Why the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Will Be Unmissable: Three Compelling Reasons
The 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup will commence during the opening week of February, featuring 27 clubs from 10 nations competing for the coveted championship trophy in May.
This tournament functions as the regional counterpart to the Champions League and Copa Libertadores, with the 2026 champion earning qualification for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
Mexican Liga MX clubs have historically controlled the competition, claiming 19 of the previous 20 championships, including the 2025 crown when Cruz Azul secured their record seventh triumph over Vancouver Whitecaps. This season, an MLS franchise aims to capture their first victory since 2022, while teams outside Liga MX and MLS pursue their first championship since Deportivo Saprissa's 2005 success.
Here, Sports Illustrated examines the essential details before the February 3 launch.
What Is the Format of the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup?
What Is the Format of the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup?
The Concacaf Champions Cup eliminates group stage play and proceeds directly to elimination rounds. The initial four phases feature two-leg matchups—home and away—with the away goals tiebreaker remaining in effect when aggregate scores are level.
Goals netted during the second leg's overtime period, when necessary, are excluded from the away goals calculation.
The championship match will be a single fixture on May 30, 2026. Current titleholders Cruz Azul aim to become the first consecutive winners since Club América achieved this feat in 2015 and 2016.
How to Watch 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup
Inter Miami's Next Goal
Inter Miami's Next Goal
Immediately following Lionel Messi's MLS Cup victory with Inter Miami, the franchise's co-owners, Jorge Mas and David Beckham, established their next ambition — the Concacaf Champions Cup. An ambitious target, yet achievable for North America's most determined organization. The Herons aspire beyond MLS boundaries in their quest to establish global prominence.
Following their declaration of "our objective is to capture the Champions [Cup]" after the MLS Cup triumph, Inter Miami's every decision has aligned with this vision. During this transfer window, they secured 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Dayne St. Clair, talented Brazilian defender Micael, new fullback Sergio Regulión, and most recently, Mexican forward Germán Berterame as a Designated Player.
The organization also completed Rodrigo De Paul's permanent transfer, renewed Luis Suárez's contract, welcomed back Lionel Messi for what may be his final World Cup campaign, and retained Tadeo Allende, whose return seemed doubtful due to salary cap limitations.
No MLS franchise has experienced such a targeted offseason as Miami, all directed toward one objective. While Javier Mascherano's squad receives a first-round bye, supporters should prefer their round of 16 opponent to be Canadian Premier League winners Atlético Ottawa rather than facing Nashville SC for the 19th time in under six years.
Potential Cascadia, El Tráfico Rivalry Matches Loom
Potential Cascadia, El Tráfico Rivalry Matches Loom
With nine MLS clubs participating alongside six Liga MX teams, the likelihood of rivalry encounters during the tournament's crucial stages appears quite realistic.
As early as the second round, 2025 Leagues Cup winners Seattle Sounders might face 2025 MLS Cup runners-up Vancouver Whitecaps, provided Vancouver overcomes Costa Rica's C.S. Cartaginés. This two-leg encounter would include Seattle's home fixture at an intimate 5,000-seat venue in Spokane due to Lumen Field renovations for the 2026 World Cup, creating an unusual setting for Thomas Müller and fellow stars.
Further into the tournament, an El Tráfico semifinal clash between LAFC and LA Galaxy remains distinctly possible. Both organizations must overcome at least one Liga MX opponent in the opening three rounds before potentially clashing in an intense matchup with final qualification at stake.
Though most Liga MX rivalries are distributed throughout the bracket, a Clásico Regio final featuring Monterrey versus Club América remains feasible, as does a Clásico Joven between América and Mexico City neighbors Cruz Azul.
Vancouver FC: The "Best Worst Team" in the World Takes on Liga MX Giants
Vancouver FC: The "Best Worst Team" in the World Takes on Liga MX Giants
Despite concluding at the bottom of the Canadian Premier League standings, Vancouver FC qualified for the Champions Cup and will contest a first-round matchup against reigning champions Cruz Azul.
Vancouver concluded the 2025 campaign with merely 21 points across 28 matches but achieved an unexpected journey to the Canadian Championship final, where they lost to the Whitecaps in the inaugural Vancouver derby.
Thanks to the Whitecaps' MLS achievements, Vancouver secured their Canadian Championship spot and now confronts one of the Western Hemisphere's premier clubs, hosting their home leg at the 6,000-capacity Willoughby Community Park.
Naturally, their chances of causing an upset remain minimal, but they enter under manager Martin Nash, who succeeded former Iran national team coach Afshin Ghotbi, who previously labeled Vancouver "the best worst team in the world" before departing the organization.