In the current Leagues Cup format, eight teams advance from the initial league-style phase to the knockout rounds.

How it works (current format)

  • The tournament has 36 teams total: 18 from MLS and 18 from Liga MX in the newer format.
  • Each club plays three matches in the league phase against opponents from the other league.
  • After those games, the standings are split by league: one table for MLS clubs and one for Liga MX clubs.
  • The top four teams from each league table qualify for the knockout stage, giving 4 MLS + 4 Liga MX = 8 advancing teams.

Once those eight are set, the competition shifts into a single-elimination bracket (starting with the quarterfinals) to decide the champion.