With Sunday’s historic win at MAPFRE Stadium, the Portland Timbers didn’t only claim their first-ever MLS Cup.
The title also qualified the Cascadia side for the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League, joining four other fellow MLS sides.
As the Supporters’ Shield winners, the New York Red Bulls will also compete in next year’s tournament. FC Dallas, Western Conference winner, U.S. Open Cup winner Sporting Kansas City and Canadian Championship winners Vancouver Whitecaps are the other MLS sides that qualified for next year’s group stages.
The Timbers have only qualified for the CCL one other time, and they were knocked out of the group stages during the 2014-15 edition of the competition.
With the Liga MX Liguilla finals set on Sunday as well, Pumas UNAM and Tigres UANL have also qualified for the 2016-17 edition.
Meanwhile, the 2015-16 tournament’s knockout stage will begin in February. Real Salt Lake-Tigres and Club America-Seattle Sounders kick off on Feb. 23, while D.C. United-Queretaro and Santos Laguna-LA Galaxy play their first legs the next day.
Think the Timbers will do well in CCL play next year? Which team will win the region’s title during the 2016-17 campaign?
Share your thoughts below.
Any more news on when the rumored switch to a calendar year schedule for the CCL is happening? Or is it no longer happening?
if the next USMNT coach is going to emerge from MLS he has to prove himself in this tournament. Managing a CCL winner is the closest club equivalent to WCQ imo.
So Vermes, Porter, Olsen, Marsh, others.. you guys interesting succeeding Klinnsman? Win this title and prove that your are concacaf ready by 2018-19..