Group Stage Announced
Atlanta United has been drawn into group East 7 along with D.C. United and Santos Laguna. Both matches will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Leagues Cup: Key information to know
- World Cup-style tournament held from July 26 to August 25
- All 47 combined MLS and LIGA MX teams compete, pausing their respective league seasons
- 77 matches played across the US and Canada (hosted at MLS stadiums)
- Leagues Cup champion, as well as the second and third-place finishers, qualify for the Concacaf Champions Cup
- Every team will play two Group Stage matches
- Top two teams from each group, as determined by points, reach the single-elimination Knockout Stage
- No matches in the Leagues Cup Group Stage will end in a tie (decided by penalty shootout)
- Regulation win earns 3 points; PK shootout win earns 2 points; PK shootout loss earns 1 point
Should Atlanta United reach the Round of 32 of Leagues Cup and host the match, we will play at Bobby Dodd Stadium, where we played our first matches before the construction of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Watch Leagues Cup on MLS Season Pass
As part of Major League Soccer’s 10-year partnership with Apple, all Leagues Cup matches will be presented live to fans around the world, except Mexico, on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Leagues Cup ranking system
Moving forward, the tournament utilizes:
- A tiered Leagues Cup ranking system.
- Hubs for the highest-ranked LIGA MX clubs.
The Leagues Cup ranking is decided by combined MLS and LIGA MX club performance based on points in the last 34 regular-season matches. MLS teams are ranked based on the 2023 MLS Supporters’ Shield standings, while LIGA MX clubs are ranked based on the cumulative 34 matches in the 2023 Clausura and Apertura tournaments.
How groups were determined
Tiers: All participating clubs (except the two Leagues’ champions) are divided into three tiers based on the Leagues Cup ranking – 1-15, 16-30, 31-45. They form 15 groups of three clubs each, one club from each tier, prioritizing geographical and competitive balance among the 45 clubs.
Regions: For 2024, Leagues Cup will be played in two regions – East and West – with seven groups in the East and eight groups in the West, regionalizing travel for all participating clubs. Atlanta United is in the East region and group no. 7.
Hubs: The LIGA MX champion and the three top-ranked LIGA MX clubs are granted hub privileges – minimizing LIGA MX club travel and rewarding them with pre-determined venues as the home team (based on their Leagues Cup ranking). The following LIGA MX clubs will have hosting privileges through the…
- Semifinals: Club América (League champion with a bye)
- Round of 16: CF Monterrey (No. 1 rank)
- Round of 32: Chivas de Guadalajara (No. 4 rank)
- Group Stage: Tigres UANL (No. 6 rank)
LIGA MX clubs with hub privileges will play at venues to be announced alongside the Leagues Cup 2024 schedule and bracket at a later date.
Leagues Cup is for Everyone!
We are committed to ensuring all fans have an enjoyable and safe experience at our Leagues Cup games. We believe that soccer is a game for everyone and should be enjoyed without any offensive behavior. That’s why we’re calling on all our players and fans to join us in eradicating all discriminatory chants. All patrons must comply with the fan code of conduct, including the prohibition on the use of offensive language. Failure to do so could result in ejection of fans, and pausing, suspending, or ending the match, in which case fans will not receive refunds.