Leagues Cup 101 | How the 2026 edition works, which Liga MX teams are coming and what's at stake

New and familiar Liga MX faces coming to Providence Park as Timbers host Club Puebla, Club América and Club Tijuana in Phase One

The Portland Timbers enter Leagues Cup 2026 this August when they face Club Puebla and Club Tijuana for the first time and meet a familiar face in Club América, all at Providence Park. 

The interleague action for Portland begins on Aug. 6, when they host Club Puebla before welcoming Club América back to Goose Hollow on Aug. 9. The Timbers then close out their Phase One participation against Club Tijuana on Aug. 13.

What is the Leagues Cup?

The Leagues Cup is an annual competition pitting 18 teams from MLS against 18 teams from Liga MX – Mexico’s top flight – in a full interleague format.

Along with a trophy, the Leagues Cup also awards three qualification spots to the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup (Champion, Runner-up, Third-place finisher) while the Leagues Cup Champion also directly advances to the Round of 16 of the competition.

Phase One of Leagues Cup includes three games for all teams with all matchups being MLS vs. Liga MX clubs. The top four teams from each league following Phase One play advance to the Knockout Rounds with the Leagues Cup Final occurring on Sept. 6.

• READ | Learn more about Leagues Cup 2026 format
• PLAY | Leagues Cup Bracket Challenge with $1 million grand prize

The 2026 edition mark's Portland's fourth appearance in the tournament. All-time, the Timbers have amassed a 5-3-1 record (including knockout stages).

Club Puebla make first visit to the Rose City | Aug. 6

Landing in Portland for the first time, Club Puebla – known as La Franja for their signature sash kit design – will be Portland’s opening opponent in Phase One. La Franja hail from the landlocked city and state of Puebla, in central Mexico, and have been in professional existence since 1944. A two-time Mexican league champion, Puebla hasn’t seen league glory in over 35 years, last winning Liga MX during the 1989-90 edition of the competition.

In 2026, La Franja is making their fourth Leagues Cup appearance, looking to improve on their 2-4-2 all-time record in the summer tournament. Colombian midfielder Edgar Guerra has led Puebla offensively over the last Liga MX season, netting three goals and an assist in 12 appearances (all starts). Colombian forward Kevin Velasco led the team in assists during the Clausura 2026 tournament, dishing three in 14 appearances (10 starts).

Club América returns to Providence Park | Aug. 9

Mexico’s most successful club with 16 league titles, Club América returns to Providence Park to face off with the Timbers for the fourth time in an official competition.

Last in the Rose City in 2021 for the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal first leg – a game that saw the two teams draw 1-1 – Las Águilas (The Eagles) will travel from Mexico City to face Portland for a second consecutive year. In Phase One of the 2025 Leagues Cup edition, the two teams also played to a 1-1 draw in Austin, Texas.

Las Águilas will arrive in Portland with plenty of World Cup roster experience, having had four players called up to their national teams for this summer’s tournament. Mexican defender Israel Reyes represented El Tri, forward Alejandro Zendejas joined the U.S. Men’s National Team and defender Sebastián Cáceres and former LAFC forward Brian Rodríguez also took part in the competition for Uruguay. Both Zendejas and Rodríguez led América offensively during the Liga MX Clausura 2026 tournament with six goals each and four and three assists, respectively.

Club Tijuana set to experience Soccer City, USA | Aug. 13

Steadily growing in popularity since their promotion to the Liga MX in 2011, Club Tijuana, or better known as Los Xolos (SHOW-low) – short for the Xoloitzcuintles breed of hairless dogs – will experience Soccer City, USA, for the first time when they help close out Phase One of Leagues Cup 2026 against the Timbers on August 13.

Founded in 2007 in the border town of Tijuana, Baja California, Xolos found early success in their first division existence winning Liga MX during the Clausura 2012 tournament. The victory propelled the club from a newcomer to a mainstay in the Mexican top division and to this day, they are one of just seven clubs to have never been relegated from the league. 

Coached by Liga MX and Uruguay legend Sebastián “El Loco” Abreu, Tijuana boasts several players that are making a name for themselves, including Uruguayan forward Diego Abreu – Abreu’s son – who delivered four goal contributions this past Clausura (3g, 1a), Ecuadorian defender Jackson Porozo (16 appearances) and Mexican midfielders Kevin Castañeda (7g, 2a in 2026) and up-and-coming 17-year-old youngster Gilberto Mora. Notably, both Porozo and Mora received selections for this summer’s World Cup tournament with Mora the youngest player in El Tri’s World Cup squad.