The Concacaf Champions Cup 2025 will go all the way to determine who the best club is in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. In addition, there is a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup and another one in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, adding to the importance of the competition. With the usual clubs in, but some surprise inclusions too, the competition promises to continue the balance it has always known since 1962.
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The road to glory
It is still a straight knockout stage with home-and-away matches until the single-match final.
A total of 27 clubs take part in the competition, 22 starting in the First Round, while five directly qualify for the Round of 16. Qualification is via regional tournaments and national leagues:
- Leagues Cup (North America)
- Concacaf Central American Cup
- Concacaf Caribbean Cup
- National leagues from Mexico, the U.S., and Canada
Who are the favorites?
Powerhouses and surprises alike, the 2025 edition promises an absolutely wild scenario. Mexican clubs have always been historically dominant in the competition, with the likes of Club América, Tigres UANL, Cruz Azul, Pachuca, and Monterrey leading the charge. América is the most successful club in tournament history, having claimed seven titles. Fresh from back-to-back Liga MX titles, they have already secured a direct spot in the Round of 16.
The United States has also sealed itself as a regional powerhouse. The Seattle Sounders, 2022 champions, are back, along with LAFC, Columbus Crew, and Inter Miami. Lionel Messi's team returns to the tournament in search of its first continental title.
Among the Central American and Caribbean clubs, the names Deportivo Saprissa, Alajuelense, and Motagua come as the ones that will give a fight to the favorites.
Why Is the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup more important?
Given that it is the best club competition in the region, this edition has even more importance. The winner will lift the trophy and create history, while also earning a spot in two global tournaments:
- 2029 FIFA Club World Cup: The Concacaf Champions Cup winner will join three future champions (2026, 2027, and 2028) to represent the region in the biggest Club World Cup ever, featuring 32 teams.
- 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup: The continental title also guarantees a place in this competition, which will pit the champions of all six FIFA confederations against each other, pitting the Concacaf winner against the best clubs in the world.
The giants and the battle for the throne
If history is anything to go by, winning the Concacaf Champions Cup is never easy: from the first champions, such as Chivas in 1962 and Transvaal in 1973, to the dominance of the Mexican teams and the Caribbean surprises, the trophy has always been in great dispute.
Monterrey is one of the easiest modern success stories, for their five titles since 2011 are harbored in a country with fevered rivals and teams who want to solidify their dominance like Tigres and America, and those trying to break the Mexico supremacy such as Seattle Sounders, LAFC, and Inter Miami.