THE BASICS
New England Revolution at Club Atlético Independiente
Concacaf Champions Cup Round One | Leg 1
Wednesday, February 21 | 8 p.m. ET
Estadio Universitario FC | Llano Marin, Coclé, Panama
Predicted Weather: Partly cloudy | High 89 | Low 73
2024 CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP
The Concacaf Champions Cup 59th edition (previously known as the Concacaf Champions League) is the premier club soccer competition in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Contested by 27 of the top clubs in Concacaf, the tournament's final will be held on June 2, with the winner collecting a spot in the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, prize money, and regional bragging rights as the best club team in Concacaf.
A total of nine MLS teams remain in the 2024 edition of the competition: New England Revolution, FC Cincinnati, Houston Dynamo FC, Nashville SC, Orlando City SC, Philadelphia Union, St. Louis CITY SC, Columbus Crew, and Inter Miami CF.
Columbus (as MLS Cup winners) and Miami (as Leagues Cup winners) will enter the competition in the Round of 16, while the other seven MLS clubs participate in Round One. Vancouver Whitecaps FC also participated in Round One, but the Canadian side has been eliminated 4-1 on aggregate by Mexican powerhouse Tigres UANL.
The winner of the Round One encounter between the Revs and CAI, determined by aggregate score over two legs, will advance to the Round of 16 for a meeting with Costa Rican side Deportivo Alajuelense. The Revs will host CAI in Leg 2 of the series on Thursday, February 29, at 8:15 p.m. ET.
2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Dates by Round
Round One: February 6-8 (Week 1), 13-15 (Week 2), 20-22 (Week 3) and 27-29 (Week 4)
Round of 16: March 5-7 (Leg 1) and 12-14 (Leg 2)
Quarterfinals: April 2-4 (Leg 1) and 9-11 (Leg 2)
Semifinals: April 23-25 (Leg 1) and April 30 - May 2 (Leg 2)
Final: June 2 (Single Leg)
HISTORY IN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
While this will be the Revolution's first-ever meeting with CA Independiente - and their initial encounter with any Panamanian side - it will not be their first foray into international competition or the Concacaf Champions Cup. The Revs, who qualified for this year's tournament via their sixth overall finish in the 2023 MLS regular season table, last featured in the competition just two years ago in 2022, falling in a penalty shootout following a 3-3 aggregate draw with Pumas UNAM in the quarterfinals.
New England also boasts a title on the international stage, having defeated a trio of Mexican sides en route to the North American SuperLiga crown in 2008. They also advanced to the final of that same competition in 2010, vanquishing another three Mexican sides along the way.
Independiente, meanwhile, makes its second appearance in Concacaf Champions Cup and its first since 2019. Based in La Chorrera, CAI qualified for this year's competition by reaching the semifinals of the 2023 Central American Cup. Six-time Liga Panameña champions, they've won three straight titles and are 2-1-2 (8 pts.) in the current campaign.
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SHOW YOUR COLORS
Wednesday night the Revs will wear their "Defiance" kit, which will serve as the team's community uniform once again for the 2024 MLS season.
The "Defiance" kit features a white jersey and red shorts, with red socks and red trim along the shoulder and sleeves. The shirt's design is punctuated by a bold red "strikethrough" across the chest that embodies New England's famous spirit of positive defiance. Revolution is the ultimate act of defiance, and the club's new kit honors that resilient spirit that sparked the American Revolution, laid the foundation for our country, and has resonated throughout the New England region for centuries.
You can purchase the "Defiance" kit HERE.
