The 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup bracket revealed that some MLS clubs landed a much smoother path to the later rounds, while others are starting the tournament against serious heavyweights. It’s not an exaggeration to say the draw split the field between teams that can breathe a little early on and those already walking in with pressure on their necks. The real challenge now is figuring out how each club can turn this setup into a practical advantage. In Concacaf play, any slip turns into instant disappointment.
The group that caught a break
Among the teams that walked away happy with the draw, LA Galaxy sit at the top. They’ll have a chance to ease Riqui Puig back into rhythm, opening against Sporting San Miguelito from Panama and, if they advance, Mount Pleasant from Jamaica in the round of sixteen. Nothing is guaranteed in continental tournaments, but avoiding MLS and Liga MX opponents until the quarterfinals already changes the mood in the locker room. Galaxy and LAFC belong to the small group that dodged domestic matchups until much later.
LAFC, by the way, also start without major hurdles. They’re expected to get past Real España from Honduras and then meet Alajuelense from Costa Rica, a team that’s used to this competition and earned a first-round bye after winning the Central American Cup. It’s not an easy matchup, but it’s far from the harshest scenario in the bracket. From the quarterfinals on, though, things turn serious. The possibility of facing Cruz Azul or Monterrey in April makes it clear that the comfort window won’t last long.
Inter Miami, Nashville and the never-ending déjà vu
Inter Miami skip the first round as reigning MLS Cup champions, but that doesn’t translate into an easy ride. The draw pushed them into yet another meeting with Nashville SC, a team the Herons have faced nineteen times since 2020. The upside is that Lionel Messi thrives in this matchup. He’s played ten games against them, scored fifteen goals and recorded seven wins. If Miami follow that pattern, they’ll run into Club América or Philadelphia next, which completely shifts the difficulty level.
Vancouver and Seattle fell into a route that mixes regional rivalry with early wear and tear. Vancouver Whitecaps meet Cartaginés first and, if they advance, face Seattle Sounders right after. Only then do Tigres or FC Cincinnati come into play. It’s not the ideal setup, sure, but it’s far from the worst.
The toughest roads in the draw
FC Cincinnati, for example, should open with a win over O&M FC from the Dominican Republic, but they’ll run into Tigres in the next round, a club historically dominant in this competition and always midseason when these games arrive, which widens the physical and technical gap. Philadelphia, meanwhile, start against Defence Force from Trinidad and Tobago, a team literally formed by members of the country’s armed forces. They’re expected to win, but Club América show up right after that, and Inter Miami wait further ahead. It’s a brutal funnel for anyone.
The harshest outlook, though, belongs to San Diego FC. New to the scene, they debut against Pumas and, if they survive, meet Toluca next. In practice, they’ll face Liga MX opponents in every stage. You can’t design a tougher test for a newcomer.