IInter Miami defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 to be crowned MLS champions and earn a direct ticket to the Round of 16 of the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup. The Herons lost in the quarter-finals and semi-finals in the previous tournament, but will aim for their first victory in this tournament.
With Inter Miami’s direct berth and pre-qualified Liga MX teams such as Deportivo Toluca and Club América, the fixture list is starting to take shape, and these teams are sure to complicate matters for the MLS champions, especially as America looks to have given the Florida team seven Conca Champions and 16 Liga MX wins.
Messi receives intentional ‘I told you so’ gesture from Beckham during MLS victory hug
Club America, potential opponent of Lionel Messi in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup quarter-finals
According to the tournament’s preliminary draw, if Club América advances from the first round, its path could cross with Inter Miami in the quarterfinals, which is one of the big attractions of the top club competition at the Concaf level. Matches could be held at Estadio Azteca, which reopens at the end of March, and Miami Freedom Park, which reopens in early April.
This matchup could be one of the most intriguing matchups of the tournament due to the quality of both teams. Lionel Messi’s ability to travel to Mexico to play is also a major concern, as Argentina does not play any World Cup matches there.
Conca Champions 2026 draw: pots, times and how to watch in the US
The official drawing will take place on Tuesday, December 9th at 7:00 pm ET and will be available for free on YouTube via Concacaf’s official channels to determine the first round matches and the final bracket.
Pots were distributed as follows.
Pot 1 (seeded): America, Tigres, Cruz Azul, Monterrey, Pumas, LAFC, Vancouver Whitecaps, Cincinnati FC, LA Galaxy, Philadelphia Union, Nashville SC. Pot 2 (initial stage): San Diego FC, Olimpia, Zelaj, Cartagines, Atlético Ottawa, Forge FC, Real España, Sporting San Miguelito, Defense Force FC, Vancouver FC, O&M FC. Teams that advanced directly to the Round of 16: Inter Miami, Toluca, Seattle Sounders, LD Alajuelense, Mount Pleasant.
With the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup starting in February and the Grand Final to be played as a single match on May 31, 2026, potential combinations are starting to emerge from the draw, with Inter Miami vs. Club América being the most interesting, potentially taking place in the quarter-finals.
