Campeones Cup: What to know for Inter Miami vs. Cruz Azul | OneFootball

By Jaime Uribarri

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF host Cruz Azul on Wednesday night for the 2026 Michelob ULTRA Campeones Cup.

Here's everything to know about the annual cross-border competition between the best of MLS and LIGA MX (8 pm ET | Apple TV).

WHAT IS CAMPEONES CUP?

Campeones Cup began in 2018, pitting the previous MLS Cup presented by Audi champion against LIGA MX's reigning Campeón de Campeones winner. 

A trophy and bragging rights are up for grabs, further raising the stakes of the MLS-LIGA MX rivalry that has flourished in Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup, as well as five of the past six MLS All-Star Games.

LIGA MX hold a slight advantage over MLS, clinching four of the seven previous Campeones Cups. Mexican titans Tigres UANL are the only two-time winners, while New York City FC were the last MLS side to lift the trophy (2022).

Campeones Cup wasn't held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

HOW TO WATCH

How to watch & stream

When

Where

Inter Miami CF

How Miami got here

Miami won MLS Cup 2025 last December, earning a 3-1 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC to claim their first league title. 

That marked the club's third trophy since Messi's transformational July 2023 arrival, along with Leagues Cup 2023 and the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield.

2026 season

Miami are second in the Eastern Conference (45 points; 12W-4L-9D record) and look poised to clinch home-field advantage in the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs. They're aiming to win back-to-back league titles for the first time since the LA Galaxy in 2011-12. 

The Herons opened Nu Stadium, their state-of-the-art, 26,700-seat soccer-specific venue, in April. However, they've yet to convert their new home ground into a fortress, going 4W-2L-6D so far in MLS action.

Key players

Cruz Azul

How Cruz Azul got here

Cruz Azul followed up their LIGA MX Clausura 2026-winning campaign by topping Toluca, 3-1, in the Campeón de Campeones.

La Máquina boast 10 league titles and four Campeón de Campeones. They've also won a joint-record seven Concacaf Champions Cups, most recently in 2025.

2026 season

Cruz Azul are fourth in the LIGA MX Apertura standings with 15 points through eight games. They trail first-place Chivas de Guadalajara by two points. 

Joel Huiqui's side participated in Leagues Cup 2026 over the summer, earning two wins in three Phase One matches. However, they failed to reach the tournament knockout stages due to goal difference. 

Key players