The Leagues Cup 2023 match schedule and bracket were revealed on Thursday for the inaugural edition of a competition that will feature all 47 clubs from MLS (29 teams) and LIGA MX (18 teams) in a tournament from July 21-August 19 with the top three teams qualifying for the 2024 Concacaf Champions League.
Sporting Kansas City will travel to play FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium on Sunday, July 23 in the opening match for Group 3 of the Central Region, before hosting Chivas Guadalajara at Children’s Mercy Park on Monday, July 31 on the final day of the Leagues Cup 2023 Group Stage. Tickets for the marquee match-up with Chivas Guadalajara are available at SeatGeek.com and included in season ticket packages as well as the Captain’s Flex Pack.
CENTRAL REGION GROUP 3 SCHEDULE
July 23: Sporting KC vs. FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium
July 27: Chivas Guadalajara vs. FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium
July 31: Sporting KC vs. Chivas Guadalajara at Children’s Mercy Park
Sporting will take on 12-time LIGA MX champions Chivas Guadalajara for the first time in a competitive match when the 2018 Concacaf Champions League winners return to Kansas City on July 31. Sporting and Chivas Guadalajara previously played to a 2-2 draw at Children’s Mercy Park in October 2011 in an international friendly and a 1-1 draw during the 2009 MLS preseason in Mexico. Chivas Guadalajara also played in Kansas City in September 2009 against rivals Club America at Arrowhead Stadium.
The match-up will be headlined by Sporting KC striker Alan Pulido, who joined the club in 2020 after starring for Chivas Guadalajara from 2016-2019. Chivas Guadalajara are currently in second place in LIGA MX with a 6-1-3 record after 10 matches in the spring Clausura season and the team’s roster is highlighted by wingers Roberto Alvarado and Alexis Vega, who both represented Mexico at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Sporting is unbeaten in the team’s only two previous match-ups with FC Cincinnati following road results in 2019 and 2020. Leagues Cup 2023 will see Sporting make the club’s first trip to the $250 million TQL Stadium to face an FC Cincinnati side that has started the 2023 campaign unbeaten (1-0-1) on the heels of their best season since joining MLS in 2019. FC Cincinnati, competing in the team’s first Concacaf competition, is led by three of the top attacking players in MLS as Brenner and Brandon Vazquez each recorded 18 goals last season while Luciano Acosta led MLS with 19 assists.
The Leagues Cup 2023 Group Stage kicks off on July 21 and runs through July 31 with the top two teams in each group advancing to the single-elimination Knockout Rounds.
LEAGUES CUP 2023 SCHEDULE
Group Stage: July 21-31
Round of 32: August 2-4
Round of 16: August 6-8
Quarterfinals: August 11-12
Semifinals: August 15
Final & Third Place: August 19
Advancing MLS clubs will host Knockout Round matches against LIGA MX teams, and MLS venues will host all Leagues Cup Knockout Round matches. Round of 32 matches between two MLS clubs will be hosted by the group winner. Starting with the Round of 16, matches between two MLS clubs will be hosted by the club with the better 2022 regular season performance. Knockout Round matches between two LIGA MX clubs will be hosted at a venue designated by the Organizing Committee.
Fans in over 100 countries and regions will be able to watch Leagues Cup on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, which is available on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices from Roku, Amazon, and Google, game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com. In addition, TelevisaUnivision and FOX Sports will be the linear broadcast home for select Leagues Cup matches in the United States.
