New England Revolution to face CA Independiente in 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One

revolutionsoccer.net

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (December 13, 2023) – The New England Revolution will face Club Atlético Independiente, the reigning domestic league champions of Panama, in Round One of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, set to begin in February. New England will open the two-leg Round One series away at CA Independiente before hosting the second leg, with the winner as determined by aggregate score advancing to the Round of 16 to face Costa Rican side Deportivo Alajuelense.

Concacaf will announce the complete Round One schedule in the coming days, including kickoff times and broadcast details. For more information, please visit Concacaf.com. Concacaf conducted the Champions Cup Round One draw tonight in a televised draw from Miami, Fla.

New England qualified for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup through its sixth-overall finish in the 2023 MLS regular season standings. This marks the Revolution’s second entrance into the competition in the last three years, having last featured in the 2022 edition of the Concacaf Champions League. The Revolution’s history in international play also features a 2008 North American SuperLiga title.

Independiente makes its second appearance in Champions Cup, its first since 2019. The Panamanian side, based in La Chorrera outside of Panama City, qualified for this year’s tournament after reaching the semifinals of the 2023 Central American Cup. Founded in 1982, Independiente is a six-time Liga Panameña champion, having won the last three straight league titles in Panama’s top flight.

The revamped 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup features 27 of the top clubs from throughout North America, Central America, and the Caribbean in a five-round knockout tournament to be played from February to June. The competition's first four rounds (Round One, Round of 16, Quarterfinals, and Semifinals), all include two-leg home-and-away series, while the Final on Sunday, June 2 will be played as a single-leg match to crown a champion, which will qualify for the expanded 32-club FIFA Club World Cup 2025^TM.

New England is one of 10 Major League Soccer sides competing in this year’s tournament along with Columbus Crew SC, FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami CF, Houston Dynamo FC, Nashville SC, Philadelphia Union, Orlando City SC, St. Louis CITY SC, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. CLICK HERE for complete details on the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup format and qualification details.

Of the 27 teams participating in the tournament, five have received a bye to the Round of 16. They are LD Alajuelense (2023 Concacaf Central American Cup champion), SV Robinhood (2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup champion), Inter Miami CF (2023 Leagues Cup champion), CF Pachuca (2022/23 Liga MX champion with the most accumulated points), and Columbus Crew (2023 MLS Cup champions).