Concacaf Champions League · History

The Concacaf Champions Cup is the top club competition of Concacaf, the confederation that governs football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Concacaf has organised it since 1962. It began as the Champions’ Cup, was rebranded as the Concacaf Champions League for the 2008–09 edition and returned to the Champions Cup name in 2024, when it expanded to 27 clubs. The winner qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

Origins and the Champions’ Cup era (1962–2008)

The first edition, in 1962, was won by Guadalajara, who beat Guatemala’s Comunicaciones in the final. For more than three decades the tournament was played in regional zones on an irregular calendar: no champion is recorded for 1964, 1965, 1966 or 2001. In 1978 the final round was not played and the three zone winners, Leones Negros of Mexico, Comunicaciones and Defence Force of Trinidad and Tobago, were declared joint champions. Titles in that period were spread across the region: Racing Haïtien in 1963, Alianza of El Salvador in 1967, Honduras’ Olimpia in 1972 and 1988, Transvaal of Suriname in 1973 and 1981, and Costa Rica’s Saprissa in 1993 and 1995. From 1993 to 1996 the final round was staged at a single venue; in 1997 an eight-team knockout format was adopted, with two-legged ties from 2002. Major League Soccer clubs won their first titles in those years: D.C. United in 1998 and LA Galaxy in 2000.

The Champions League years (2008–2023)

The 2008–09 edition introduced the Champions League name and a 24-team format with a preliminary round, a group stage and knockout rounds. Atlante won the first edition by beating Cruz Azul, and Pachuca beat Cruz Azul again in the 2009–10 final. The preliminary round was dropped in 2012–13 in favour of eight groups of three, and in 2018 the group stage was scrapped for a 16-team knockout bracket. Mexican clubs won every edition from 2006 to 2021. Monterrey won three in a row from 2011 to 2013 and two more in 2019 and 2021, the latter after beating América in the final. Guadalajara beat Toronto FC 4–2 on penalties in 2018 after a 3–3 aggregate draw, and Tigres beat LAFC 2–1 in a one-off final in Orlando in 2020.

Seattle’s breakthrough and the return of the Champions Cup

In 2022 the Seattle Sounders became the first MLS club to win the competition in its Champions League format. After a 2–2 draw in Mexico City, they beat Pumas UNAM 3–0 at Lumen Field in front of 68,741 spectators, an attendance record for the tournament, to take the final 5–2 on aggregate. León brought the title back to Mexico in 2023, beating LAFC 2–1 at home and 1–0 in Los Angeles for their first continental crown. On 6 June 2023 Concacaf announced the return of the Champions Cup name. The new format, first used in 2024, features 27 clubs over five rounds: 22 enter in Round One and five receive byes to the round of 16, with two-legged ties through the semi-finals and a single-match final.

Finals since 2024

Pachuca won the first final of the new era on 1 June 2024, beating Columbus Crew 3–0 at Estadio Hidalgo; Salomón Rondón scored twice and finished as the tournament’s top scorer. On 1 June 2025, Cruz Azul beat Vancouver Whitecaps 5–0 at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City for their seventh title. The 2026 final was an all-Mexican meeting between Toluca and Tigres at Estadio Nemesio Díez on 30 May. It ended 1–1 after extra time and Toluca won the shootout 6–5, with goalkeeper Luis García saving two penalties. It was the club’s third title, after 1968 and 2003.

Roll of honour and titles by country

América and Cruz Azul share the record with seven titles each. América won in 1977, 1987, 1990, 1992, 2006, 2015 and 2016; Cruz Azul in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1996, 1997, 2014 and 2025. Pachuca have six (2002, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2017 and 2024) and Monterrey five. Saprissa, Toluca and Pumas UNAM have three apiece, Pumas’ coming in 1980, 1982 and 1989. By country, Mexico leads with 41 titles, including the shared 1978 crown. Costa Rica follows with six (Saprissa three, Alajuelense two and Cartaginés one), the United States with three (D.C. United in 1998, LA Galaxy in 2000 and Seattle in 2022) and El Salvador, also with three: Alianza in 1967, Águila in 1976 and FAS in 1979.