2022 Leagues Cup Showcase
Tournament details
Host countryUnited States
DatesAugust 3 – September 22
Teams8 (from 2 associations)
Venue(s)4 (in 4 host cities)
Tournament statistics
Matches played5
Goals scored15 (3 per match)
Attendance189,980 (37,996 per match)
Top scorer(s)15 players (1 goal each)
← 2021
2023 →

The 2022 Leagues Cup Showcase was a friendly edition of the Leagues Cup, an annual soccer competition between clubs from Major League Soccer and Liga MX in North America. The event featured five matches between MLS and Liga MX sides, played in August and September 2022.[1] It served as a one-time replacement of the previously-planned 2022 Leagues Cup, which was not held due to fixture congestion from the 2022 FIFA World Cup and other factors.[2]

Background

The third edition of the Leagues Cup was initially planned for 2022, with Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada chosen as the host for the final.[3] However, on April 14, 2022, MLS and Liga MX announced announced that the 2022 tournament would not be held due to fixture congestion from the 2022 FIFA World Cup and other factors, and instead would be replaced by a series of friendly matches, known as the Leagues Cup Showcase. According to Major League Soccer, it was intended to "serve as a preview" for the expanded tournament in 2023.[2] As part of the announcement, it was confirmed that the Leagues Cup Showcase would be held on August 3, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The event featured a doubleheader of matches: LA Galaxy against Guadalajara and Los Angeles FC against América.[4] On June 30, 2022, it was announced that the Leagues Cup Showcase would expand to include three more matches—FC Cincinnati against Guadalajara at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio; Nashville SC against América at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee, on September 21; and Real Salt Lake against Atlas at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, on September 22.[5]

Teams

The following eight teams (from two associations) participated in the event.[1]

Association Team Location
 Mexico (3 Liga MX teams) América Mexico City
Atlas Guadalajara, Jalisco
Guadalajara Zapopan, Jalisco
 United States (5 MLS teams) FC Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio
LA Galaxy Carson, California
Los Angeles FC Los Angeles, California
Nashville SC Nashville, Tennessee
Real Salt Lake Sandy, Utah

Venues

Inglewood
(Los Angeles Area) 		Cincinnati
SoFi Stadium TQL Stadium
Capacity: 70,240 Capacity: 26,000
Nashville Sandy
(Salt Lake City Area)
Geodis Park America First Field
Capacity: 30,000 Capacity: 20,213

Matches

LA Galaxy United States2–0Mexico Guadalajara
 Report
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
Attendance: 71,189[6]
Referee: Luis Enrique Santander (Mexico)
Los Angeles FC United States0–0Mexico América
Report
Penalties
 5–6
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
Attendance: 71,189[6]
Referee: Victor Rivas (United States)
FC Cincinnati United States3–1Mexico Guadalajara
 Report
TQL Stadium, Cincinnati
Attendance: 14,727[7]
Referee: Armando Villarreal (United States)
Nashville SC United States3–3Mexico América
 Report
Penalties
 4–2
Geodis Park, Nashville
Attendance: 24,553[8]
Referee: César Ramos (Mexico)
Real Salt Lake United States1–2Mexico Atlas
 Report
America First Field, Sandy
Attendance: 8,322[9]
Referee: Joe Dickerson (United States)

References

  1. ^ a b "2022 Leagues Cup Showcase Competition Guidelines". Leagues Cup. 2022. Archived from the original on December 23, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Straus, Brian (April 14, 2022). "MLS, Liga MX Won't Play Leagues Cup in 2022". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  3. ^ "Leagues Cup Final will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas". Major League Soccer. July 13, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  4. ^ "LAFC, LA Galaxy, Chivas and Club América headline Leagues Cup Showcase at SoFi Stadium". Major League Soccer. April 14, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  5. ^ "Leagues Cup Showcase to feature FC Cincinnati, Nashville SC, Real Salt Lake against Liga MX clubs". Major League Soccer. June 30, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Baxter, Kevin (August 3, 2022). "Leagues Cup friendlies showing L.A. is a soccer market". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  7. ^ Brennan, Pat (September 22, 2022). "What we learned from FC Cincinnati's Leagues Cup friendly win vs. Chivas Guadalajara". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  8. ^ "Nashville Soccer Club Defeats Club América in First-Ever International Contest in Club History". Nashville SC. September 21, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  9. ^ "Real Salt Lake Falls 2–1 to Liga MX Champs Atlas FC". Real Salt Lake. September 22, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2022.

External links

Leagues Cup
Friendly association football tournaments in 2022
Categories