With two-thirds of the Major League Soccer schedule behind them, the New England Revolution will be taking the next month to step away from regular season play and turn their attention to Leagues Cup 2024, officially the fourth edition of the continental competition that pits MLS and Liga MX clubs against each other for regional bragging rights and a chance at spots in the Concacaf Champions Cup. Featuring all 47 first division clubs from across the three countries represented by both domestic leagues, the Revs will face off against Eastern Conference compatriots Nashville SC as well as Liga MX side Mazatlán FC in the group stage.
The Leagues Cup group stage will feature a total of 15 groups – seven in the East, eight in the West – comprised of three teams each, with each club playing the others in their group once and the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout round. Teams will earn three points for a victory and none for a loss, while any games tied at full time will be sent straight to a penalty shootout, with the winning team walking away with two points and the losers with one. The Columbus Crew and Club América have both been given byes directly to the Round of 32, for winning the 2023 MLS Cup and amassing the highest aggregate 2023 Liga MX points total, respectively.
The national teams of the United States and Mexico have been heated rivals for almost a century, with this past March’s Concacaf Nations League Final triumph over El Tri marking another high point for the Stars and Stripes. In Leagues Cup, fans from up and down North America can bring their passion for their national team to the club stage, cheering on their local club and their entire country all at once and hoping to see their colors painted into the history books of North American soccer.
Being only the second edition of the competition to feature all 47 MLS and Liga MX clubs, the 2024 Leagues Cup will also be New England’s second time joining the fray. They can expect to face stiff competition from Nashville, who fell to Inter Miami CF in a thrilling penalty shootout in the 2023 Leagues Cup final, while Mazatlán’s rocky start to their 2024 Apertura campaign could make them hungry and unpredictable on Saturday.
Last year, the Revolution advanced to the knockout stage out of their East group along with the New York Red Bulls, and narrowly overcame Mexican side Atlas in the Round of 32 after a penalty shootout. The Revs fell by the same method in the Round of 16, though, losing to dark horses Querétaro after playing out a 1-1 draw.
The Revs will kick off their Leagues Cup campaign this Saturday, July 27, at home against Mazatlán, and will also play hosts to Nashville 10 days later on Tuesday, August 6. Regardless of the outcome of their Leagues Cup run, MLS play will resume for New England on August 24, when the Revs travel north to face CF Montréal and begin their push to finish the regular season as strong as possible.
