The Concacaf Champions Cup is the premier soccer competition in North, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Last year, Mexican side Pachuca claimed the title, defeating Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew in the final to secure continental bragging rights and further reinforce Liga MX’s status as North America's dominant league.
This year's tournament has now reached the round of 16, with teams from MLS, Liga MX, Costa Rica's Liga FPD, and the Jamaica Premier League all still in the hunt for glory.
Ahead of the round of 16 fixtures, which will take place between Mar. 4 and Mar. 13, here’s everything you need to know about the tournament—including how the bracket works, the remaining teams, the full schedule, and how to watch.
2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup Format & Structure
The Concacaf Champions Cup has been a straight knockout tournament since the group stage was removed in 2018.
This year, the competition began with 27 teams from across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Cuba. Of those, 22 entered in the first round, while the remaining five received a bye to the round of 16.
Teams earned a place in the tournament based on their performance in their country's top soccer league or one of the continent’s various domestic competitions, such as the Leagues Cup, Central American Cup, and Caribbean Cup.
From round one through to the final, each tie is played over two legs, with teams competing both home and away. The aggregate winner advances. In the event of a tie, the team with the most away goals progresses. If away goals are also equal, the match is decided by a penalty shootout.
Which Clubs Are Left in the 2025 Champions Cup?
Still in contention from MLS are Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami, Los Angeles FC, LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, and Vancouver Whitecaps.
Liga MX is represented by Club América, Cruz Azul, C.D. Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tigres UANL, and Pumas UNAM.
Costa Rica's Liga FPD has two teams left, Alajuelense and C.S. Herediano, while Jamaica’s Cavalier F.C. is the sole remaining club from outside those leagues.
Here's how the bracket looks ahead of the round of 16.
🏆CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP 2025
— CNF Zone (@CNFconcacaf) February 28, 2025
🔥BRACKET Round of 16
Definidos los Octavos de Final de la Copa de Campeones CONCACAF donde 🇲🇽América, 🇺🇸LA Galaxy, 🇯🇲Cavalier, 🇨🇷Alajuelense y 🇺🇸Columbus Crew debutarán donde mañana se definen horarios.
Fechas:
Ida📅4–6 Marzo
Vuelta📅11–13 Marzo pic.twitter.com/cARqZ7sgGd
Key Players to Watch in the 2025 Champions Cup
As always, all eyes will be on Lionel Messi as the Champions Cup unfolds, with Javier Mascherano’s squad among the favorites to go the distance.
Cavalier faces a daunting yet unforgettable challenge in the next round as they take on the Argentine legend.
Another player to watch is FC Cincinnati’s Kevin Denkey. The Togolese striker, who turned down offers from top European clubs to complete a record $16.2 million move to TQL Stadium in January, has hit the ground running with three goals in his first three games, including two in the Champions Cup.
Beyond MLS, Club América’s Henry Martín—a Liga MX legend who has guided the Eagles to three consecutive league titles—Monterrey’s Spanish duo Óliver Torres and Sergio Ramos, and former Arsenal star Joel Campbell, now at Alajuelense, are all poised to make a major impact as the tournament progresses.
2025 Concacaf Champions Cup Schedule & Important Dates
Here is the schedule for remainder of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.
How to Watch the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup
The 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup is being broadcast in the U.S. on Fox Sports via FS1, FS2, and Tubi.
Select matches are also available on Concacaf's website and YouTube channel, while Spanish-language coverage is provided by TUDN.
Fans can stream games on the Fox Sports app, ViX Premium, and FuboTV.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Concacaf Champions Cup 2025: Schedule, Brackets and Rules.
