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NEW YORK AND MEXICO CITY (July 26, 2025) – Leagues Cup, the first in-season club tournament in North America across all men’s professional sports, published competition-related details today, ahead of the start of Leagues Cup, this coming Tuesday, July 29.
Leagues Cup 2025 introduces a new two-phase format, with exclusively MLS vs. LIGA MX matchups through the Quarterfinals, and the tournament will decide three qualifiers for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup in which the winner will represent the region at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Team Rosters
Leagues Cup Organizing Committee has published the participating clubs' rosters for the tournament. Among the official lists are captains and stars of their clubs, such as Roberto Alvarado (Chivas), Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Angel Correa (Tigres), Evander (FC Cincinnati), Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano (San Diego FC), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Luis Malagon (America), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Keylor Navas (Pumas), Sergio Ramos (Monterrey), James Rodriguez (Leon), Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew), and Alexis Vega (Toluca).
Match Officials
The Leagues Cup Organizing Committee, in collaboration with Concacaf, carried out a yearlong referee preparation strategy that included workshops, performance monitoring, and alignment on officiating criteria. These efforts ensured consistency across domestic and international competitions ahead of Leagues Cup 2025. This includes the best match officials from all the region, selected from the Concacaf and FIFA International Lists.
Tournament Regulations
The Leagues Cup 2025 Tournament Regulations are now public. Highlights are included belo
New Competition Initiatives:
- Concussion Protocol: Teams may use one additional substitution in cases of concussion, reduced from two.
- Off-Field Treatment Rule: Injured players may be required to leave the field for sixty (60) seconds of mandatory off-field treatment.
- Disciplinary Focus: Continued enforcement of rules concerning match delays, yellow card accumulation, and sanction guidelines.
Updated Laws of the Game for 2025-26:
- Goalkeeper Time-Wasting Rule: Goalkeepers who hold the ball for more than eight seconds will concede a corner kick to the opposing team.
- Captain’s Authority Rule: Only the team captain is permitted to approach the referee during a match to discuss calls, ensuring respect and maintaining order on the field.
Leagues Cup will once again count on Virtual Offside Line in all the venues in use for Leagues Cup, in coordination with sports technology leader Sportec Solutions (STS). Additionally, utilizing its state-of-the-art operations center in Arlington, Texas, STS, the Video assistant referee (VAR) technology provider for Major League Soccer, will implement its FIFA-approved VAR technology for the third edition of the tournament.
See soccerlimagazine.com to view the full Leagues Cup 2025 schedule, including kickoff times and broadcast details.
Ticket Information
Tickets for all matches are available on LeaguesCup.com and are also available to fans via the hosting MLS club. MLS club season ticket holders should contact their club representative for more information or visit LeaguesCup.com and follow @LeaguesCup on social media.
About Leagues Cup
Entering its third year, Leagues Cup represents a monumental new chapter for North American club soccer. Since 2023, Major League Soccer and LIGA MX have fueled the long-standing soccer rivalry between the three countries and its first division leagues to compete in this Concacaf-sanctioned summer cup, which qualifies the top three finishers for the Concacaf Champions Cup. Fans in over 100 countries and regions will be able to watch Leagues Cup on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. In addition, TelevisaUnivision's various television networks, FOX Sports, TSN, and RDS will be the linear broadcast home for select Leagues Cup matches
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