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]
 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | United States |
| Dates | August 3 – September 22 |
| Teams | 8 (from 2 associations) |
| Venue(s) | 4 (in 4 host cities) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 5 |
| Goals scored | 15 (3 per match) |
| Attendance | 118,791 (23,758 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | 15 players (1 goal each) |
← 2021 2023 → | |
Background
editThe third edition of the Leagues Cup was initially planned for 2022, with Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, United States chosen as the host for the final.[3] However, on April 14, 2022, MLS and Liga MX 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
editThe 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
edit| Inglewood, California (Los Angeles Area) |
Cincinnati, Ohio | Location of the host cities of the 2022 Leagues Cup Showcase. |
|---|---|---|
| SoFi Stadium | TQL Stadium | |
| Capacity: 70,240 | Capacity: 26,000 | |
|
| |
| Nashville, Tennessee | Sandy, Utah (Salt Lake City Area) | |
| Geodis Park | America First Field | |
| Capacity: 30,000 | Capacity: 20,213 | |
|
|
Matches
edit
| Los Angeles FC | 0–0 | América |
|---|---|---|
| Report | ||
| Penalties | ||
| 5–6 | ||
| FC Cincinnati | 3–1 | Guadalajara |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
| Nashville SC | 3–3 | América |
|---|---|---|
| Report | ||
| Penalties | ||
| 4–2 | ||
| Real Salt Lake | 1–2 | Atlas |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
References
edit- ^ a b "2022 Leagues Cup Showcase Competition Guidelines". Leagues Cup. 2022. Archived from the original on December 23, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
- ^ a b Straus, Brian (April 14, 2022). "MLS, Liga MX Won't Play Leagues Cup in 2022". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ "Leagues Cup Final will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas". Major League Soccer. July 13, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
- ^ "LAFC, LA Galaxy, Chivas and Club América headline Leagues Cup Showcase at SoFi Stadium". Major League Soccer. April 14, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b Baxter, Kevin (August 3, 2022). "Leagues Cup friendlies showing L.A. is a soccer market". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Nashville Soccer Club Defeats Club América in First-Ever International Contest in Club History". Nashville SC. September 21, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
- ^ "Real Salt Lake Falls 2–1 to Liga MX Champs Atlas FC". Real Salt Lake. September 22, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2022.