Major League Soccer teams have participated in theCONCACAF Champions Cup (formerly the CONCACAF Champions League from 2008 to 2023) each season since 1997. As of 2023[update], a maximum of ten MLS teams can qualify to the CONCACAF Champions Cup each season — one from the US Open Cup, one from the Canadian Championship, three through theLeagues Cup berths, and five through Major League Soccer.[1]
Under the Champions Cup's updated format starting in 2008–09, the first MLS team to finish first in its group wasReal Salt Lake in 2010.[2]
The first Champions League title won by an MLS side occurred in2022, whenSeattle Sounders FC defeated Mexico'sUNAM 5–2 on aggregate in thefinal.[3] Seattle was therefore the first MLS side to participate at theFIFA Club World Cup.[4]Real Salt Lake,CF Montréal,Toronto FC,Los Angeles FC,Columbus Crew andVancouver Whitecaps FC all also reached the final, with Real Salt Lake losing toMonterrey in2011, CF Montréal toAmérica in2015, Toronto FC toGuadalajara in2018, Los Angeles FC toUANL in2020,León in2023, Columbus Crew toPachuca in2024 and Vancouver Whitecaps FC toCruz Azul in2025, respectively.[2]
The following table shows the number of MLS participants in the Champions Cup each season, as well as the number of MLS teams that have reached various stages in the knockout rounds. MLS teams performed poorly during the first two years, as fixture congestion from the Superliga tournament as well as CONCACAF Champions League preliminary rounds meant that MLS teams often fielded teams without their first choice players.
Beginning in 2018, the Champions League format was changed to eliminate group play and the knockout round started with sixteen teams rather than eight.[5] Beginning in 2024, the format was expanded to include five knockout rounds and twenty-seven teams.[6]
| Tournament | Participants | Quarter- finalists | Semi- finalists | Finalists | Champions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 1998 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1999 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| 2000 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2002 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| 2003 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 2004 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 2005 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 2006 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 2007 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| 2008 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| 2008–09 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2011–12 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| 2012–13 | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 2013–14 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2015–16 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 2018 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 2019 | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | — |
| 2020 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2021 | 5 | 5 | 1 | — | — |
| 2022 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 2024 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2025 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 2026 |
Notes:
The following table shows the performance of MLS teams in the knockout rounds for each home-and-away series for opponents from various leagues. During the first nine seasons of the Champions League, MLS teams did not play any foreign teams in knockout stage other than Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama. With the change in tournament format in the 2018 season, specifically with the knockout rounds now including a round of 16, MLS teams have played knockout matches against a greater variety of countries.
In the Champions Cup knockout rounds, MLS teams have played Mexican teams more than any other country, in some years facing multiple matchups.[7] Seattle's 2013 quarter-final win over Mexico's UANL was the first time since the Champions League format began in 2008–09 that an MLS team eliminated a Mexican team in the knockout rounds.[8] Montreal repeated the feat in 2015 when they beat Mexico's Pachuca in the quarter-finals.[9] In 2018, Toronto FC and the New York Red Bulls both advanced to the semi-finals by beating Mexican teams, the first time that two MLS teams eliminated two Mexican teams in the same tournament.[10] In 2020, Los Angeles FC became the first MLS team to eliminate three Mexican teams in the same tournament — beating Mexican opponents in the Round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals, before losing in the final to a Mexican team.[11] MLS' improved performance against Mexican teams was attributed to MLS club academies focused on player development, and an increase in player salaries through the league's Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) program.[12]
| Tournament |  Mexico |  Trinidadand Tobago |  El Salvador |  Honduras |  CostaRica |  Guatemala |  Panama |  Jamaica |  DominicanRepublic |  Nicaragua |  Haiti |  Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998 | 2–0 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999 | 0–1 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | 2–0 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | 1–3 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | 0–2 | — | — | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | 1–0 | — | — | 0–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | 0–1 | — | — | — | 0–1 | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — | 0–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | 0–2 | — | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | 0–1 | — | — | — | 0–1 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — |
| Subtotal | 3–11 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 6–0 | 2–8 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–09 | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | 0–1 | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | 0–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | 1–3 | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | 0–3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | 1–1 | — | — | — | 1–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | 0–4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | 0–2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Subtotal | 2–18 | — | — | — | 3–1 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | 3–3 | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | — | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | 1–4 | — | — | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — |
| 2020 | 3–3 | — | — | 1–2 | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | 1–4 | — | — | 1–0 | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | — |
| 2022 | 3–2 | — | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — | — | — | — | 1–0 | — |
| 2023 | 1–2 | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0–1 | — |
| 2024 | 2–7 | — | — | — | 2–0 | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | — | 1–0 |
| 2025 | 2–4 | — | — | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — |
| Subtotal | 16–29 | — | 2–0 | 6–2 | 11–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Totals | 21–58 (27%) | 5–0 (100%) | 3–0 (100%) | 12–2 (87%) | 16–10 (62%) | 5–2 (71%) | 4–2 (67%) | 4–0 (100%) | 2–0 (100%) | 1–0 (100%) | 1–1 (50%) | 1–0 (100%) |
In 2023, CONCACAF released a new club ranking system ahead of the revamped Champions Cup and regional competitions. It replaced the former CONCACAF Club Index as the method used to seed clubs in international competitions. A modified Elo rating system, MLS teams receive updated ratings from results in MLS, Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, US Open Cup, and Club World Cup matches, with more weight placed on international matches.[13][14]
| Rank | Club | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Columbus Crew | 1,253 |
| 2 | America | 1,235 |
| 3 | Tigres UANL | 1,231 |
| 4 | Pachuca | 1,228 |
| 5 | Los Angeles FC | 1,226 |
| 6 | Monterrey | 1,226 |
| 7 | Inter Miami CF | 1,214 |
| 8 | Cruz Azul | 1,212 |
| 9 | Guadalajara | 1,207 |
| 10 | Toluca | 1,205 |
| 11 | León | 1,200 |
| 12 | UNAM | 1,197 |
| 13 | Orlando City SC | 1,195 |
| 14 | FC Cincinnati | 1,195 |
| 15 | Seattle Sounders FC | 1,195 |
| 16 | New York Red Bulls | 1,195 |
| 17 | Philadelphia Union | 1,194 |
| 18 | LA Galaxy | 1,192 |
| 19 | New York City FC | 1,189 |
| 20 | Real Salt Lake | 1,188 |
As of 2024, 27 MLS teams have appeared in the CONCACAF Champions Cup since MLS began sending teams to the competition in 1997.
Seattle Sounders FC became champions in2022, ending Liga MX's winning streak in the competition since 2006. They were the fifth MLS club to make it to the final, following Real Salt Lake in2011, Montreal Impact in2015, Toronto FC in2018 and Los Angeles FC in2020.[3]
Canadian teams in MLS – CF Montréal, Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC – qualify to the Champions Cup via a separate competition, theCanadian Championship, and they represent theCanadian Soccer Association. Starting in2024, all three Canadian teams may also qualify through MLS or Leagues Cup.[1] MLS standings were used for Canadian teams qualification only twice: the2014 season to determine the 2015–16 Champions League representative, as the Canadian Championship format was changed that season, and the2020 season to determine the 2021 Champions League representative, as the2020 Canadian Championship was postponed indefinitely due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.
Starting in2018, the group stage was removed, so MLS teams now started in the Round of 16 (first round). Starting in2024, one or two MLS teams receive byes to the round of 16 (second round) while others enter in the first round of 22 teams.[6]
| Team | Apps | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Best Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta United FC | 3 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 10 | +1 | Quarter-finals |
| Austin FC | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | –1 | Round of 16 |
| Chivas USA* | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | –2 | Preliminary round |
| Chicago Fire | 3 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 14 | +4 | Third place |
| FC Cincinnati | 2 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 9 | +5 | Round of 16 |
| Colorado Rapids | 5 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 21 | –6 | Round of 16 |
| Columbus Crew | 6 | 29 | 12 | 7 | 10 | 37 | 42 | –5 | Final |
| FC Dallas | 3 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 27 | 25 | +2 | Semi-finals |
| D.C. United | 12 | 52 | 24 | 12 | 16 | 84 | 71 | +13 | Champions |
| Houston Dynamo FC | 8 | 40 | 15 | 11 | 14 | 48 | 48 | 0 | Semi-finals |
| Inter Miami CF | 2 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 19 | 16 | +3 | Semi-finals |
| LA Galaxy | 11 | 48 | 21 | 12 | 15 | 80 | 62 | +18 | Champions |
| Los Angeles FC | 3 | 19 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 32 | 19 | +13 | Final |
| CF Montréalǂ | 4 | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 27 | 26 | +1 | Final |
| Nashville SC | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 5 | +5 | Round of 16 |
| New England Revolution | 5 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 18 | 25 | –7 | Quarter-finals |
| New York City FC | 2 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 17 | +2 | Semi-finals |
| New York Red Bulls | 5 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 27 | 19 | +8 | Semi-finals |
| Orlando City SC | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 6 | +3 | Round of 16 |
| Philadelphia Union | 3 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 23 | 22 | +1 | Semi-finals |
| Portland Timbers | 3 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 19 | +12 | Quarter-finals |
| Real Salt Lake | 4 | 24 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 35 | 24 | +11 | Final |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 4 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 0 | Quarter-finals |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 8 | 50 | 22 | 12 | 16 | 79 | 65 | +14 | Champions |
| St. Louis City SC | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | Round one |
| Sporting Kansas City | 7 | 32 | 12 | 6 | 14 | 41 | 45 | –4 | Semi-finals |
| Toronto FCǂ | 7 | 34 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 46 | 45 | +1 | Final |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FCǂ | 5 | 27 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 38 | 39 | –1 | Final |
ǂ – team representsCanada
* – team folded
| Team | Apps | 08-09 | 09-10 | 10-11 | 11-12 | 12-13 | 13-14 | 14-15 | 15-16 | 16-17 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Sounders FC | 9 | • | • | GS | QF | SF | • | • | QF | • | QF | • | R16 | • | C | • | • | R16 | Q |
| LA Galaxy | 7 | • | • | PR | QF | SF | QF | • | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | QF | Q |
| Toronto FC | 7 | • | PR | GS | SF | GS | • | • | • | • | F | R16 | • | QF | • | • | • | • | • |
| Houston Dynamo FC | 6 | QF | GS | • | • | QF | GS | • | • | • | • | QF | • | • | • | • | R16 | • | • |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 6 | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | SF | • | • | • | • | • | QF | R1 | F | Q |
| Columbus Crew | 5 | • | QF | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | QF | • | • | F | R16 | • |
| CF Montréal | 5 | QF | • | • | • | • | GS | F | • | • | • | • | QF | • | QF | • | • | • | • |
| New York Red Bulls | 5 | • | PR | • | • | • | • | GS | • | QF | SF | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| Sporting Kansas City | 5 | • | • | • | • | • | QF | GS | • | GS | • | SF | • | • | • | • | • | R1 | • |
| Colorado Rapids | 4 | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | R16 | • | • | • | R16 | • | • | R1 | • |
| D.C. United | 4 | GS | GS | • | • | • | • | QF | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| Philadelphia Union | 4 | did not exist | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | SF | • | SF | R16 | • | Q | ||
| Real Salt Lake | 4 | • | • | F | • | GS | • | • | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 | • |
| Atlanta United FC | 3 | did not exist | • | QF | QF | QF | • | • | • | • | • | ||||||||
| FC Cincinnati | 3 | did not exist | • | • | • | • | R16 | R16 | Q | ||||||||||
| FC Dallas | 3 | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | SF | R16 | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| Inter Miami CF | 3 | did not exist | • | • | • | QF | SF | Q | |||||||||||
| Los Angeles FC | 3 | did not exist | • | F | • | • | F | • | QF | • | |||||||||
| New England Revolution | 3 | PR | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | QF | • | QF | • | • |
| Portland Timbers | 3 | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | • | GS | • | • | • | QF | • | • | • | • | • |
| Nashville SC | 2 | did not exist | • | • | • | R16 | • | Q | |||||||||||
| New York City FC | 2 | did not exist | • | • | • | QF | • | SF | • | • | • | ||||||||
| Orlando City SC | 2 | did not exist | • | • | • | • | • | • | R16 | R16 | • | • | |||||||
| Austin FC | 1 | did not exist | • | R16 | • | • | • | ||||||||||||
| Chivas USA | 1 | PR | • | • | • | • | • | Team dissolved | |||||||||||
| San Diego FC | 1 | did not exist | Q | ||||||||||||||||
| San Jose Earthquakes | 1 | • | • | • | • | • | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| St. Louis City SC | 1 | did not exist | R1 | • | • | ||||||||||||||
Biggest win: 8 goal margin
D.C. United 8–0Joe Public (1998 Quarter-finals)
Biggest defeat: 6 goal marginAtlético Morelia 6–0Columbus Crew (2003 Quarter-finals, first leg)Pachuca 6–0Philadelphia Union (2024 Round of 16, second leg)
MLS teams have participated in other continental competitions.
| Eastern Conference | |
|---|---|
| Western Conference | |
| Former teams |
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| Personnel | |
| Competition | |
| Associated competitions | |
| Other | |
