Leagues Cup announces new format after Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to glory in inaugural MLS vs. Liga MX tournament... with ex-USMNT star DaMarcus Beasley praising changes
- The champions of both MLS and Liga MX will now avoid the group stages
- 'Hub privileges' will minimize travel for Mexican clubs in the US and Canada
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
The Leagues Cup has undergone a major revamp for 2024, with rankings, groups, and a new tournament concept - called 'hub privileges' - added to the second edition of the MLS vs. Liga MX World Cup-style club competition.
Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to victory in last season's inaugural tournament, just weeks after his blockbuster move to the United States.
This year's competition takes place in the US and Canada from July 26 to August 25. The tournament will now provide new incentives for all 45 participating clubs, as its top three finishers will qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2025. The winner will be granted an opportunity to earn a spot in the FIFA World Cup.
What's more, the reigning Liga MX champion - in this case, Club America - along with the three other top-ranked teams in the league (CF Monterrey, Chivas Guadalajara and Tigres) will be granted hosting benefits, known as 'hub privileges'. These will minimize travel for Mexican clubs and see them play in pre-determined venues as the home team.
'I think it's a great tournament,' DaMarcus Beasley, who played both in Liga MX and MLS, exclusively told DailyMail.com
![The Leagues Cup - involving MLS and Liga MX clubs - has undergone a major revamp for 2024](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/30/17/80644091-13023963-This_upcoming_season_s_Leagues_Cup_will_have_teams_divided_in_th-a-7_1706636760333.jpg)
The Leagues Cup - involving MLS and Liga MX clubs - has undergone a major revamp for 2024
![Lionel Messi's Inter Miami are the reigning Leagues Cup champions following victory in 2023](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/30/17/80645111-13023963-image-a-5_1706636150382.jpg)
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami are the reigning Leagues Cup champions following victory in 2023
'It just makes me think of the rivalry between the USMNT and Mexico and now you have it in a club format. So I just think the League Cup ticks all the boxes when we talk about rivalry, or one league, one country trying to be better than the other... it's just going to grow and grow.
'I'm already looking forward to it because it is going to be an exciting tournament.'
Beasley continued: 'It is really going to show the passion between American fans and Mexican fans. And there is a lot of support in Mexican clubs in America so that even helps when Mexican teams are going to play in the United States.
'You're always looking for new and improved formats in tournaments and games to get a competitive edge, not only for the plays but the fans as well.'
America will enjoy hosting privileges through the semifinals, C.F. Monterrey (No 1 rank) through Round of 16, Chivas Guadalajara (No 4) through Round of 32, and Tigres (No 6) through the group stage.
MLS teams will be ranked based on last season's Supporters Shield standings, while Liga MX clubs will be ranked based on the cumulative 34 matches in the 2023 Clausura and Apertura - a split format for Spanish-speaking leagues.
![DaMarcus Beasley, who played in both Liga MX and MLS, has praised the format changes](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/30/17/80645469-13023963-image-a-6_1706636667000.jpg)
DaMarcus Beasley, who played in both Liga MX and MLS, has praised the format changes
![Leagues Cup ranking will depend on domestic league performance, both in Liga MX and MLS](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/30/17/80644093-13023963-Leagues_Cup_ranking_will_depend_on_domestic_league_performance_b-a-8_1706636763295.jpg)
Leagues Cup ranking will depend on domestic league performance, both in Liga MX and MLS
All participating teams - except the two leagues' champions - will be divided in three tiers based on the Leagues Cup ranking (1-15, 16-30, 31-45). They will then make up 15 groups of three - featuring one club from each tier - prioritizing geographical and competitive balance among the 45 clubs.
For this upcoming season, the Leagues Cup will be played in two regions, East and West, with seven groups in the East and eight groups in the West. As in last season's edition, both the Liga MX and MLS Cup champions - Club America and Columbus Crew respectively - receive an automatic bye to the tournament's knockout stages.
A third-place playoff will also be held after the semifinals stage and before the final, while there will also be no ties throughout the tournament.
Instead, each team receives one point if the game is drawn after 90 minutes. The winner of the subsequent penalty shootout will earn an additional point.
This new format, based on the Leagues Cup ranking, was a joint collaborative effort of the Leagues Cup Committee, comprising representatives from Leagues Cup, and both Liga MX and MLS leadership.
Fans in over 100 countries and regions will be able to watch all 77 Leagues Cup matches on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. TelevisaUnivision and TV Azteca in Spanish. FOX Sports, TSN and RDS will linearly broadcast games in the U.S.