The first American qualifier for the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League was determined on Wednesday night.
Sporting Kansas City won the 2017 U.S. Open Cup and became the first US-based team to qualify for the 2019 CCL, which will be contested in the spring of that year. They’ll be joined in the tournament by the 2017 MLS Cup winner and 2018 U.S. Open Cup and MLS Cup winners. If the MLS Cup winners are Canadian, the CCL spot will go to the previously unqualified US team with the best regular season record.
CONCACAF announced early this year that beginning in 2018, the CONCACAF Champions League will be played using a new format that removed the group stage and reduced the number of participants from 24 teams to 16. Fifteen teams qualify for the CCL based on performance in league and cup play, while the 16th and final berth goes to the winner of the 16-team CONCACAF League.
Seattle Sounders (2016 MLS Cup champions), FC Dallas (2016 Supporters’ Shield winner), New York (2016 Eastern Conference first-place) and Colorado Rapids (2016 second-place Western Conference behind Dallas, who won the US Open Cup and occupied two CCL slots) are the four US-based teams in the 2018 CCL. Toronto FC is the Canadian entrant as the winner of the 2016 and 2017 Canadian Championship.
The winner of the 2018 Canadian Championship will represent Canada in the 2019 CCL.
MLS qualifiers – 2018 CCL
Seattle Sounders – 2016 MLS Cup winner
FC Dallas – 2016 Supporters’ Shield winner
New York Red Bulls – 2016 1st-place Eastern Conference team
Colorado Rapids – 2016 Open Cup winner: (FC Dallas won the Open Cup, but since they occupy two slots, the next best regular season record from 2016 — US teams only — fills the last slot, giving Colorado their berth)
Toronto FC – 2016 and 2017 Canadian Championship winner
MLS qualifiers - 2019 CCL
2017 MLS Cup winner
Sporting KC – 2017 U.S. Open Cup winner
2018 MLS Cup winner
2018 Open Cup winner
