The Leagues Cup is an annual North American knockout soccer competition played by teams from the Méxican Liga MX and the Major League Soccer.
The competition could be seen as a friendly match between the two biggest soccer leagues on the South American continent.
Leagues Cup Final
The League Cup final match is the final round of the inter-nation competition after passing through other stages. The winner of the final match is awarded the Leagues Cup Trophy for the year.
Leagues Cup winner
2022?
2021 – Leon (Mexico)
2020 – Cancelled
2019 -Cruz Azul (Mexico)
Organized through a joint agreement by the Liga MX and the Major League Soccer, the competition made its debut in July 2019. The Leagues Cup is a tournament completely different from the annual Campeones Cup played by winners of the MLS Cup and Campeón de Campeones winners of México. Cruz Azul, a Méxican Soccer team was the first team to lift the Leagues Cup in its inaugural edition played at the Sam Boyd Stadium, in Las Vegas City in the United States.
The Reason for the creation of the Leagues Cup
The reason for the creation of the Leagues Cup was to form a bi-national soccer competition between the United States and México which has been under the radar over the years. The plan has further initiated the idea of a Liga MX and Major League Soccer merger which hasn’t been ruled out by top soccer authorities in the United States.
The plan gave birth to the Leagues Cup which is an eighth-team soccer tournament consisting of four teams from each nation. Starting from 2020, the Leagues Cup will consist of 16 teams, each league providing eight teams with each.
The Leagues Cup format
The inaugural edition was based on invitations. Teams were only invited to participate but from subsequent editions, teams would only participate based on league results or Standings of the previous season.
Four teams from Liga MX and Major League Soccer would be drafted to participate in the competition although plans of increasing the number to 16 (8 each league). The plans also state teams would qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League.
Teams will be selected based on non-involvements in International soccer competitions for the year.
About the Liga MX
The Méxican Liga MX or Primera Division is a professional soccer league in México played contested by 18 teams. The league is ranked higher amongst other North American soccer leagues as the best and most competitive as well as most successful in terms of trophies won internationally.
About the MLS
The Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league in the United States and Canada contested by 27 teams. MLS is also ranked amongst the best soccer leagues in the world.
Performance by Nation
México 2
The United States 0
The popularity of the Leagues Cup
The Leagues Cup is not the most popular as compared with the Campeones Cup which is one of the most followed inter-nation competitions in North America.
Moreover, Subsequent editions, as well as publicity it gets, could increase the attention it currently has. The first edition final played between Cruz Azul and Tigres UANL had over twenty thousand spectators in attendance at the Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.
As the competition is expected to return fully in 2021, the Leagues Cup is expected to gather more followers as well as attention across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Competitiveness
It could be seen as the second most competitive inter-nation soccer Competition in North America outside the CONCACAF Club Competitions. It could be ranked behind the Campeones Cup as the second most competitive.
Although the Campeones Cup is a one-off two teams clash, the Leagues Cup features more than four teams. But Statistics would still favour it as the most competitive although the proposed new plans of featuring teams from MLS and Liga MX not involved in continental competitions could further keep it at bay.
How to watch the Leagues Cup on Television
The Leagues Cup is also covered up for your viewing experience as a Soccer lover in North America and other parts of the world. The competition is awarded to American Sports Television Broadcasting giants ESPN in English and TUDN in Spanish.
