Leagues Cup officials are finalizing the details to have Mexico host certain matches of the upcoming edition of the tournament, sources told ESPN.
The intraleague competition featuring teams from MLS and Liga MX was previously played exclusively in the United States and Canada. The tournament, now in its fourth season in an expanded format, will now be played across the continent following the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Phase One of the 2026 Leagues Cup will kick off on Aug. 4, featuring all 18 Mexican teams and 18 qualifying MLS clubs. The format will mirror the 2025 edition of Leagues Cup, seeing clubs compete in three matches in an attempt to qualify to the knockout rounds.
All 54 phase one matches are set to be played between Liga MX and MLS clubs.
According to Leagues Cup rules: "The top four clubs from each league's tables will be placed in a fixed bracket to compete in the single-game elimination knockout rounds beginning with the quarterfinals and featuring only MLS vs. Liga MX matchups."
Pairings will be determined based on each team's performance in the first round of the tournament. The upcoming edition of Leagues Cup will maintain the no draws format, meaning any game that concludes regulation time with a tie will go directly to penalties.
The final will be played on Sept. 6, with the champion and additional top three finishers of the tournament securing a spot in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Seattle Sounders FC won the 2025 Leagues Cup, beating Inter Miami CF in the final. Miami won the 2023 Leagues Cup in Lionel Messi's first season with the team.
