2026 Concacaf Champions Cup: 5 Things You Need to Know | OneFootball

MIAMI – The 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, the 61st edition of the region’s premier club championship, kicks off on February 3 as the quest begins to crown a new winner.

Here are five things you need to know about the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup: 

What  

The 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup will take place from February through May. The tournament will crown the Confederation’s club champion. 

Additionally, the winner of the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup will qualify for the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and FIFA Club World Cup 2029.

Who  

The 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup will feature 27 of the region's top clubs. The field includes defending champions Cruz Azul, fellow Mexican powerhouse Club América, Liga MX champions Toluca, MLS Cup Champions Inter Miami CF, Leagues Cup winners Seattle Sounders FC, Concacaf Central American winners LD Alajuelense, and Concacaf Caribbean Cup Champions Mount Pleasant FA of Jamaica. 

The 2026 edition will welcome four debutants with Canadian sides Atlético Ottawa and Vancouver FC, Dominican Republic club O&M FC, and U.S. side San Diego FC. 

The complete list of qualified clubs is available HERE. 

Format  

The 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup continues to be played in a direct elimination knockout stage format and is composed of five rounds: Round One, Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Final.

Of the 27 clubs that will participate, 22 begin play in Round One. Five clubs receive a bye to the Round of 16: the champions of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, Concacaf Central American Cup, Leagues Cup, MLS Cup and the Liga MX champion with the higher place in the overall standings.

The first four stages each include home and away play, while the Final is played as a single-leg match. 

Dates 

The Round One matches will be played throughout the course of February in a home and away format. The aggregate score winner in each matchup will advance to the Round of 16, joining the five clubs that were pre-seeded into the round. 

The Round of 16 will be played in March, followed by the Quarterfinals in April, the Semifinals across April and May, and the Final on Saturday, May 30.

2026 Concacaf Champions Cup WindowsRound One Week 1: February 3–5Round One Week 2: February 10–12Round One Week 3: February 17–19Round One Week 4: February 24–26Round of 16 First Legs: March 10–12Round of 16 Second Legs: March 17–19Quarterfinals First Legs: April 7–9Quarterfinals Second Legs: April 14–16Semifinals First Legs: April 28–30Semifinals Second Legs: May 5–7Final: Saturday, May 30 

History  

Starting with the 2024 edition, the Concacaf Champions Cup replaced the Champions League as the top men’s continental tournament, which crowns the region's club champion and is the only route to qualify for the quadrennial FIFA Club World Cup and the annual FIFA Intercontinental Cup. 

The name “Concacaf Champions Cup” is part of a vibrant and modern visual identity, inspired by this tournament’s rich history. The brand essence is "Epic Battles for Greatness", which symbolizes how difficult this competition is to qualify for, to compete in, and to win.   

Since 1962, when the first iteration of this tournament was formed, 30 different clubs have won this title, highlighting the tournament's competitiveness and the great diversity of champions the Confederation has. 

Cruz Azul of Mexico is the defending champion, having secured its record-tying seventh title in 2025 with a dominant 5–0 victory over Canada’s Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the Final.  

Champions