By Jon Arnold
Another edition of Leagues Cup has come and gone. The tournament promised more rivalry moments, more MLS vs. Liga MX battles and more thrilling goals than previous competitions. It delivered.
From a madcap Phase One that saw the scales tip back and forth in each league’s favor to the final rounds that saw the Seattle Sounders, Inter Miami and LA Galaxy secure podium places and spots in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, there were many thrills, many discussion points and many goals. Lots and lots of goals.
To the victor go the spoils, and the Sounders will certainly be one of the first teams that comes to the mind when reflecting on this competition - not only because of their 3-0 final victory but for the way they opened the tournament: A 7-0 victory over Concacaf champion Cruz Azul that made it clear the Sounders weren’t just out for vengeance against a team that beat them earlier this year but wanted to send a message that they’d be title contenders - no matter how many Liga MX teams were in their path.
Despite winning all three of their Phase One matches against Liga MX squads, it was surprise quarterfinalist Puebla that ran the Sounders the closest, forcing a penalty shootout after a scoreless draw and coming a few conversions away from being the Mexican team that advanced the farthest. Especially for a team that has been starved for success recently, it’s a Leagues Cup run that will be remembered in the same vein as other teams that went on upset runs in tournaments gone by, whether it be Mazatlan in 2024, Queretaro in 2023 or even this year’s LA Galaxy team that shrugged off a difficult 2025 to earn a CCC place.
The goals the Sounders scored also will stick in the mind - notably Pedro de la Vega’s volley that put the cherry on top of the 7-0 sundae for the Sounders. But De La Vega wasn’t alone in scoring a blistering goal that will be remembered for quite some time. Paulinho brought his scoring antics for Toluca to Canada, scoring an overhead kick against CF Montreal. Angel Correa, the tournament’s top scorer, scored against the Houston Dynamo and then one-upped himself with a long run that ended with a finish after putting the goalkeeper on his rear.
As is now Leagues Cup heritage, a number of goalkeepers delivered huge moments in penalty shootouts, with kicks from the spot happening often thanks to the tournament’s rule against matches ending in a draw. The Sounders’ Andrew Thomas, Rafael Cabral of RSL, Cruz Azul’s Kevin Tier and Orlando City’s Pedro Gallese were among the shot-stoppers who stood out.
The format change this year meant that not only was Phase One made up entirely of inter-league contests, so too were the quarterfinals. Even so, MLS was able to reassert itself as the league currently on top of Leagues Cup. There were nervous moments for the Sounders, for Orlando City - and for the LA Galaxy and Inter Miami - as their Liga MX opponents looked to make history as the first Mexican team to clinch a CCC spot through the competition. Yet, despite those efforts, it wasn’t to be.
Leagues Cup put the exclamation mark on the run-on sentence that was the summer of soccer in the United States. We all have seen many matches since the Club World Cup kicked off - with both Leagues Cup finalists taking part - and since the Gold Cup that Mexico lifted with the assistance of many Leagues Cup stars.
That’s what it felt this Leagues Cup was about - a coming together of three countries and two leagues for one trophy - and for one competition.
Just as this summer was a summer in which any fan could gorge at the buffet of soccer on offer, next year will have many offerings. None is bigger than the 2026 men’s World Cup. It will take place in the three nations that come together for Leagues Cup: the United States, Mexico and Canada. Thousands of sports fans who don’t typically tune in for soccer will be sweet up and head to stadiums. Many will also head to the stadium and become subsumed in Leagues Cup.
The field again will be determined by performance for MLS teams, and squads have known all 2025 that they’re playing not only to get above the playoff line but also to get into international competition. Early indications are that many of 2025’s top performers will be in, including Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami looking to avenge this year’s final frustration and win the tournament once again. Fellow past champion Columbus Crew, buoyed by new forward Wessam Abou Ali also are set to make another run at the two-bowled trophy. Last year’s runners-up LAFC, now spearheaded by Son Heung-min, will be led by a new coach after Steve Cherundolo’s departure but also have a place to compete.
They’re not the only big additions who should participate next year. Pumas’ Keylor Navas and Correa moved to Liga MX in time to suit up for this year’s Leagues Cup, but new América star Allan Saint-Maximin has debuted with two goals in two matches and is just the kind of player who seems to love type of stage Leagues Cup provides.
Decision Day on Oct. 18 will be the first milestone on the road to Leagues Cup 2026, with the final field being set. That road will include the renewing of rivalries in CCC, twists and turns in the domestic leagues, players from each league suiting up for their country on the grandest of stages and, once again, a showdown with each club flying the flag of their city, their country and their league as they go into the competition.
If it’s anything like this year’s tournament, it should deliver.
