by a penalty shootout. Each team takes five penalties, and the team with the most successful penalties wins. If the score remains tied after five penalties, it becomes a sudden death shootout where each team takes one penalty in turn until one team scores and the other misses.
Did Messi win the MLS Cup?
No, Lionel Messi did not win the MLS Cup. While he achieved significant success in his first season with Inter Miami CF in 2023, winning the MLS Cup was not part of it. Here’s a breakdown:
- The MLS Cup is the championship trophy of Major League Soccer, a separate competition from the Leagues Cup. While Inter Miami plays in the MLS, they didn’t qualify for the playoffs and therefore couldn’t participate in the MLS Cup competition.
- Inter Miami’s most notable achievement in 2023 was winning the Leagues Cup, a separate tournament involving all clubs from both MLS and Liga MX. Messi played a crucial role in their victory, scoring 10 goals throughout the competition and receiving the MVP award.
- Messi also missed Inter Miami’s final MLS game of the season due to an injury. Though they qualified for the playoffs, they were eliminated in the first round and ultimately didn’t make it to the MLS Cup.
So, while Messi enjoyed a successful debut season in MLS and Inter Miami achieved their first trophy with the Leagues Cup win, the MLS Cup eluded them in 2023.
Introduction to Leagues Cup
The Leagues Cup is a groundbreaking tournament unlike any other, bringing together the best of both worlds – Major League Soccer (MLS) and Liga MX – in a month-long, action-packed spectacle. Here’s an introduction to help you understand this exciting event:
What is it?
- An annual football (soccer) tournament featuring all 47 top-division clubs from Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
- Launched in 2019, it has quickly evolved into a major event in North American soccer.
- Serves as the official regional cup for Concacaf North America, determining teams advancing to the Concacaf Champions League.
Format:
- World Cup-style extravaganza: Teams are divided into four regions (East, West, South, Central) and battle it out in a group stage followed by knock-out rounds.
- Every game matters: All 47 clubs participate, ensuring every match feels important and exciting.
- Knockout thrills: Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and the grand finale – the Leagues Cup Final.
Tournament Format of Leagues Cup
The Leagues Cup features a dynamic and engaging format that blends group stage competition with thrilling knockout rounds. Here’s a closer look at how it works:
Group Stage:
- Teams: Divided into four geographic regions (East, West, South, Central) with 11 or 12 teams in each.
- Matches: Each team plays two or three matches within their region, typically one home and one away.
- Points Awarded: Standard three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss.
- Advancement: The top two teams from each group advance to the Round of 32.
Knockout Rounds:
- Single Elimination: All matches are win-or-go-home, starting with the Round of 32 and progressing through Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and the Final.
- Seeding: Teams are seeded based on their group stage performance and pre-tournament ranking.
- Additional Entries: Two pre-determined teams automatically join the Round of 32 – the MLS Cup winner and the highest-ranked Liga MX champion.
- Neutral Site Final: The Championship match is held at a pre-selected neutral venue, adding to the prestige and excitement.
Historical Background of Leagues Cup
- Discussions and proposals: The concept of a tournament involving both MLS and Liga MX clubs appeared as early as the 1990s, with various formats and ideas tossed around.
- Cross-border tournaments: Several smaller pre-season or exhibition tournaments, like the SuperLiga and Campeones Cup, emerged in the 2000s and 2010s, offering a taste of cross-border competition.
- Growing Interest: As both leagues witnessed increasing popularity and investment, the demand for a larger, official tournament intensified.
Birth and Evolution:
- 2019 Debut: The first official Leagues Cup finally kicked off in July 2019, featuring four teams each from MLS and Liga MX in a single-elimination knockout format.
- Expansion and Adaption: Initially met with some challenges, the tournament was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic but returned in 2021 as a showcase event with invited clubs.
- Transformation in 2023: In 2023, the Leagues Cup underwent a major transformation, encompassing all 47 top-division clubs from the three North American countries in a World Cup-style regional cup format.
Significance and Future:
- Unified Stage: The Leagues Cup now serves as the official regional cup for Concacaf North America, offering a unifying stage for clubs and players across the continent.
- Elevating North American Soccer: With its ambitious format and growing viewership, the tournament aims to significantly raise the profile of soccer in North America and attract global attention.
- Continuous Evolution: With each year, organizers strive to improve the tournament structure, qualification criteria, and fan experience, making the Leagues Cup a dynamic and exciting event to watch.
Conclusion of Leagues Cup
The Leagues Cup is more than just a soccer tournament; it’s a vibrant fusion of sport, culture, and regional rivalry that promises to rewrite the landscape of North American soccer. As we conclude this discussion, here are some key takeaways:
Tournament Essence:
- Boasts a dynamic format with a captivating group stage and thrilling knockout rounds, ensuring every match matters.
- Provides a unified platform for all 47 top-division clubs from Canada, Mexico, and the United States, transcending borders and fostering cross-cultural connections.
- Offers a path to prestigious continental competition, with the winner directly entering the Concacaf Champions League and other teams earning valuable qualification spots.
Significance and Impact:
- Aims to elevate the profile of soccer in North America, attracting global attention and fostering fierce rivalries that push players and teams to their limits.
- Serves as a unifying force for Concacaf North America, promoting collaboration and showcasing the region’s diverse talent and passionate fan base.
- Represents a continuous evolution, with organizers actively seeking improvements to create a world-class tournament experience for players, fans, and sponsors.
Frequently Asked Question
The answer to “which team won the most League Cups” depends on whether you’re referring to the overall Leagues Cup or specific league cups within different countries. Here’s a breakdown:
Inter Miami CF.
They triumphed in the 2023 edition of the tournament, defeating Nashville SC in the final on penalties. As the competition is still quite young, no other team has had the opportunity to win it multiple times.
If you’re asking about the physical trophies awarded to the winners of UEFA competitions, like the Champions League trophy or the Europa League trophy, then each competition has its own unique trophy. So, counting all four major club competitions (Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League, and Super Cup), UEFA has four distinct trophies.
