The CONCACAF Champions League will grow its field from 16 to 27 participants beginning in 2024, the governing body announced Tuesday.
The expanded event will include a modified format. Twenty-two teams play home-and-away series in the first round, and five more teams will enter in the Round of 16 along with the 11 first-round winners.
Every round through the semifinals will be played as home-and-away series, as well. The final will be a single match to determine the continental champions.
The news came on the same day that Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga MX announced that their Leagues Cup competition will include all clubs from both leagues and be contested annually.
The Leagues Cup winner will join the MLS Cup winner, the Liga MX winner, the Central American Cup winner and the Caribbean Cup winner as the five clubs to earn byes into the Round of 16. The new format has four additional spots for MLS clubs, as well as the U.S. Open Cup winner, reserved for the first round.
“This is a hugely significant development for CONCACAF and for leagues and clubs in our region,” CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani said in a statement. “The Concacaf Champions League has consistently grown in recent years and this new format will provide a major boost to the competition. Working collaboratively with our stakeholders we have been able to create a new calendar which grows and enhances our Champions League and fully incorporates regional cup competitions.”
–Field Level Media
