Leagues Cup pits FC Dallas, MLS against Mexico’s best, but tournament still has doubters

Like it or not, the Leagues Cup is back.

The controversial and polarizing midsummer tournament that forces the MLS and Liga MX to a one-month hiatus starts Friday, bringing complaints from some and praise from others.

Major League Soccer is in its best shape since its launch in 1996.

With 26 clubs strategically spread across the United States and three more in Canada, the league reported that stadiums are filled to 94% capacity each game.

So far this season, 8.3 million fans have attended MLS games, the highest number at the All-Star break in league history.

MLS average attendance so far is 23,194, the highest in league history.

With things going so well, it’s hard for some to understand why the MLS needs to be involved in a midsummer tournament.

“It is difficult to stop the league for so long,” said the Spanish midfielder of the LA Galaxy, Riqui Puig, who played for the MLS All-Star Team against the stars of Liga MX on Wednesday. Liga MX won 4-1 in Columbus.

“It’s complicated, even more so if you are in a moment where you are adding victory after victory and the team is playing at a good level,” said Puig, who played for Barcelona before arriving in the MLS.

The Leagues Cup includes 77 matches hosted at MLS stadiums throughout the U.S. and Canada.

All 29 MLS clubs and 18 Liga MX teams participate in a World Cup-style tournament. The competition has a Group Stage made up of two regions (East and West), followed by knockout rounds until one team is crowned champion.

Officially sanctioned by Concacaf, the top three teams will receive automatic bids into the Concacaf Champions Cup with a chance to represent the Confederation at the FIFA Club World Cup.

“I don’t think that in Europe they would have accepted something like that,” said André-Pierre Gignac, the French forward who joined Liga MX Tigres from Club Marseille in 2015.

“It’s part of the show that the United States puts on and that’s cool, but the Leagues Cup is the beginning of a project that must improve,” said Gigac, who also played in Wednesday’s All-Star Game.

MLS teams are eight games away from completing their 34-game regular season, while Liga MX has just started its season with four matches on the books.

FC Dallas begins play in the Leagues Cup on Saturday, visiting St. Louis City SC.

On Wednesday, FCD will host FC Juárez, an incoming Liga MX team.

League Cup play will cut short a good run FCD has shown since Peter Luccin was appointed head coach on June 9, replacing Nico Estévez. But the interim coach praised the tournament.

“For me, the Leagues Cup is a fabulous tournament,” said Luccin, who took over FC Dallas when the team was second to last in the Western Conference, with just 14 points after 16 matches.

At the time of the All-Star break, FCD is fighting to get into the playoffs. It is in 11th place in its conference with 30 points. The nine best teams in each conference advance to the postseason.

“To be honest, I love the Leagues Cup because it is an opportunity for us to compete against Mexican teams that have a very good level and it helps us grow and learn,” Luccin said.

For FCD attacker Paul Arriola, the Leagues Cup adds more positive than negative things.

“I don’t have anything bad to say about playing the tournament between both Leagues,” said Arriola, who likes the rivalry brewing between the MLS and Liga MX.

“Both leagues are fighting to show which one is the best, and that is very good. I understand that some may not like this tournament, but for us, it is a great opportunity to compete at another level and try to win a trophy for the club.”

The most substantial criticism of the Leagues Cup comes from the Liga MX teams, which will be on tour for a month, playing games in MLS stadiums.

“It would be nice if MLS teams were also able to play in Mexico in different climates, altitudes, and fields; that would be more fair,” Gignac said.

In its first year, the Leagues Cup was a success largely due to Lionel Messi’s arrival in the MLS.

The Argentine star arrived last summer at Inter Miami CF, and the Leagues Cup served as the setting for his first appearances as an MLS player, including his visit to Toyota Stadium to play a knockout match against FCD.

The Aug. 6, 2023 game was epic. Led by two Messi goals, Inter Miami beat FC Dallas 5-3 on penalties after a wild 4-4 tie in regulation. Inter Miami eventually won last year’s Leagues Cup.

“It was a spectacular atmosphere that day here at Toyota Stadium,” Luccin said about the game against Inter Miami.

“That’s why the Leagues Cup is a very positive thing. It is a tournament that benefits fans who enjoy watching different teams and players, and we, as players and coaches, like to play it because we love to compete at the highest level.”

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