The 2023 Leagues Cup was the third edition of the Leagues Cup, an international club soccer tournament between Major League Soccer (MLS) and Liga MX. It was held from July 21 to August 19, 2023, with all 77 matches held in either the United States or Canada. The tournament was organized by the two leagues (MLS and Liga MX) and sanctioned by CONCACAF, the continental governing body for the sport in North America.[1]
Inter Miami CF won the tournament after defeating Nashville SC on penalties in the final at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee. Miami's Lionel Messi was the top goalscorer and awarded the best player of the Leagues Cup.[2]
For the first time in the history of the competition, all MLS and Liga MX teams (47 total) competed in the tournament, with both leagues taking a pause in their respective seasons to participate.[3] In addition, the Leagues Cup finalists and third-place team earned berths to the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, with winners Inter Miami automatically advancing to that tournament's round of 16.
Format
The 2023 Leagues Cup was the first edition where all MLS and Liga MX teams participated. The MLS Cup 2022 winners (Los Angeles FC) and the 2022 Clausura or 2022 Apertura champions with the highest aggregate points accumulated across 2022 (Pachuca) qualified automatically for the round of 32. The remaining 45 teams were placed into 15 groups of three.[4][5]
For the group stage, teams played one match against each team in their group. Regulation wins were worth three points and regulation losses are zero points. Matches tied after 90 minutes advanced to a penalty shoot-out, where the winner earned two points and the loser earned one. All matches were held in either the United States or Canada, with the MLS teams playing at home and intra-Liga MX matches played at MLS venues depending on their region.[1][4][5] Matches disrupted by inclement weather, including thunderstorms, were delayed or postponed to another date to resume at the time of the stoppage.[6]
| Tie-breaking criteria for group play |
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The ranking of teams in the group stage was determined as follows:[7]: 13
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The top two teams in each group advanced to the round of 32, joining the MLS Cup winners and highest-ranked Liga MX champion. This phase of the tournament was a five-round single-leg knockout format with a third place match. As was the case during the group stage, knockout stage matches tied after 90 minutes were decided by a penalty shoot-out.[7]: 14 The two finalists and third place team earned berths for the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, with the winners automatically advancing to the Champions Cup round of 16.[1]
Teams and draw
The competition featured all 47 clubs from the two leagues: 29 from MLS and 18 from Liga MX.[8] Teams were ranked by league using the 2022 Supporters' Shield standings for MLS and the 2022 aggregate table for Liga MX. The champions of each league received a bye to the knockout stage as the highest seed. The top 15 remaining teams from each league were placed into groups based on ranking and in reverse order (for example, the 2nd-ranked MLS club was drawn against the 16th-ranked Liga MX club). The remaining teams (13 MLS and 2 Liga MX) were drawn into groups and divided into geographical regions. The first two teams of every group were seeded. The third team was the nearest geographically located unseeded team to the other two teams.[4]
- ^ St. Louis City SC joined Major League Soccer in 2023 and therefore had no 2022 season ranking.
Schedule
The schedule of the competition was as follows.[9]
| Phase | Round | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Group stage | Matchday 1 | July 21–23, 2023 |
| Matchday 2 | July 25–27, 2023 | |
| Matchday 3 | July 29–31, 2023 | |
| Knockout stage | Round of 32 | August 2–4, 2023 |
| Round of 16 | August 6–8, 2023 | |
| Quarter-finals | August 11–12, 2023 | |
| Semi-finals | August 15, 2023 | |
| Third place play-off | August 19, 2023 | |
| Final |
Group stage
The group stage was played from July 21 to 31.[10] Competing teams were divided into fifteen groups of three teams. Teams in each group played one another in a single round-robin, where the top two teams advanced to the knockout stage.
West
| West 1 | West 2 | West 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Source: Leagues Cup
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Source: Leagues Cup
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Source: Leagues Cup
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Central
| Central 1 | Central 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Leagues Cup
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Source: Leagues Cup
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| Central 3 | Central 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Leagues Cup
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Source: Leagues Cup
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South
| South 1 | South 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Leagues Cup
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Source: Leagues Cup
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| South 3 | South 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Leagues Cup
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Source: Leagues Cup
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East
| East 1 | East 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Source: Leagues Cup
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Source: Leagues Cup
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| East 3 | East 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Leagues Cup
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Source: Leagues Cup
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Knockout stage
In the knockout stage, if the scores were equal at the end of regulation time, a penalty shoot-out was used to determine the winners.[7]: 15
The host team was determined by several criteria, including group winner for round of 32 and the 2022 regular season standings for matches between two MLS clubs, where the team with the higher number of points hosted starting in round of 16. For MLS v. Liga MX matches, the MLS club hosted. Matches between two Liga MX teams were hosted at a neutral venue appointed by the Organizing Committee from a predetermined list.[11]
Bracket
| Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||||
| August 2 – Los Angeles | ||||||||||||||||||
 Los Angeles FC | 7 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 8 – Los Angeles | ||||||||||||||||||
 Juárez | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Los Angeles FC | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 4 – Sandy | ||||||||||||||||||
| Real Salt Lake | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| León | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 11 – Pasadena | ||||||||||||||||||
| Real Salt Lake | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Los Angeles FC | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 4 – Vancouver | ||||||||||||||||||
| Monterrey | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| UANL | 1 (5) | |||||||||||||||||
| August 8 – Houston | ||||||||||||||||||
 Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 1 (3) | |||||||||||||||||
| UANL | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 4 – Portland | ||||||||||||||||||
| Monterrey | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Monterrey | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 15 – Nashville | ||||||||||||||||||
| Portland Timbers | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Monterrey | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 4 – Columbus | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nashville SC | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Columbus Crew | 3 (3) | |||||||||||||||||
| August 8 – Saint Paul | ||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota United FC (p) | 3 (4) | |||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota United FC (p) | 2 (4) | |||||||||||||||||
| August 4 – Kansas City | ||||||||||||||||||
| Toluca | 2 (2) | |||||||||||||||||
| Toluca | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 11 – Nashville | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sporting Kansas City | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota United FC | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 4 – Bridgeview | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nashville SC | 5 | |||||||||||||||||
| Chicago Fire FC | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 8 – Nashville | ||||||||||||||||||
| América | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| América | 2 (5) | |||||||||||||||||
| August 4 – Cincinnati | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nashville SC (p) | 2 (6) | |||||||||||||||||
| FC Cincinnati | 1 (4) | |||||||||||||||||
| August 19 – Nashville | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nashville SC (p) | 1 (5) | |||||||||||||||||
| Nashville SC | 1 (9) | |||||||||||||||||
| August 3 – Chester | ||||||||||||||||||
| Inter Miami CF (p) | 1 (10) | |||||||||||||||||
| Philadelphia Union (p) | 0 (5) | |||||||||||||||||
| August 8 – Chester | ||||||||||||||||||
| D.C. United | 0 (4) | |||||||||||||||||
| Philadelphia Union (p) | 1 (4) | |||||||||||||||||
| August 3 – Harrison | ||||||||||||||||||
| New York Red Bulls | 1 (3) | |||||||||||||||||
| New York Red Bulls | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 11 – Chester | ||||||||||||||||||
| New York City FC | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Philadelphia Union | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 3 – Washington, D.C. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Querétaro | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| UNAM | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 7 – Foxborough | ||||||||||||||||||
| Querétaro | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Querétaro (p) | 1 (4) | |||||||||||||||||
| August 3 – Foxborough | ||||||||||||||||||
| New England Revolution | 1 (3) | |||||||||||||||||
| Atlas | 2 (7) | |||||||||||||||||
| August 15 – Chester | ||||||||||||||||||
| New England Revolution (p) | 2 (8) | |||||||||||||||||
| Philadelphia Union | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 2 – Frisco | ||||||||||||||||||
| Inter Miami CF | 4 | Third place play-off | ||||||||||||||||
| Mazatlán | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 6 – Frisco | August 19 – Chester | |||||||||||||||||
| FC Dallas | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| FC Dallas | 4 (3) | Philadelphia Union | 3 | |||||||||||||||
| August 2 – Fort Lauderdale | ||||||||||||||||||
| Inter Miami CF (p) | 4 (5) | Monterrey | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| Inter Miami CF | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 11 – Fort Lauderdale | ||||||||||||||||||
| Orlando City SC | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Inter Miami CF | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 2 – Houston | ||||||||||||||||||
| Charlotte FC | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Pachuca | 0 (3) | |||||||||||||||||
| August 7 – Houston | ||||||||||||||||||
| Houston Dynamo FC (p) | 0 (5) | |||||||||||||||||
| Houston Dynamo FC | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 3 – Frisco | ||||||||||||||||||
| Charlotte FC | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Charlotte FC (p) | 0 (4) | |||||||||||||||||
| Cruz Azul | 0 (3) | |||||||||||||||||
Round of 32
The matches were played from August 2–4, 2023.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Inter Miami CF
|
3–1 | Orlando City SC
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| Mazatlán
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1–2 | FC Dallas
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| Pachuca
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0–0 (3–5 p) | Houston Dynamo FC
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| Los Angeles FC
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7–1 | Juárez
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| Atlas
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2–2 (7–8 p) | New England Revolution
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| Philadelphia Union
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0–0 (5–4 p) | D.C. United
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| UNAM
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0–1 | Querétaro
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| New York Red Bulls
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1–0 | New York City FC
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| Charlotte FC
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0–0 (4–3 p) | Cruz Azul
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| León
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1–3 | Real Salt Lake
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| Columbus Crew
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3–3 (3–4 p) | Minnesota United FC
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| FC Cincinnati
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1–1 (4–5 p) | Nashville SC
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| Chicago Fire FC
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0–1 | América
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| Toluca
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4–1 | Sporting Kansas City
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| Monterrey
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1–0 | Portland Timbers
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| UANL
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1–1 (5–3 p) | Vancouver Whitecaps FC
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Round of 16
The matches were played from August 6 to 8, 2023.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| FC Dallas
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4–4 (3–5 p) | Inter Miami CF
|
| Querétaro
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1–1 (4–3 p) | New England Revolution
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| Charlotte FC
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2–1 | Houston Dynamo FC
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| América
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2–2 (5–6 p) | Nashville SC
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| Philadelphia Union
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1–1 (4–3 p) | New York Red Bulls
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| Toluca
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2–2 (2–4 p) | Minnesota United FC
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| UANL
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0–1 | Monterrey
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| Los Angeles FC
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4–0 | Real Salt Lake
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Quarter-finals
The matches were played on August 11, 2023.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Inter Miami CF
|
4–0 | Charlotte FC
|
| Nashville SC
|
5–0 | Minnesota United FC
|
| Philadelphia Union
|
2–1 | Querétaro
|
| Los Angeles FC
|
2–3 | Monterrey
|
Semi-finals
The matches were played on August 15, 2023.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Union
|
1–4 | Inter Miami CF
|
| Monterrey
|
0–2 | Nashville SC
|
Third place play-off
The winner of the third place match qualified for the first round of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Final
Both clubs qualified for the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, with the winners qualifying directly to the round of 16.
| Nashville SC | 1–1 | Inter Miami CF |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
| Penalties | ||
| 9–10 | ||
Statistics
Top goalscorers
| Rank | Player | Team | MD1 | MD2 | MD3 | R32 | R16 | QF | SF | 3rd | F | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Lionel Messi
|
Inter Miami CF
|
1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 2 |  Bongokuhle Hlongwane
|
Minnesota United FC
|
2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | |||||
| 3 |  Denis Bouanga
|
Los Angeles FC
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | ||||||
| 4 | Germán Berterame
|
Monterrey
|
2 | 3 | 5 | |||||||
| Brandon Vázquez
|
FC Cincinnati
|
1 | 3 | 1 | ||||||||
| 6 |  Dániel Gazdag
|
Philadelphia Union
|
1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||
 Robert Taylor
|
Inter Miami CF
|
1 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||
| 8 | Gustavo Bou
|
New England Revolution
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1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||
 Cucho Hernández
|
Columbus Crew
|
1 | 2 | |||||||||
 Josef Martínez
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Inter Miami CF
|
1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
 Fafà Picault
|
Nashville SC
|
1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| Harold Preciado
|
Santos Laguna
|
2 | 1 | |||||||||
 Sam Surridge
|
Nashville SC
|
1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
 Giacomo Vrioni
|
New England Revolution
|
3 | ||||||||||
Marketing and symbols
The official song of the tournament was "Tiki Taka Toco", sung in Spanish by California-based Mexicana group Fuerza Regida. A short instrumental version of the song is used for match broadcasts on MLS Season Pass as well as advertisements and stadium announcements.[13] The marketing for the tournament focused heavily on the arrival of Lionel Messi at Inter Miami CF, which was credited with increasing subscriptions and viewership;[14] on the day of Messi's debut for Miami, subscriptions to MLS Season Pass rose by 110,000 in the United States.[15]
Controversies
This edition received accusations of being designed to favor MLS teams. Most notably, the fact that all matches were played at MLS venues in the United States or Canada.[16][17] Some Mexican coaches and players considered the format unfair, since there was no games in Mexico. For example, Nicolás Larcamón, coach of Club León stated: "there is a benefit for the MLS teams, on their field, in their environment, in their climate. I would love to have a second game in León, It would be ideal to play in both stadiums to equilibrate the balance".[18]
The mexican (and LA FC) player Carlos Vela declared: "Obviously, for me, the fairest thing is we should also had games in Mexico, that it shouldn't be all playing in the United States, so that everyone could had a little bit of playing away, at home, and being a little more even" he also added: “Not only does (being local) benefit, the Mexican team has to be away from their home and their families for a long time and it is not fair. I believe that, if you hold a tournament, everyone must have the same possibilities, or the same advantages and disadvantages, in that aspect I think that those from the MLS have a little more advantage, (Although) in the end we know that anything can happen on the field ”.[19]
Noticeably, this was also reflected in a greater travel effort for the Mexican squads since the 18 Liga MX clubs traveled more than twice as many kilometers as all 29 in the MLS. Mexicans added an estimated 69,495 km; while combined Americans and Canadians, only 33,995. The criticism was more severe from the president of Club Monterrey, who, prior to their match against Los Angeles FC, pointed out that the Mexicans had moved more than 9,000 km, while throughout the Leagues Cup the team from the MLS had not left the Los Angeles metropolitan area.[16][20]
“It’ll be our fifth game (traveling), while LA(FC) will be home with their players eating dinner with their families every night, going to the movies, resting,” he stated.[17]
References
- ^ a b c Straus, Brian (October 6, 2022). "How MLS, Liga MX's Leagues Cup Competition Will Work". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- ^ Kaufman, Michelle (August 19, 2023). "Messi scores, Callender shines, Inter Miami wins League Cup in 11-round PK shootout". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
- ^ "Historic reimagined Leagues Cup starting in 2023". MLSsoccer.com. September 21, 2021. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Leagues Cup 2023 dates and structure announced". Major League Soccer. October 6, 2022. Archived from the original on May 14, 2023. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- ^ a b Cardenas, Felipe (October 6, 2022). "MLS, Liga MX reveal format for expanded Leagues Cup". The Athletic. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- ^ Kennedy, Paul (August 7, 2023). "Weather plays havoc on MLS summer". Soccer America. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Leagues Cup 2023 Tournament Regulations". Major League Soccer. Archived from the original on July 16, 2023. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ "Leagues Cup 2023 Details Unveiled as MLS and Liga MX Clubs Face-off in World Cup-style Tournament" (Press release). Major League Soccer. October 6, 2022. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
- ^ "2023 Leagues Cup: Matches, final, key dates". Leagues Cup. March 9, 2023. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
- ^ "2023 Leagues Cup: Matches, final, key dates". Leagues Cup. March 9, 2023. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
- ^ "Leagues Cup Tournament Regulations 2023". Major League Soccer. p. 11. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ "Leagues Cup 2023 » Top Scorer". worldfootball.net. Archived from the original on August 12, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ Mier, Tomas (July 21, 2023). "'The Mexican Genre's on Top': Fuerza Régida on Sold-Out Stadium Show and Leagues Cup Song". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 22, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ Springer, Jon (August 10, 2023). "The Messi marketing effect—how the soccer superstar is boosting MLS and Apple TV". AdAge. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ Toonkel, Jessica (September 5, 2023). "Messi Drives Jump in Apple TV+ and MLS Subscriptions". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ a b López, Eduardo (August 11, 2023). "18 equipos de la Liga MX recorrieron más del doble de distancia que 29 de la MLS en Leagues Cup". Diario AS (in Mexican Spanish). Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ a b Cardenas, Felipe. "Leagues Cup: Messi's impact, the controversies and more". The Athletic. Archived from the original on August 18, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ Demos, Editorial; Ap, De la redacción y. "La Jornada - Liga Mx se inconforma ante Leagues Cup por decisiones arbitrales". www.jornada.com.mx (in Spanish). Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ m.zavala (August 1, 2023). "Carlos Vela cree que la Leagues Cup no es justa: 'Debería haber partidos en México'". Record.com.mx (in Spanish). Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ c.chavez (August 10, 2023). "Rayados es el equipo que más kilómetros ha recorrido en la Leagues Cup". Record.com.mx (in Spanish). Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.