The Seattle Sounders will have their work cut out for them if they are to repeat as Leagues Cup champions.
The Sounders will start their defense by becoming the first-ever MLS team to play a Leagues Cup game in Mexico when they visit two-time reigning Liga MX champions Toluca on Aug. 5. Toluca is the top-ranked team in the tournament with 74 points in the past two campaigns and they currently sit second in the Liga MX Clausura table.
This the tournament rules were tweaked to allow Liga MX teams the ability to host for the first time. The Sounders match will be one of two that Toluca will host, while Tigres UANL and Club America will also host one apiece.
The Sounders will then return home to play Querétara FC on Aug. 9 before closing out Stage One of the tournament with a home game against Chivas on Aug. 12. Querétaro is the 31st ranked team in the tournament and currently are 17th in the Liga MX table. Chivas are one of the traditional powers in Mexico but were the 21st ranked team and are currently third in the table.
As it was last year, the teams were placed into one of three tiers. For the 18 qualifying MLS teams, it was based on last year’s Supporters’ Shield standings. For the Liga MX teams, their ranking was based on the combined point total from the most recent Apertura and Clausura tournaments. The 36 clubs were then split into Eastern and Western regions, then placed in six-team pods where they were matched against one team from each of the the three tiers from the opposite league. The Sounders were a Tier 2 team.
Using last year’s Leagues Cup standings as a guide, the Sounders will almost certainly need at least six points to finish among the top 4 MLS teams and advance to the quarterfinals. Last year, MLS teams actually needed seven points to advance but it’s unclear how Liga MX home games could impact the respective leagues’ point totals.
In the quarterfinals — which will take place Aug. 25-27 — teams will again be matched up against opponents from the opposite league. The winners will then face off in the semifinals (Sept. 1-2). The third-place game and championship will both be played on Sept. 6 when the three Concacaf Champions Cup berths will be decided.
