Columbus Crew to Host Liga MX Sides in 2026 Leagues Cup Phase One
COLUMBUS, OH – The Columbus Crew will kick off its 2026 Leagues Cup campaign by hosting three Liga MX teams – Atlas FC, Club Pachuca, and Pumas UNAM – in Phase One of the tournament. All matches will be played at Lower.com Field, with official kickoff times to be announced at a later date, the club announced on December 16, 2025.
New Matchups and a Familiar Foe
The Crew’s matchups against Atlas and Pumas will be the first-ever competitions between the two clubs. Atlas has secured a combined 10 Liga MX titles, including back-to-back championships in the 2021-22 seasons. The contest against Club Pachuca will be a rematch of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Final, which was played in Mexico on June 1.
Crew’s Leagues Cup History
The Crew enters the 2026 Leagues Cup with an impressive unbeaten record in the competition (8-0-3). Forward Diego Rossi currently ranks fourth in the tournament’s history with eight goals scored, according to the club.
Leagues Cup 2026 Format
Leagues Cup 2026 is scheduled to accept place from August 4 to September 6, with matches hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament will feature 36 clubs total, including all 18 Liga MX teams and 18 qualifying MLS clubs, competing in a fully interleague format. A full list of participating clubs is available on the Leagues Cup website.
Phase One and Knockout Rounds
The tournament will follow a two-round format. Each team will participate in three matches during Phase One, all between MLS and Liga MX clubs. The top teams from each league will advance to a single-game elimination knockout round, beginning with the quarterfinals, which will feature matchups exclusively between MLS and Liga MX teams.
The quarterfinal pairings will be determined based on performance in Phase One. The four winners of the quarterfinal matchups will advance to the semifinals, with the Third-Place match and Final determining the three clubs that will qualify for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup. The tournament champion will earn direct entry into the Round of 16 of the Champions Cup.
No Draws Format
Leagues Cup 2026 will continue to utilize a “no draws” format, awarding points as follows:
- Regulation draw: One point for both teams
- Penalty shootout win: Two points
- Regulation win: Three points
In the quarterfinals, semifinals, Third Place match, and Final, any tie at the end of regulation will be decided by a penalty shootout.