Setting the table?
Leagues Cup 2025 has arrived. Continental bragging rights are up for grabs as another chapter of the summer's cross-border tournament is back, with a star-studded lineup of games on day one.
The main course of the night may very well come first at Leagues Cup, when the defending champions, Columbus Crew, take on reigning Liga MX champion Toluca at 7 p.m. ET. James Rodríguez and León will travel north to face Montreal in the other 7 p.m. matchup. Alonso Martinez, fresh off a hat trick, takes New York City FC into nearby New Jersey for a matchup against Puebla at the Sports Illustrated Stadium.
Later on, André-Pierre Gignac leads a loaded Tigres squad into Houston for a showdown vs. the Dynamo. Leagues Cup 2024 runner-up, LAFC, hosts Mazatlán after their own surprising run to the quarterfinals in last year's tournament. Finally, Hirving "Chucky" Lozano takes center stage on the night's final matchup when San Diego welcomes his former team, Pachuca, to town.
MATCH BY MATCH
COLUMBUS CREW vs. TOLUCA (Lower.com Field, 7 p.m. ET)
This feels like the perfect way to kick off the Leagues Cup 2025, with two of the top teams from each league squaring off—each a current title holders in their own right. The Columbus Crew have thrived in big games, with their build-from-the-back approach and deadly counterattack led by one of last year's Leagues Cup stars, Diego Rossi.
Toluca enter the tournament as hot as any team in the region. Los Diablos Rojos have been electric in the final third, scoring 13 goals in their last four matches. The key question of this match seems to be which of these clubs back line can withstand the firepower both offenses bring to the table.
CF MONTRÉAL vs. LEÓN (Stade Saputo, 7 p.m. ET)
Montréal is going through a rough patch currently in their MLS season, as they have only won one game of their last five and have been held to just one home win in 2025, putting them in last place in the Eastern Conference. What better way to bounce back than with a win in the international stage against a team that has lifted the Leagues Cup trophy before.
Club León has also started their Liga MX Clausura with uncertainty after only winning one game in three matchups and conceding five goals. Rogelio Funes Mori´s arrival to the team will provide a spark up front and help James Rodriguez as the Esmeraldas look to once again be declared champions. The Mexican international has scored more than 130 goals in Liga MX.
NEW YORK CITY FC vs. PUEBLA (Sports Illustrated Stadium, 8 p.m. ET)
New York City FC kicks off its 2025 Leagues Cup campaign in enemy territory at Sports Illustrated Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, against Liga MX side Club Puebla.
New York City FC is aiming to build on its strong showing in last year’s edition, when the Pigeons reached the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champions Columbus Crew in a penalty shootout. This year, New York is positioning itself as a potential dark horse, while Puebla seeks to flip the script and secure just its second-ever Leagues Cup victory.
HOUSTON DYNAMO vs. TIGRES UANL (Shell Energy Stadium, 9 p.m. ET)
Tigres UANL and Houston Dynamo FC face off for the first time in the Leagues Cup. They'll meet at the Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas, in an encounter that will feature an electric atmosphere as both clubs are expected to be well-represented in the stands. Less than 500 miles separate the two clubs, making the city of Houston one of the best U.S. cities with support for Tigres.
On the field, the Mexican side is coming off an impressive 4-3 victory away at reigning Liga MX champions Toluca. While the Houston Dynamo are hovering just outside the MLS Cup Playoffs qualification zone as they enter the tournament with eyes on growth.
LOS ANGELES FC vs. MAZATLÁN FC (BMO Stadium, 10:30 p.m. ET)
This Tuesday night at BMO Stadium LAFC hosts Mazatlán in a battle of two of the more surprising teams from last year's tournament. Both sides debut in 2025 with their sights set even higher after LAFC reached the finals and Mazatlán joined América as the only Liga MX clubs to play into the quarterfinals.
Mazatlán will be doing so under the direction of new manager Robert Siboldi, who boasts managerial experience at four other Liga MX clubs. In essentially the opposite scenario, this will be the final season at LAFC for head coach Steve Cherundolo as he plans to return to Germany with his family, where he spent his entire playing career. His tenure has already been quite successful, leading the Black & Gold to six finals and three trophies. Still, another piece of silverware certainly couldn’t hurt to pad his legacy.
SAN DIEGO FC vs. CF PACHUCA (Snapdragon Stadium, 11 p.m. ET)
What better way to start another chapter in San Diego FC´s history than by hosting one of the oldest and most important clubs in Liga MX as CF Pachuca travels to Southern California to lock up with the newest MLS team. It's been a historic 2025 so far for San Diego FC who have exceeded expectations and sit in first place in the Western Conference with 46 points after 25 MLS games.
CF Pachuca on the other hand has started off strong in Liga MX. After three games of the Apertura 2025 they sit in first place as the only team to have won every single one of their matchups thus far. They look solid on offense thanks to recent top-performances by Jhonder Cádiz. You add to that the recent signing of William Carvalho, and they will create plenty of trouble for any opponent.
