2026 Concacaf Champions Cup: How Does It Work?

Nashville SC continued its Concacaf Champions Cup journey this week against Inter Miami, locking in their spot in the Quarterfinals following a 1-1 draw in Ft. Lauderdale.

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Here’s what you need to know about the tournament, its format and Nashville’s potential path forward. 

The format 

The Concacaf Champions Cup has undergone many format changes throughout its history. But the tournament has occupied a consistent framework since 2024, comprising 27 club teams from across North America competing in a knockout bracket from February until May. Aside from a continental trophy, the winner of the tournament also earns one of Concacaf’s four spots at the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup. 

Twenty-two teams play in the first round, with the reigning champions of the MLS Cup, Liga MX, Leagues Cup, Central American Cup and Caribbean Cup receiving byes to the Round of 16. MLS and Liga MX each hold six spots in this year’s iteration of the tournament, with the remaining 15 clubs scattered across Canada, Central America and the Caribbean.  

Each matchup up until the final is split into two legs. One game is played each team’s stadium, with the winner of each matchup decided by aggregate score across both legs. The number of goals scored away from home acts as the firsttiebreaker, followed by extra time and a penalty shootout if away goals are equal. 

The final will take place at the home venue of whichever team performed better in the previous rounds (wins, losses, draws, goal differential, etc.). 

Nashville’s path 

The Boys in Gold qualified for the Champions Cup by winning the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup last fall, slotting into the first round to play reigning Canadian Premier League champion Atlético Ottawa. Nashville dominated its two-leg series 7-0, setting up a meeting with 2025 MLS Cup champion and longtime Eastern Conference rival Inter Miami in the Round of 16.

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