2025 Concacaf Champions Cup qualification explained

90min

·29 July 2024

2025 Concacaf Champions Cup qualification explained

Even though Liga MX's CF Pachuca just won the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup in June, clubs can already qualify for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.

The Concacaf Champions Cup is an action-packed competition featuring the best teams in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Clubs that would not typically play one another get the opportunity to meet and battle in the Confederation's annual tournament to see who will be crowned the top Concacaf team.

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Just two months ago, the reigning MLS Cup champions, Columbus Crew, fell to Liga MX's CF Pachuca in the Concacaf Champions Cup final. Now, the qualification process for the 60th edition of the tournament can begin.

Salomon Rodon celebrates Pachuca's 2024 Champions Cup victory. / Eyepix Group/GettyImages

2025 Concacaf Champions Cup qualification explained

Qualifying for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup will likely follow the same format as the 2024 edition of the tournament. In total, 27 Concacaf teams will get the opportunity to compete in the 60th Concacaf Champions Cup.

Liga MX

Club America already qualified from the tournament after winning Liga MX's Apertura tournament. / Kevork Djansezian/GettyImages

Of the 27 participating clubs, six will be from Liga MX. Both the 2023 Apertura and 2024 Clausura champions and runners-up automatically qualify for the tournament. So far, that means Club America and Tigres UANL have qualified for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.

The final two Mexican clubs that will qualify for the tournament are the two sides with the most points between 2023 Apertura and 2024 Clausura.

MLS

Columbus Crew will look to avenge their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup final loss next year. / Maddie Meyer/GettyImages

Five clubs from Major League Soccer will get their chance to become one of the few MLS teams to ever win the Concacaf Champions Cup. The winners of the 2024 MLS Cup will secure their spot in the competition, joining the regular season Eastern Conference and Western Conference champions.

Then, the next two teams with the most points in the regular season will punch their tickets to the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.

Canadian Premier League

Reigning Canadian Premier League champions, Forge FC, were knocked out in Round One of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup. / ULISES RUIZ/GettyImages

Just two clubs from the Canadian Premier League will qualify for the 60th edition of the Concacaf Champions Cup. Both the 2024 CPL Champions and the 2024 CPL shield winner will compete in the upcoming tournament.

Domestic Cups

Houston Dynamo won the 2023 U.S. Open Cup. / Roy K Miller/ISI Photos/USSF/GettyImages

Canadian Championship: The winner of the Canadian Championship will earn a spot in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.
U.S. Open Cup: The 2024 U.S. Open Cup champion will also get to compete in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.

Regional Cups

Inter Miami are the reigning Leagues Cup champions. / Tim Nwachukwu/GettyImages

Leagues Cup: The winners of Leagues Cup 2024, as well as the second and third place clubs, automatically qualify for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Caribbean Cup: The top three teams in the Caribbean Cup, including the winners and the second-place and third-place finishers, will compete among the 24 other Concacaf sides.
Central American Cup: Not only will the four Central American Cup semifinalists earn a place in the tournament, but two of the quarter-final losers will also qualify if they win a play-in match.