Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Liga MX’s bid to end MLS dominance: Five storylines that will define the 2026 Leagues Cup

The Leagues Cup has returned. And this time, it looks pretty good.

MLS and Liga MX toyed with the format for a few years, but now they seem to have settled on something quite compelling. There are 36 teams, 18 from each league, split into Eastern and Western regions. Each club will play three Phase One matches against teams from the opposite league, guaranteeing MLS vs. Liga MX clashes throughout the opening round.

For the first time, the tournament is also heading south of the border, with four matches set to be played in Mexico.

The top four clubs from each league’s overall table advance to the quarterfinals, which will once again feature exclusively MLS vs. Liga MX matchups. From there, it’s standard single-elimination stuff. This is more refined, quicker, and probably a bit more fun, too.

Of course, all of the big names are here. The World Cup break is over, and some of the hangover has worn off, too. Lionel Messi will be playing football for Inter Miami. Robert Lewandowski will be out there for the Chicago Fire. And Liga MX brings its own collection of stars, including Erik Lira, Salomón Rondón and Gilberto Mora.

Piece it all together, and this should be a highly watchable product with plenty of bite. GOAL takes a look at some of the biggest storylines heading into the 2026 Leagues Cup...

Well, it starts and ends with Inter Miami.

As long as Lionel Messi is on the pitch, Miami will always be the team favored to win any given matchup. However, there are some complications, chief among them the ban handed to Luis Suarez for his antics after last year's final, which will see him miss six matches. He has five goal contributions for Miami since the World Cup, and will be a big miss.

Elsewhere from MLS, LAFC will be in the mix. They have been on fire of late. On the Liga MX side, Cruz Azul are reigning champs, while Club America will certainly be there or thereabouts.

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