After a one-year hiatus due to the impact of COVID-19, both the Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup are set to return in a jam-packed 2021.
MLS announced on Tuesday that the two competitions will once again be played this year following the cancellation of the 2020 editions. The second Campeones Cup will take place in late September, pitting the reigning MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew vs. the eventual winner of this season’s Liga MX campaign in a one-off match in Columbus, Ohio.
Meanwhile, the second iteration of the eight-team Leagues Cup that is comprised of four MLS and four Liga MX sides will be held in August in the United States. The Seattle Sounders, Orlando City, New York City FC, and Sporting Kansas City are the Major League Soccer representatives that are set to compete in the upcoming iteration of the tournament.
The MLS teams were chosen as a result of them being the best-placed finishers during the 2020 regular season that are not going to compete in this year’s Concacaf Champions League.
Sporting KC was the side with the best record in the Western Conference, and the Sounders finished right behind them in second place. Orlando City and NYCFC respectively finished in fourth and fifth in the east.
The four Mexican clubs that will participate in the Leagues Cup will be named in May after the conclusion of the current Liga MX season.
Man, I’m having trouble processing all of this. Leagues Cup, Campeones Cup, US Open Cup, MLS regular season not starting till April, playoffs. With Nations League, GC, WCQ, how are USMNT domestic players, going to stay healthy? Holy snikees!!! This jamb packed year is going to be great for fans, but not as much for the athletes, especially going into ‘22 WC. Rest and recovery is going to get push to the max. Collateral damage: players bodies!
This is going to be a very dense summer of soccer!!!