CONCACAF Champions Cup
The CONCACAF Champions Cup is the premier club competition in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Launched in 1962, it crowns the region's top club and grants the winner a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup. Featuring national league champions, cup winners, and top-ranked teams by CONCACAF metrics, it delivers thrilling clashes between Mexican powerhouses, MLS sides, and Caribbean underdogs.
History and foundation
Originally the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, it became the Champions League in 2008 and adopted its current name in 2023. Mexican clubs reign supreme with 39 titles for América, Pachuca, Cruz Azul, and Monterrey. Pachuca holds the record with 7 wins. Highlights include Nicaragua's CD Suchitepéquez reaching the 1988 final as underdogs; Monterrey's 3-0 rout of Columbus Crew in 2021; and Seattle Sounders' 2022 triumph, the first MLS win in 16 years.
Tournament format
From 2024, 27 teams enter the first round with two-legged ties. Nine winners join 9 seeded teams (top league champions) in the round of 16. Knockout stages follow until the final. Previously, it featured a 16-team group stage. Early rounds are home-and-away; later stages shift to neutral venues for semis and final.
Interesting facts
Average goals per match hover at 2.8, spiking to 3.5 in playoffs. Top scorers: Maximiliano Núñez (24), Héctor Herrera (20), Álvaro Saborío (19). Stars who've shone: Wayne Rooney (DC United), Xavi Hernández (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (NY Red Bulls), Guillermo Ochoa (América), Raúl (Al-Sadd, regional ties). Current standouts include Hirving Lozano and Rodolfo Pizarro.