Inter Miami's quest for a second League Cup title in three years begins Wednesday evening when they host LIGA MX side Atlas FC for a Phase One opener.
How to watch & stream
When
- Wednesday, July 30 | 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT
Where
- Chase Stadium | Fort Lauderdale, Florida
During Phase One, MLS and LIGA MX teams will look to earn points in a league-specific table against clubs from their own league. Adding to the rivalry showdowns, matches go straight to a penalty shootout if they end in a tie after 90 minutes.
The top four teams from each Leagues Cup league-specific table advance to the quarterfinals, meaning only eight of the 36 entrants (18 from MLS, 18 from LIGA MX) reach the knockout phase.
The Leagues Cup final is set for Aug. 31, while the top three finishers qualify for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami ahead of Leagues Cup 2023, igniting a transformative era for North American soccer. The iconic No. 10 scored an incredible free kick on his debut vs. Cruz Azul and rattled off more jaw-dropping moments while steering the Herons to their first-ever title.
Fast forward two summers and Messi continues to perform at elite levels. He has 18 goals and nine assists in 18 league matches, boosting his case to become the first-ever Landon Donovan MLS MVP repeat winner.
Now, Messi is joined at Inter Miami by Argentina teammate and fellow World Cup winner Rodrigo De Paul. The all-action midfielder was recently signed on loan from LaLiga giants Atlético Madrid, giving IMCF a fearsome five of Messi, De Paul, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suárez.
Which is all to say the Herons remain firmly among the favorites to win Leagues Cup. That quest starts midweek against Atlas, before additional Phase One tests against Necaxa (Aug. 2) and Pumas (Aug. 6) decide if they'll reach the knockout phase.
Atlas's star attraction is striker Uroš Đurđević. The Montenegrin international striker scored 12 goals during the Clausura 2025 campaign, tying Paulinho (Toluca) and Raúl Zúñiga (Tijuana) for the LIGA MX scoring lead.
Can the former LaLiga standout get help in the final third? Diego González is off to a solid start in the new Apertura season, tallying 1g/2a in three matches while on loan from Italian Serie A side Lazio.
Other key players for Atlas include Colombian international goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, Brazilian center back Dória and former LIGA MX All-Star midfielder Aldo Rocha.
