Leagues Cup saw one of its most successful tournaments yet in the 2025 edition – introducing a new competition format, breaking additional attendance records, and welcoming another wave of international stars. Tickets are currently available and fans are encouraged to visit **LeaguesCup.com/tickets** or their local club websites for details.
As Leagues Cup returns in 2026, many of the innovations and milestones from last summer will shape what comes next. From the return of the expanded MLS vs. Liga MX format, to matches being played in Mexico for the first time, the tournament enters a new chapter built on the momentum of 2025.
New Format Returns
The 2025 edition saw the tournament adopt a new format that featured all MLS vs. Liga MX encounters in Phase One.
After three interleague matches in Phase One, the top four clubs from MLS and the top four from Liga MX advance to the Quarterfinals, where they face clubs from the opposite league (MLS1 vs. LMX4, MLS2 vs. LMX3, etc).
The expanded interleague format returns for the 2026 edition, featuring 54 LIGA MX vs. MLS matchups, including all of Phase One and the Quarterfinals.
More new ground will be broken with matches to be played in Mexico for the first time. Club America, Tigres, and Toluca, the top three ranked Liga MX clubs, will play on their home grounds during the tournament for the first time.
The next three highest-ranked Liga MX clubs will also receive scheduling advantages, with Cruz Azul playing at a neutral venue and Rayados de Monterrey and Pachuca benefiting from reduced travel.
Records Broken
The new format wasn't the only storyline of last year’s tournament. Leagues Cup 2025 also produced several tournament milestones on and off the field.
Leagues Cup 2025 Final between the Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami set a new tournament attendance record of 69,314 spectators, as attendance and fan engagement continue to grow with each edition of Leagues Cup.
On July 31, 2025, the Leagues Cup saw its most goals in a single day of action. A total of 28 goals were scored starting with a 3-2 classic as Cincinnati topped Monterrey and ending with LA Galaxy’s 5-2 win against Tijuana.
Lionel Messi’s tournament record of 10 goals in a single Leagues Cup edition, set in 2023, remained intact.
Dennis Bouanga increased his all-time Leagues Cup leading tally to 13, while Messi follows just one behind at 12 goals. Both players will seek to extend that total in the coming edition.
New Faces
Leagues Cup continued attracting global stars, with Ángel Correa, James Rodríguez, and Luis Suárez making their tournament debuts in 2025. Correa made his Tigres debut in Leagues Cup and finished as the edition’s top scorer with five goals.
Of course, the 2023 edition famously saw the arrival of Lionel Messi to North American soccer to elevate the tournament to new viewers across the world.
In 2026, Robert Lewandowski is poised to become the next global icon to join that list as the Polish star joins the Chicago Fire this summer.
Son Heung-Min will also make his Leagues Cup debut after just missing the 2025 edition by a few days. The South Korean sensation made his LAFC debut last August following his club’s exit from the tournament.
With a proven format, record-breaking crowds, new milestones, and another wave of international stars set to arrive, Leagues Cup 2026 enters with greater momentum than ever.
For many of the World Cup's biggest stars, the next chapter of the summer begins in Leagues Cup and tickets are currently available. Fans are encouraged to visit leaguescup.com/tickets or their local club websites for ticket details. For general information, visit LeaguesCup.com and follow @LeaguesCup on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube; @LeaguesCup on TikTok and subscribe to our channel on WhatsApp.
