2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup Draw Announced: Will Lionel Messi Add Another Trophy to His Collection?

At the end of the 2025 MLS Season, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami won the championship. This was the final season for both Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. Inter Miami dominated the MLS playoffs, defeating Cincinnati 4-0, New York City FC 5-1, and Vancouver 3-1, with Messi’s teammate Rodrigo De Paul scoring the winning goal against Vancouver. This marks Messi’s first MLS Cup, and he now targets his first CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Inter Miami’s Path in the CONCACAF Cup

This month, the draw for the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup took place. The knockout tournament will likely see Liga MX and MLS compete again, similar to the Leagues Cup. As the top leagues in North America, they often end up facing each other.

Inter Miami automatically advances to the last 16 of the tournament and is expected to meet their MLS rivals, Nashville SC, whom they defeated in this year’s playoffs. This arrangement minimizes travel for Inter Miami, making them favorites in the matchup. Nashville SC will first play Atletico Ottawa from Canada’s domestic league.

Tigres Seek CONCACAF Success

The standout team in Inter Miami’s bracket is Tigres UANL, the Liga MX finalist who lost to Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup. Tigres will first play Forge FC from Canada before potentially facing FC Cincinnati or O&M from the Dominican Republic. Key players include Messi’s Argentine teammate Angel Correa, along with Juan Brunetta and veteran goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman.

The Vancouver Whitecaps, last year’s CONCACAF Champions Cup finalists, will play Cartagines from Costa Rica before facing Seattle Sounders in the round of 16.

Inter Miami vs Club America in Possible Quarterfinals

If they progress, Inter Miami may face Club America, Mexico’s most successful club, in the quarterfinals. Club America needs to beat Honduras’ Club Olimpia and either Philadelphia Union or T&T’s Defence Force. Philadelphia Union had an impressive MLS season and shouldn’t be underestimated. A trip to Mexico City would be difficult for Inter Miami, but they would likely be favored to win the matchup against Club America.

San Diego FC and Their New Journey

San Diego FC had a strong first season, finishing first in the Western Conference before losing 3-1 to Whitecaps in the Western Conference final. They will meet Pumas UNAM in their inaugural CONCACAF Champions Cup. Pumas has had a rough time in Liga MX, giving SDFC the edge. However, they will face tough competition in the next round, with Liga MX champions Toluca also in the mix. LA Galaxy is expected to defeat Panama’s Sporting San Miguelito and Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant to reach the quarterfinals against either SDFC, Pumas, or Toluca.

Costa Rica’s Alajuelense advances automatically to the round of 16 but will likely face LAFC at that stage, assuming LAFC defeats Honduras’ Real Espana in the first round. In this section, defending champions Cruz Azul will play CPL side Vancouver FC, while Guatemala’s Xelaju and Liga MX’s Monterrey are also competitors. A matchup between Cruz Azul and Monterrey would be exciting in the round of 16, and LAFC is expected to perform well enough to advance to the quarterfinals.

2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup Projected Quarterfinals:

Toluca vs LA Galaxy
Cruz Azul vs LAFC
Inter Miami vs Club America
Tigres vs Vancouver Whitecaps

If these predictions hold, the semifinals could involve all MLS or all Liga MX teams. The upcoming CONCACAF Champions Cup looks set to bring more stars and excitement than previous seasons.