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(From left)\u00a0FC Dallas’\u00a0Logan Farrington, Herman Johansson,\u00a0Petar Musa and Ramiro.<\/p>\n
Photos\/Getty Images; Michael Hogue\/Staff Artist<\/p>\n
On Wednesday,\u00a0FC Dallas<\/a> will open its participation in Leagues Cup, a tournament that since its creation has sparked debate over its format and the point in the calendar in which it is played.<\/p>\n Leagues Cup is an annual Concacaf\u2011sanctioned competition where MLS clubs face Liga MX clubs in a monthlong tournament<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n To stage the Leagues Cup, MLS and Liga MX pause their domestic competitions<\/a> \u2014 a decision that has fueled criticism among fans who oppose interrupting league play.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong> What to know about the upcoming Leagues Cup between MLS and Liga MX<\/a><\/p>\n Additionally, Leagues Cup has been played exclusively in U.S. stadiums, pushing Mexican clubs into extensive travel, which has raised questions about competitive fairness. The format has evolved, and in 2026 MLS clubs will compete in Mexico for the first time.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shift that not only answers some of the tournament\u2019s long\u2011standing critiques but also deepens a rivalry that now stretches across both sides of the border, setting the stage for a more immersive clash.<\/p>\n \u2018Disrupts the rhythm\u2019<\/p>\n Phase One of the tournament requires MLS and Liga MX to halt their regular seasons for two weeks \u2014 a disruption many fans struggle to accept.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cThat doesn\u2019t happen anywhere else in the world. I don\u2019t see top European leagues stopping their seasons for such an extended time to play an interleague tournament,\u201d said Jahir Mart\u00ednez, a devoted supporter of both FC Dallas and Chivas de Guadalajara.<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong> FC Dallas vs. Chivas match moved to California, leaving local fans disappointed<\/a><\/p>\n Javier Garc\u00eda, a Fort Worth<\/a> resident who closely follows both MLS and Liga MX, believes the Leagues Cup should be played after both leagues have completed their regular seasons.<\/p>\n \u201cLeagues Cup disrupts the rhythm of both leagues \u2014 especially this year, when the World Cup already forced a two\u2011month pause in MLS play,\u201d Garc\u00eda said.<\/p>\n On the other hand, he said the decision to have MLS teams travel to Mexico and face Liga MX clubs in their home stadiums is a change that will ultimately strengthen the tournament.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be very interesting to see how FC Dallas performs on its trip to Toluca, against a major club that is almost unbeatable at home,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong> FC Dallas faces daunting restart after World Cup, with seven road matches ahead<\/a><\/p>\n Although he criticizes the tournament\u2019s timing, Mart\u00ednez considers the Leagues Cup an appealing competition because it gives fans the chance to watch Mexican clubs up close \u2014 teams he believes still possess greater tactical sophistication than most MLS sides.<\/p>\n He added that the Leagues Cup has pushed MLS clubs to raise their level, but offers few meaningful benefits to Liga MX.<\/p>\n \u201cBringing Mexican teams to U.S. stadiums helps attract new fans to MLS, but in reality, the Leagues Cup does very little for Liga MX,\u201d he said. \u201cSooner or later, Mexican clubs are going to ask themselves, \u2018Why should we keep playing this tournament?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Economic impact<\/p>\n The Leagues Cup represents a clash between the two leagues that dominate the soccer market within\u00a0Concacaf, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football.<\/p>\n According to Transfermarkt, MLS and Liga MX clubs occupy the top 47 spots for player market valuation in the region.<\/p>\n Guadalajara leads the list with a cumulative total of $124 million.<\/p>\n Club Am\u00e9rica follows at $112 million, and Inter Miami CF of MLS ranks third at $103 million.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The first club outside MLS and Liga MX appears at No. 48: Alajuelense of Costa Rica at $12 million.<\/p>\n In that same ranking, FC Dallas sits at No. 27, with a total of $50 million.<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong> FC Dallas resets its identity as it opens a new MLS season, aiming to win ‘lots of games’<\/a><\/p>\n The commercial partnership between MLS and Liga MX delivers benefits in exposure, marketing reach and financial return, especially considering that, according to a recent Global Web Index study, nearly 40% of soccer fans in the United States follow both MLS and Liga MX.<\/p>\n Interest in the Leagues Cup reached its highest point last year, when the final drew 69,000 fans to Seattle\u2019s Lumen Field, where the Sounders defeated Lionel Messi\u2019s Inter Miami CF 3\u20130.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you see what these games mean \u2014 the passion for it and the energy around it \u2014 it makes a great market for Major League Soccer,\u201d FC Dallas president Dan Hunt said.<\/p>\n Hunt views the tournament as a valuable opportunity to face high\u2011quality Mexican opponents with large followings in the United States.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to face more opponents like this \u2014 different opponents \u2014 because it will continue to elevate our own domestic league,\u201d Hunt said.<\/p>\n MLS growth<\/p>\n Beyond its commercial impact, the Leagues Cup has become a competitive benchmark for measuring MLS clubs\u2019 growth on the field. In the most recent edition, MLS teams recorded 28 victories, compared to 26 from Liga MX clubs.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve come a long way as a league and have become highly competitive against top Liga MX brands like Am\u00e9rica, Chivas or Toluca,\u201d Hunt said. \u201cHaving those clubs here \u2014 and having real success against them in recent years \u2014 is a very positive thing.\u201d<\/p>\n For FC Dallas coach Eric Quill<\/a>, Leagues Cup represents a new experience. The club did not participate in recent editions, making this his first international tournament with\u00a0FCD.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a good measuring stick to tackle the argument everybody has about which league is better,\u201d Quill said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to make sure we\u2019re putting our best product on the field, competing, and making our league stand out. We want our organization to stand out,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong> A year of accountability: How FC Dallas’ head coach rebuilt himself while rebuilding a club<\/a><\/p>\n Despite criticism directed at Leagues Cup, Hunt believes the tournament strengthens MLS.<\/p>\n \u201cYou see what happens in Champions League or Copa Libertadores in South America. Those tournaments provide a different experience for fans and cause clubs to mature in different ways,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n In that context, it\u2019s impossible to forget that\u00a0Messi\u2019s first match outside Miami after arriving in MLS in 2023 was the Leagues Cup knockout game at Toyota Stadium \u2014 a night that has become a golden chapter in FC Dallas history.<\/p>\n Inter Miami midfielder Dixon Arroyo (3) congratulates forward Lionel Messi (10) after he scored over the FC Dallas defense on a free kick during the second half of a Leagues Cup Round of 16 match at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, Aug. 6, 2023.<\/p>\n Tom Fox\/Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Inter Miami CF advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating FC Dallas 5\u20133 on penalties following a dramatic 4\u20134 draw.<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong> Lionel Messi says his reception in Frisco vs. FC Dallas was ‘spectacular’<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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