On 19 August, Lionel Messi will lead Inter Miami into the Leagues Cup Final, where they will take on MLS rivals Nashville SC.
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The Leagues Cup is being held in 2023 for the third time, with Major League Soccer very much coming out on top in the battle against Liga MX. An all-American final will take place between Inter Miami, captained by former Barcelona star Lionel Messi, and Nashville SC, while Mexicans Monterrey will face off against Philadelphia Union in the third-place playoff.
Watch the 2023 Leagues Cup on AppleTV (free trial available)
So, so ready.The @LeaguesCup final is set. pic.twitter.com/uOJSmDQRDk
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 16, 2023
What was the format of the “new” Leagues Cup?
All 77 matches were scheduled to be held in the United States or Canada from 21 July to 19 August 2023. For the first time, all 47 MLS and Liga MX teams participated in the tournament, with both leagues halting their respective seasons to compete. The Leagues Cup finalists and the third-place team will also qualify for the 2024 Concacaf Champions League, with the winner automatically advancing to the Round of 16.
The 2022 MLS Cup winner (LAFC) automatically qualified for the 2023 Leagues Cup Round of 32, as did the Liga MX team that accumulated the most points in the Apertura 2022 and Clausura 2023 combined (Pachuca).
The remaining 45 teams were divided into 15 groups of three, where each team played one match against the other two teams. A regular win earned a team three points, with none collected for a regular loss. Matches that were tied after 90 minutes went straight to a penalty shootout, with the winning team receiving two points, and the losing team one. The top two teams from each three-team group progressed to the Round of 32.
Again and again and again.Six games. Six wins. Nine goals.Relive Leo Messi's latest star showing in @LeaguesCup action. ✨ pic.twitter.com/LkpE4iSHbE
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 16, 2023
How were match venues decided?
All games took place in the United States or Canada, which means all Liga MX teams played away to their MLS opponents, while matches between two Mexican clubs were played at a neutral venue decided by the Organising Committee.
Games between two American teams were played at the home of the one which finished higher in the final standings of the 2022 Supporters’ Shield, with the exception of the Round of 32, when group winners played at home.
When will the 2023 Leagues Cup final be played?
After the group phase, the 30 clubs that qualified, along with LAFC and Pachuca, were placed in a fixed bracket that started from the Round of 32 (16 games), followed by the Round of 16 (8 games). The eight teams that advanced competed in the quarterfinals (four games) before the two semifinal games.
The Leagues Cup Final and Third Place match, which will determine the teams participating in the Concacaf Champions League, will be played on Saturday 19 August.
🏆 Here's what's at stake in #LeaguesCup2023: 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣ The top three team all get a place in next year's edition of @TheChampions with the champion getting a spot in the Round of 16 pic.twitter.com/wbUqjatsvB
— Leagues Cup (@LeaguesCup) July 18, 2023
