Eight clubs now qualified for 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup with LAFC and Columbus Crew
New York (Thursday, August 22, 2024) – After the conclusion of last night’s Leagues Cup semifinals, Concacaf has confirmed that the tournament’s two Finalists, Los Angeles FC and Columbus Crew, have joined six Liga MX clubs – CD Guadalajara, CF Monterrey, Club America, Cruz Azul, Pumas UNAM, and Tigres UANL – as the eight (out of 27) clubs that have secured a berth in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.
The 60th edition of the Concacaf Champions Cup, which will feature the best clubs in the region, is scheduled to be played between February and June 2025. In addition to crowning the Confederation’s club champion, the Concacaf Champions Cup is the sole path through which clubs in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean can qualify for the expanded 32-club FIFA Club World Cup.
Next year’s Concacaf Champions Cup will continue to be played in a five-round direct elimination knockout stage format. The first four rounds—Round One, Round of 16, Quarterfinals, and Semifinals—all include home and away play, while the Final is played as a single-leg match.
Of the 27 participating clubs, 22 will begin play in Round One, and five will receive a bye to the Round of 16. Details on the eight clubs that have thus far qualified and the 19 berths still open are available below.
The current Concacaf Champions Cup champion is Mexico’s CF Pachuca, who defeated Columbus Crew (USA) in an epic 2024 sold-out Final at Estadio Hidalgo. The six-time Champions Cup winners joined Club Leon (2023), Seattle Sounders FC (2022), and CF Monterrey (2021) as Concacaf’s four representatives in next summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
CLUBS QUALIFY FOR CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP
Clubs qualify for the Concacaf Champions Cup via the Leagues Cup (North America), Concacaf Central American Cup, and Concacaf Caribbean Cup, as well as domestic leagues and cups in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Thus far, eight clubs have qualified through regional cups or domestic leagues for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, and 19 more qualification slots are available (explained below).
CD Guadalajara (MEX): Chivas returns to the Champions Cup as the next-best club in the 2023–24 Liga MX aggregate table. This will be their second appearance since their last title conquest in 2018. They were also the champions of the tournament’s inaugural edition in 1962.
CF Monterrey (MEX): The five-time Champions Cup champions return to the tournament for the thirteenth time. They secured a berth as the 2023–24 Liga MX aggregate table best club.
Club America* (MEX): No club holds more titles in the Concacaf region than Club America, with seven. They qualified as the 2023-24 Liga MX Apertura and Clausura champion with the highest aggregate regular season points.
Cruz Azul (MEX): Cruz Azul secured their place as the 2024 Liga MX Clausura runner-up. The club from Mexico City is the second side with the most Concacaf titles (six: 1969, 1970, 1971, 1996, 1997, and 2014).
Pumas UNAM (MEX): The three-time Champions Cup winners (1980, 1982, 1989) will make their sixth appearance and first since finishing runners-up in 2022. They qualified as the next-best club in the 2023–24 Liga MX aggregate table.
Tigres UANL (MEX): Tigres will appear for the twelfth time and attempt to win their first title since 2020. They qualified for the Champions Cup as the 2023 Liga MX Apertura runner-up.
Columbus Crew (USA): The 2024 Champions Cup runners-up have qualified as 2024 Leagues Cup finalists. It will be their sixth appearance in the tournament.
Los Angeles FC (USA): The 2020 and 2023 runners-up have qualified as 2024 Leagues Cup finalists. This will be LAFC’s third appearance in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Canadian Championship (one club): 2024 Champion
Canadian Premier League (two clubs): 2024 Champion and Shield Winner
Concacaf Caribbean Cup (three clubs): 2024 champion*, runner-up, and third place
Concacaf Central American Cup (six clubs): 2024 champion*, runner-up, two losing semifinalists, and two play-in winners.
Leagues Cup (one further club): 2024 third place (Colorado Rapids or Philadelphia Union)
MLS (five clubs): 2024 Cup champion*, supporters’ shield winners, Non-supporters’ shield winning conference champion, and the two next best clubs in the supporters’ shield
US Open Cup (one club): 2024 Champion
*Clubs that will receive a bye to the Round of 16 include the three regional cup champions, the MLS Cup champion, and the best-performing Liga MX champion.
