Just when it looked like FC Dallas would face Tigres in Leagues Cup 2024, Major League Soccer (MLS) and LIGA MX pulled a fast one and brought in a new structure for the competition. FCD now faces St Louis City and FC Jaurez.
For the second edition of the international soccer competition between MLS and Liga MX implemented a tiered ranking system as well as hubs for the highest-ranked LIGA MX clubs. The Leagues Cup ranking will be strictly based on combined MLS and LIGA MX club performance based on points in the last 34 regular season matches.
FC Dallas will face LIGA MX’s FC Juárez and MLS Western Conference opponent St. Louis CITY SC. Leagues Cup 2024 will take place from July 26 – August 25, 2024.
All participating clubs – except the two Leagues’ champions – are divided into three tiers based on the Leagues Cup Ranking (1-15, 16-30, 31-45), forming 15 groups of three clubs each, one club from each tier, prioritizing geographical and competitive balance (emphasis added by 3rd Degree) among the 45 clubs.
The LIGA MX Champion and the three top-ranked LIGA MX clubs will be granted hub privileges. The hub privileges, which will minimize LIGA MX club travel and reward them by playing in pre-determined venues as the home team, are based on the Leagues Cup Ranking.
LEAGUES CUP 2024 GROUPS:
WEST:
West 1: CF Monterrey, Pumas UNAM, Austin FC
West 2: Chivas de Guadalajara, San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy
West 3: St. Louis CITY SC, FC Dallas, FC Juárez
West 4: Toluca FC, Sporting Kansas City, Chicago Fire
West 5: Club León, Portland Timbers, Colorado Rapids
West 6: Seattle Sounders FC, Minnesota United, Necaxa
West 7: Los Angeles Football Club, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Club Tijuana
West 8: Houston Dynamo FC, Real Salt Lake, Atlas FC
EAST:
East 1: FC Cincinnati, New York City FC, Club Querétaro
East 2: Orlando City, Atlético de San Luis, CF Montréal
East 3: Club Tigres, Club Puebla, Inter Miami CF
East 4: Philadelphia Union, Charlotte FC, Cruz Azul
East 5: New England Revolution, Nashville SC, Mazatlán FC
East 6: Club Pachuca, New York Red Bulls, Toronto FC
East 7: Atlanta United, Club Santos Laguna, D.C. United
Legues Cup Tiered Seeding
My guess is that St. Louis will host the group stage games and that Dallas will only get to host if they advance as the group winner