2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup explained

Tourney Name:CONCACAF Champions Cup
Year:2024
Size:275px
Dates:6 February – 1 June
Num Teams:27
Associations:10
Champion Other: Pachuca
Count:6
Second Other: Columbus Crew
Matches:51
Goals:161
Top Scorer: Salomón Rondón
(9 goals)
Player: Salomón Rondón
Fair Play: Columbus Crew
Prevseason:2023 (Champions League)
Nextseason:2025

The 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup was the 59th season of the North, Central America, and the Caribbean's premier club football tournament organized by CONCACAF, and the first since it was rebranded as the CONCACAF Champions Cup. This was the first season under a new format featuring 27 teams and a five-round knockout phase.

As winners of the final, Pachuca qualified for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States alongside the 2021 winners Monterrey, the 2022 winners Seattle Sounders FC, and the 2023 winners León.[1] [2] The winner also qualified for the 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup to be held in December.[3]

Qualification

Twenty-seven teams qualified for the tournament, with five of them earning direct qualification to the round of 16. The remaining twenty-two teams entered in round one.

In addition to national league competitions in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, 12 of 27 berths were determined by international competitions, including the revamped North American zonal competition, the 2023 Leagues Cup (three), and the existing regional or zonal championships in the Caribbean and Central America, the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup (three) and CONCACAF Central American Cup (six), respectively.[4]

Unlike in previous years, the three MLS teams based in Canada were eligible to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup through slots allocated to MLS (five), in addition to the slot for the Canadian Championship winners, while two Canadian Premier League teams qualified automatically for the first time. The United States-only 2023 U.S. Open Cup knockout competition and the Canada-only equivalent, the 2023 Canadian Championship, provided one berth each.

The winners of the three zonal championships, along with the winner of MLS Cup 2023 and the highest-scored champion from the 2022–23 Liga MX season, received the five byes into the round of 16.[5] [6]

Distribution

A total of 27 teams (from 10 associations) qualified for the tournament.

Five teams received a bye into the round of 16.

The remaining 22 teams entered in round one.

Teams

The following table includes the number of appearances, last appearance, and previous best from the CONCACAF Champions Cup tournament.

Teams entering in Round of 16 (5)
width=15%Competitionwidth=15%Teamwidth=48%Qualifying methodwidth=8%width=14%Previous best
Caribbean Cup Robinhood2023 Caribbean Cup champions14th Runners-up
Central American Cup Alajuelense2023 Central American Cup champions27th Champions
Leagues Cup Inter Miami CF2023 Leagues Cup champions1stDebut
Liga MX Pachuca2022–23 Liga MX Apertura or Clausura champions with higher aggregate table points10th Champions
Major League Soccer Columbus CrewMLS Cup 2023 champions5th Quarter-finals
Teams entering in Round one (22)
width=15%Competitionwidth=15%Teamwidth=48%Qualifying methodwidth=8%width=14%Previous best
Canadian Championship
Vancouver Whitecaps FC2023 Canadian Championship champions4th Semi-finals
Canadian Premier League
Forge FC2023 Canadian Premier League champions2nd Round of 16
Cavalry FC2023 Canadian Premier League CPL Shield winners1stDebut
Caribbean Cup
Cavalier2023 Caribbean Cup runners-up1stDebut
Moca2023 Caribbean Cup third place1stDebut
Central American Cup
Real Estelí2023 Central American Cup runners-up12th Round of 16
Independiente2023 Central American Cup semi-finalists2nd Quarter-finals
Herediano16th Semi-finals
Comunicaciones2023 Central American Cup play-in winners28th Champions
Saprissa37th Champions
Leagues Cup
Nashville SC2023 Leagues Cup runners-up1stDebut
Philadelphia Union2023 Leagues Cup third place3rd Semi-finals
Liga MX
UANL2022–23 Liga MX Apertura or Clausura champions with lower aggregate table points11th Champions
Toluca2022–23 Liga MX Apertura runners-up13th Champions
Guadalajara2022–23 Liga MX Clausura runners-up9th Champions
MonterreyNext two best clubs in 2022–23 Liga MX aggregate table12th Champions
América15th Champions
Major League Soccer
FC Cincinnati2023 Major League Soccer Supporters' Shield winners1stDebut
St. Louis City SC2023 Major League Soccer Western Conference regular season winners1stDebut
Orlando City SCNext two best clubs in the 2023 Supporters' Shield standings2nd Round of 16
New England Revolution5th Quarter-finals
U.S. Open Cup
Houston Dynamo FC2023 U.S. Open Cup champions8th Semi-finals

Draw

The draw for the tournament was held on 13 December 2023. Teams were seeded based on their CONCACAF club ranking as of 11 December 2023. This ranking formula replaced the CONCACAF club index which was used in past editions.[7] Eight teams – the five receiving byes and the top-three ranked teams entering in the first round – were directly assigned positions in the bracket based on their club ranking. The remaining nineteen teams were divided into two pots and then randomly drawn into positions.[8]

Entering in the round of 16

SeedTeam
1 Pachuca1207
2 Columbus Crew1203
3 Inter Miami CF1182
41145
5 Robinhood1040

Entering in round one

Seeded teams
SeedTeam
1 América1254
2 Monterrey1243
3 UANL1235
Pot 1
Team
Philadelphia Union1214
Toluca1212
Guadalajara1205
Orlando City SC1200
Nashville SC1191
FC Cincinnati1189
New England Revolution1179
Houston Dynamo FC1178
Pot 2
Team
Vancouver Whitecaps FC1170
Saprissa1150
St. Louis City SC1144
Herediano1129
Comunicaciones1122
Independiente1117
Cavalry FC1115
Forge FC1111
Real Estelí1071
Moca1029
Cavalier1028

Schedule

The schedule of the competition was as follows.

RoundFirst legSecond leg
Round one6–8 and 20–22 February 13–15 and 27–29 February
Round of 165–7 March12–14 March
Quarter-finals2–3 April 9–10 April
Semi-finals23–24 April30 April – 1 May
Final1 June at Estadio Hidalgo, Pachuca
Times are EST or EDT, as listed by CONCACAF (local times, if different, are in parentheses).

Bracket

Round one

Summary

The first legs were played on 6 and 7 February and 20, 21 and 22 February, and the second legs were played on 13, 14 and 15 February and 27, 28 and 29 February 2024.

Matches

Philadelphia Union won 6–5 on aggregate.----4–4 on aggregate. Herediano won on away goals.----América won 3–2 on aggregate.----Guadalajara won 5–2 on aggregate.----New England Revolution won 4–0 on aggregate.----2–2 on aggregate. Houston Dynamo FC won on away goals.----UANL won 4–1 on aggregate.----Orlando City SC won 6–1 on aggregate.----Monterrey won 7–1 on aggregate.----FC Cincinnati won 6–0 on aggregate.----Nashville SC won 7–0 on aggregate.

Round of 16

Summary

The first legs were played on 5, 6, and 7 March, and the second legs were played on 12, 13, and 14 March 2024.

Matches

Pachuca won 6–0 on aggregate.----Herediano won 3–1 on aggregate.----América won 5–3 on aggregate.----New England Revolution won 5–1 on aggregate.----Columbus Crew won 2–1 on aggregate.----UANL won 4–2 on aggregate.----Monterrey won 3–1 on aggregate.----Inter Miami CF won 5–3 on aggregate.

Quarter-finals

In the quarter-finals, the matchups were determined as follows:

  • QF1: Winner R16-1 vs. Winner R16-2
  • QF2: Winner R16-3 vs. Winner R16-4
  • QF3: Winner R16-5 vs. Winner R16-6
  • QF4: Winner R16-7 vs. Winner R16-8

The quarter-finalists in each tie which had the better performance in previous rounds (excluding round one) hosted the second leg.

Summary

The first legs were played on 2 and 3 April, and the second legs were played on 9 and 10 April 2024.

Notes

Matches

Pachuca won 7–1 on aggregate.----América won 9–2 on aggregate.----2–2 on aggregate. Columbus Crew won 4–3 on penalties.----Monterrey won 5–2 on aggregate.

Semi-finals

In the semi-finals, the matchups were determined as follows:

  • SF1: Winner QF1 vs. Winner QF2
  • SF2: Winner QF3 vs. Winner QF4

The semi-finalists in each tie which had the better performance in previous rounds (excluding round one) hosted the second leg.

Summary

The first legs were played on 23 and 24 April, and the second legs were played on 30 April and 1 May 2024.

Matches

Pachuca won 3–2 on aggregate.----Columbus Crew won 5–2 on aggregate.

Final

See main article: 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup final.

The final was played on 1 June at Estadio Hidalgo. Pachuca hosted as they had an overall better performance in the competition (excluding the first round).[9]

Statistics

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerTeamGoals[10] By round
  
1 Salomón Rondón Pachuca93 3 1 2
2 Alejandro Zendejas América51 1 1 1 1
3 Julián Carranza Philadelphia Union43 1
Tomás Chancalay New England Revolution1 1 2
André-Pierre Gignac UANL1 1 1 1
Henry Martín América1 1 1 1
Brandon Vázquez Monterrey1 1 1 1
8 Cade Cowell Guadalajara32 1
Julián Quiñones América1 1 1
Diego Rossi Columbus Crew1 1 1
Jacob Shaffelburg Nashville SC1 2
Facundo Torres Orlando City SC2 1
Giacomo Vrioni New England Revolution1 2

Awards

[11] !Award!Player!Club
Golden Ball Salomón Rondón Pachuca
Golden Boot Salomón Rondón Pachuca
Best Young Player Miguel Rodríguez Pachuca
Golden Glove Columbus Crew
Fair Play Award Columbus Crew
Best XI[12] !Position!Player!Club
Patrick Schulte Columbus Crew
align=center rowspan=3 Igor Lichnovsky América
Yevhen Cheberko Columbus Crew
Bryan Gonzalez Pachuca
align=center rowspan=4 Nelson Deossa Pachuca
Miguel Rodríguez Pachuca
Diego Valdes América
Diego Rossi Columbus Crew
align=center rowspan=3 Alejandro Zendejas América
Salomón Rondón Pachuca
Oussama Idrissi Pachuca

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Evans . Jayda . 14 March 2023 . Sounders qualify for 2025 men's Club World Cup . . 31 July 2023.
  2. News: Mather . Victor . 23 June 2023 . U.S. Will Host Club World Cup in 2025 . . 31 July 2023.
  3. 17 December 2023 . FIFA Council confirms key details for FIFA Club World Cup 2025 . . 17 December 2023.
  4. News: 21 September 2021 . Concacaf announces expanded Champions League starting in 2024 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210921204246/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/concacaf-announces-expanded-champions-league-starting-in-2024 . 21 September 2021 . Major League Soccer . 21 September 2021.
  5. News: 1 June 2022 . How clubs can qualify for the expanded 2024 Concacaf Champions League . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220602150301/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/how-clubs-can-qualify-for-the-expanded-2024-concacaf-champions-league . 2 June 2022 . Major League Soccer . 8 February 2023.
  6. News: 1 June 2022 . Concacaf announces qualification criteria for Confederation's expanded Champions League starting in 2024 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220601153122/https://www.concacaf.com/en/champions-league/news/concacaf-announces-qualification-criteria-for-confederation-s-expanded-champions-league-starting-in-2024/ . 1 June 2022 . CONCACAF . 8 February 2023.
  7. Web site: Q&A: Club Index for 2018 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League Draw. CONCACAF. 29 November 2017. 13 December 2020. 2 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181002180539/https://www.concacafchampionsleague.com/en/article/q-a-club-index-for-2018-scotiabank-concacaf-champions-league-draw. dead.
  8. News: Concacaf confirms important details for 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup . CONCACAF . 24 October 2023 . 24 October 2023.
  9. News: 7 March 2021 . Concacaf Champions League to expand with innovative new format starting 2023/24 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210429161320/https://www.concacaf.com/champions-league/news/concacaf-champions-league-to-expand-with-innovative-new-format-starting-2023-24/ . 29 April 2021 . 22 January 2023 . CONCACAF.
  10. Web site: Stats. 7 February 2024. CONCACAF. 7 February 2024 .
  11. News: 1 June 2024 . Rondon, Rodriguez, Schulte earn 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup honors . 5 June 2024 . CONCACAF.
  12. News: 4 June 2024 . Rondon, Idrissi lead Concacaf Champions Cup Best XI . 5 June 2024 . CONCACAF.