The 2026 FIFA World Cup may have ended a few weeks back, but that doesn’t mean that international soccer has completely left the Southern California stage.
In fact, San Diego will play a role in a major tournament between top North American professional soccer clubs that kicks off this week.
Starting Tuesday and lasting through Sept. 6, Leagues Cup, an international competition between top MLS and Liga MX clubs, includes San Diego FC. The pro franchises will compete, as the tag line goes, from “three countries” (and) “two leagues” leading to “one champion.”
Beginning Thursday, SDFC plays three first-round matches against Liga MX clubs, one on the road, then two at Snapdragon Stadium.
SDFC travels to Mexico City to face Club América in their Leagues Cup opener at Estadio Banorte. Club Tijuana comes to San Diego on Sunday, followed by Puebla FC on Aug. 12.
The tournament comes at very different times in each league’s season. MLS is more than halfway through its year, but the Liga MX season just started in mid-July, around the time the World Cup ended.
Although it’s still early days for Liga MX’s season, two teams San Diego is facing sit atop their league’s table. After each playing three matches, Tijuana and América have identical 2-1-0 records and seven points, while SDFC’s third upcoming opponent, Puebla, has four points and a 1-1-1 record so far.
Have questions about the tournament? We have some answers.
What is Leagues Cup?
Leagues Cup is an annual competition that pits MLS soccer clubs against Liga MX franchises in matches sanctioned by the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, the governing body commonly known as Concacaf.
The tournament, now in its fourth year, pits 18 MLS clubs against all 18 Liga MX franchises in the opening round.
Who’s participating?
In addition to San Diego FC, notable MLS franchises participating this year include San Diego rival Los Angeles FC; Inter Miami CF, home of arguably the greatest soccer player ever, Lionel Messi; last year’s Leagues Cup champion, Seattle Sounders FC; Nashville SC, which has the best record in the MLS so far this season; and the Vancouver Whitecaps, which currently leads the MLS Western Conference standings.
What’s the format?
Also, the tournament is played in two phases: Phase One (through Aug. 13) consists of 54 MLS vs. LIGA MX matchups in a round-robin format. If San Diego FC earns enough points while playing its initial three matches, the club moves on to the knockout rounds.
The knockout rounds, from Aug. 25–Sept. 6, are a single-elimination bracket beginning with the quarterfinals and culminating in the Leagues Cup Final.
Leagues Cup uses a no-ties format to ensure a winner in every match. Three points are awerded for a regulation time win and two points for a penalty shootout win if the match is tied after regulation. One point goes to the loser of a penalty shootout.
Although all matches are competitive games and not exhibition matches, they don’t count in the MLS or Liga MX standings and have no bearing on them.
What’s the top prize?
In addition to a trophy, the winner of the Leagues Cup receives a bye into the round of 16 at the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, a tournament consisting of clubs from North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
The runner-up and third-place finishers also receive entries into the Champions Cup, but not the bye.
Who’s the favorite?
The teams favored to win it all are all MLS clubs: Inter Miami, Vancouver Nashville and LAFC.
SDFC, which has struggled this season at 5-7-6, is not expected to make it past the first phase.
MLS teams have dominated so far with title wins in all three previous editions of the Cup: Inter Miami in 2023, Columbus Crew in 2024 and Seattle in 2025.
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