CONCACAF Champions Cup 2026 bracket, schedule, results, format explained as Messi aims for continental title
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Each continent has its own football championship tournament, and North America is no different as the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup gets set to determine this year’s title-winning club.
This competition has been traditionally dominated by Liga MX clubs, but Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are hoping to buck that trend. After winning the 2025 MLS Cup title, the first in club history, the Herons are entering this year’s Champions Cup with renewed hope and promise.
MLS teams have secured just one title in the last 24 years of the competition, with the Seattle Sounders triumphing in 2022.
The Sporting News brings you a complete look at how the CONCACAF Champions Cup works, when games will be played, and who will match up against one another in this year’s competition.
MORE: How to watch CONCACAF Champions Cup matches in USA | How to watch in Canada
2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup format
The CONCACAF Champions Cup is formatted as a full bracket.
The five seeded teams (MLS Cup winner, Liga MX champions, Leagues Cup winner, Central American Cup winner, and Caribbean Cup winner) are given a bye through to the Round of 16, while the rest of the 27-team field starts in Round One.
From the start, the matchups are determined by a pre-tournament draw, with CONCACAF ranking used to determine the pots.
All rounds prior to the final are two-legged, meaning aggregate score is used to decide the qualifier to the next round. Away goals are used as the tiebreaker, with extra time and penalties required if a winner still cannot be determined.
The CONCACAF Champions Cup winner qualifies for both that year’s FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the next FIFA Club World Cup.
2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup schedule
The matchups for the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup were set by the draw on December 9, 2025.
Teams entering in the Round of 16 were ranked by CONCACAF and slotted into the bracket automatically before the draw. The rest of the 22 participants were ranked by CONCACAF coefficient and drawn into first-round matchups against one another.
All stages prior to the final will be contested across two legs, while the final will be a single match. It is not yet determined where the final will take place, either hosted by one of the participants or contested at a neutral venue.
| Stage | First Leg | 2nd Leg |
| First Round | Feb. 6-15 | Feb. 20-29 |
| Round of 16 | Mar. 5-7 | Mar. 12-14 |
| Quarterfinals | Apr. 2-4 | Apr. 9-11 |
| Semifinals | Apr. 23-25 | Apr. 30-May 2 |
| Final | June 2 | |
Teams qualified for 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup
| Club (Seed) | Nation | Qualified Via | Round Entered |
| Inter Miami (2) | USA | 2025 MLS Cup champions | Round of 16 |
| Seattle Sounders (3) | USA | 2025 Leagues Cup champions | Round of 16 |
| Toluca (1) | Mexico | 2024/25 Liga MX champions* | Round of 16 |
| Alajuelense (4) | Costa Rica | 2025 Central American Cup champions | Round of 16 |
| Mount Pleasant (5) | Jamaica | 2025 Caribbean Cup champions | Round of 16 |
| LA Galaxy (14) | USA | 2025 Leagues Cup third place | Round One |
| Philadelphia Union (12) | USA | 2025 MLS Supporters’ Shield | Round One |
| San Diego FC (17) | USA | 2025 MLS Western Conference regular season champions | Round One |
| Vancouver Whitecaps (9) | USA | Next highest non-qualified club in MLS standings | Round One |
| FC Cincinnati (13) | USA | Next highest non-qualified club in MLS standings | Round One |
| LAFC (10) | USA | Next highest non-qualified club in MLS standings** | Round One |
| Nashville SC (15) | USA | 2025 U.S. Open Cup winners | Round One |
| Club America (8) | Mexico | 2024/25 Liga MX Apertura champions* | Round One |
| Monterrey (11) | Mexico | 2023/24 Liga MX Clausura runners-up | Round One |
| Cruz Azul (6) | Mexico | Next highest non-qualified club in Liga MX standings | Round One |
| UNAL Tigres (7) | Mexico | Next highest non-qualified club in Liga MX standings | Round One |
| UNAM Pumas (16) | Mexico | Next highest non-qualified club in Liga MX standings | Round One |
| Vancouver FC (26) | Canada | 2025 Canadian Championship runners-up*** | Round One |
| Atletico Ottowa (20) | Canada | 2025 Canadian Premier League champions | Round One |
| Forge FC (19) | Canada | 2025 Canadian Premier League Shield winners | Round One |
| O&M (27) | Dominican Rep. | 2025 Caribbean Cup runners-up | Round One |
| Defence Force (25) | Trinidad & Tobago | 2025 Caribbean Cup third place | Round One |
| Xelaju (22) | Guatemala | 2025 Central American Cup runners-up | Round One |
| Real Espana (24) | Honduras | 2025 Central American Cup semifinalist | Round One |
| Olimpia (18) | Honduras | 2025 Central American Cup semifinalist | Round One |
| Cartagines (21) | Costa Rica | 2025 Central American Cup play-in winners | Round One |
| Sporting San Miguelito (23) | Panama | 2025 Central American Cup play-in winners | Round One |
* Toluca secured passage to the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 by having a higher aggregate table standing than 2024/25 Apertura champions Club America.
** LAFC secured CONCACAF Champions Cup participation as the next-highest MLS finisher yet to qualify due to 2025 League Cup runners-up Inter Miami having already qualified via their 2025 MLS Cup title.
*** Vancouver FC secured CONCACAF Champions Cup participation as Canadian Championship winners Vancouver Whitecaps had already qualified via MLS table standing, which takes precedent.
2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup fixtures, results
All times Eastern. Higher seeded team hosts the second leg in each matchup.
Round One
First leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Feb. 3 | 7:06 p.m. | R11: Forge FC vs. UNAL Tigres | Hamilton, Ontario |
| Feb. 3 | 9:06 p.m. | R7: Olimpia vs. Club America | Tegucigalpa, Honduras |
| Feb. 3 | 11:06 p.m. | R1: San Diego FC vs. UNAM Pumas | San Diego, CA |
| Feb. 4 | 8:06 p.m. | R4: Xelaju vs. Monterrey | Guatemala City, Guatemala |
| Feb. 4 | 10:06 p.m. | R3: Vancouver FC vs. Cruz Azul | Langley, British Colombia |
| Feb. 17 | 8:06 p.m. | R6: Atletico Ottawa vs. Nashville SC | Hamilton, Ontario |
| Feb. 17 | 10:06 p.m. | R5: Real Espana vs. LAFC | San Pedro Sula, Honduras |
| Feb. 18 | 6:06 p.m. | R8: Defence Force vs. Philadelphia Union | Port of Spain, Trinidad |
| Feb. 18 | 8:06 p.m. | R10: O&M vs. FC Cincinnati | Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic |
| Feb. 18 | 10:06 p.m. | R9: Cartagines vs. Vancouver Whitecaps | Cartago, Costa Rica |
| Feb. 19 | 8:06 p.m. | R2: Sporting San Miguelito vs. LA Galaxy | Penonome, Panama |
Second leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Feb. 10 | 8:06 p.m. | R1: UNAM Pumas vs. San Diego FC | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Feb. 10 | 10:06 p.m. | R11: UNAL Tigres vs. Forge FC | Monterrey, Mexico |
| Feb. 11 | 8:06 p.m. | R7: Club America vs. Olimpia | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Feb. 11 | 10:06 p.m. | R4: Monterrey vs. Xelaju | Monterrey, Mexico |
| Feb. 12 | 8:06 p.m. | R9: Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver FC | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Feb. 24 | 8:06 p.m. | R6: Nashville SC vs. Atletico Ottawa | Nashville, TN |
| Feb. 24 | 10:06 p.m. | R5: LAFC vs. Real Espana | Los Angeles, CA |
| Feb. 25 | 7:06 p.m. | R10: FC Cincinnati vs. O&M | Cincinnati, OH |
| Feb. 25 | 9:36 p.m. | R3: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Cartagines | Vancouver, British Colombia |
| Feb. 25 | 11:36 p.m. | R2: LA Galaxy vs. Sporting San Miguelito | Carson, CA |
| Feb. 26 | 7:06 p.m. | R8: Philadelphia Union vs. Defence Force | Philadelphia, PA |
Round of 16
First leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Mar. 10-12 | M1: Winner, R1 vs. Toluca | ||
| Mar. 10-12 | M2: Winner, R2 vs. Mount Pleasant | ||
| Mar. 10-12 | M3: Winner, R4 vs. Winner, R3 | ||
| Mar. 10-12 | M4: Winner, R5 vs. Alajuelense | ||
| Mar. 10-12 | M5: Winner, R6 vs. Inter Miami | ||
| Mar. 10-12 | M6: Winner, R7/8 vs. Winner, R7/8 | ||
| Mar. 10-12 | M7: Winner, R9/10 vs. Winner, R9/10 | ||
| Mar. 10-12 | M8: Winner, R11 vs. Seattle Sounders |
Second leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Mar. 17-19 | M1: Toluca vs. Winner, R1 | Toluca, Mexico | |
| Mar. 17-19 | M2: Mount Pleasant vs. Winner, R2 | Saint Ann, Jamaica | |
| Mar. 17-19 | M3: Winner, R3 vs. Winner, R4 | ||
| Mar. 17-19 | M4: Alajuelense vs. Winner, R5 | Alajuela, Costa Rica | |
| Mar. 17-19 | M5: Inter Miami vs. Winner, R6 | Ft. Lauderdale, FL* | |
| Mar. 17-19 | M6: Winner, R7/8 vs. Winner, R7/8 | ||
| Mar. 17-19 | M7: Winner, R9/10 vs. Winner, R9/10 | ||
| Mar. 17-19 | M8: Seattle Sounders vs. Winner, R11 | Seattle, WA |
* Inter Miami will play their home Round of 16 match at their Ft. Lauderdale stadium, with their new Freedom Park venue in Miami not set to open until April 4.
Quarterfinals
First leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| April 7-9 | Q1: Winner, M1/2 vs. Winner, M1/2 | ||
| April 7-9 | Q2: Winner, M3/4 vs. Winner, M3/4 | ||
| April 7-9 | Q3: Winner, M5/6 vs. Winner, M5/6 | ||
| April 7-9 | Q4: Winner, M7/8 vs. Winner, M7/8 |
Second leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| April 14-16 | Q1: Winner, M1/2 vs. Winner, M1/2 | ||
| April 14-16 | Q2: Winner, M3/4 vs. Winner, M3/4 | ||
| April 14-16 | Q3: Winner, M5/6 vs. Winner, M5/6 | ||
| April 14-16 | Q4: Winner, M7/8 vs. Winner, M7/8 |
Semifinals
First leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Apr. 28-30 | S1: Winner, Q1/2 vs. Winner, Q1/2 | ||
| Apr. 28-30 | S2: Winner, Q3/4 vs. Winner, Q3/4 |
Second leg
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| May 5-7 | S1: Winner, Q1/2 vs. Winner, Q1/2 | ||
| May 5-7 | S2: Winner, Q3/4 vs. Winner, Q3/4 |
Final
The final is hosted by the higher-performing side through the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
The two qualifying participants are placed in a de facto table, with three points for each win in the competition and one point for a draw, with the usual tiebreakers of goal differential and goals scored.
For example, in 2025, Cruz Azul hosted the final as their record of three wins and three draws gave them 12 points, while Vancouver Whitecaps had secured 10 points via two wins and four draws.
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| May 30 | Winner, S1/2 vs. Winner, S1/2 |
