Now that we finally have some details (h/t to @JasonMa and @sidspaceman ), let's get right to it: the draw will take place on Monday, December 18 at 7:00 p.m. (US Eastern) on Univisión Deportes Network. 1) CONCACAF now officially has a club index! Although I couldn't find the shoutout to @ArsenalMetro It explains the single departure from what we all expected (all the Mexico and US teams in Pot 1): Toronto FC will be in the highest pot thanks to their national rivals, as Montreal's run to the 2014-15 CCL final and Vancouver's semifinal appearance this year gave Canada's representative the nod over the last US qualifier and Costa Rica's direct CCL participant. 2) The pots are thus confirmed: Pot 1 Tigres UANL (MEX) Chivas de Guadalajara (MEX) Club América (MEX) Xolos de Tijuana (MEX) Seattle Sounders (USA) FC Dallas (USA) New York Red Bulls (USA) Toronto FC (CAN) Pot 2 Colorado Rapids (USA) Deportivo Saprissa (CRC) Herediano (CRC-GUA) Motagua (HON) Santa Tecla (SLV) - worth noting that the brouhaha between the league and the Salvadoran federation has apparently not affected their participation here Tauro (PAN) Cibao FC (DOM) Olimpia (HON) 3) The format will be the exact same as the CONCACAF league: - The draw will set up the 8 R16 matchups with the team from Pot 1 hosting the second leg. The only limitation is Colorado not facing a US opponent. - The bracket is set from that point; the winners of the odd-numbered R16 series will host the second legs of the quarterfinals. - Hosting for the second legs of the semifinals and the Final will be based on performance in previous rounds. - Ties after 180 minutes will be decided on away goals, then straight to penalties.
Wait, there is no additional period in the event of a tied series after 2 legs (straight to penalties)? Booooooo!
That's great. There's no need for additional 30 minutes after 180 minutes of play. But this with awarding points to slots instead of to clubs is one of craziest ideas ever. You could win few titles in a row, but occupy slot that was held by teams that lost all of their matches and end up as unseeded team.
I think they would use Rogers Centre in Toronto in the middle of winter. I had the chance to be in attendance when LA Galaxy visited TFC for the CCL.
Did you notice that the bottom spot in Pot 1 and the top spot in Pot 2 were tied with 71 points? Maybe the tie was broken by the most recent season. If the tiebreaker went the other way, Colorado would have been in Pot 1 and FC Dallas would have been in Pot 2.
I assume the tie was broken by order of the spots. Dallas was in USA2 as SS winners, Colorado was in USA4 as USOC "winners" (actually as SS runners up that inherited the spot when Dallas won both the SS and USOC). The PDF even talks about Dallas giving up the USA4 slot when they qualified in a "higher" slot.
It's definitely a different take, but I don't think it's entirely crazy. It's essentially a way to have a "country coefficient" except countries with multiple slots have different coefficients... I know that simply looking at how the USA's fours slots are distributed (save for the upcoming CCL where things are kinda borked over a two-season qualifying method) that the seeding makes complete sense, since the USOC winner (slot 4) is expected to be the weakest on average compared to the other three playoff-qualifying slots. It's a good way to give clubs from a strong league but no individual-club CCL history a reasonable seeding. Your point about winning the CCL and then falling to an unseeded slot is definitely an issue - but, at the very least, no nation has its slots at vastly different seeding values, so while it's a possible problem, it doesn't look like it's an immediate issue.
Seeing as how Concacaf is much like Fifa and ain´t above fixing draws. One has to wonder @Paul Calixte that they will make sure the Ferrari plays the Chicas in this
Nothing would surprise me, after that one instance when CONCACAF did the CCL draw live, completely forgetting that their own rules called for US and Mexican teams not to be drawn into the same group. They then had to release an article about the draw fixing the draw after the draw. **facepalm**
I see them giving the chicas the easiest opponent possible to avoid another Xelaju incident cough* @DGreat and having the superclassico in the quarters
@Paul Calixte @It's called FOOTBALL @LGRod I had a dream last night....saw a vision if you will. America face the chicas in the final and destroy them. The Oribester becomes the all time Concacaf Champions League goalscorer ever and its the most glorious final in the Ferrari`s history since the 83-84 league final!!
Wait, so the Raps told Paul that they're down to play hockey. Haha, you're famous now, **********! There is. As long as the CWC and UCL do it, all CLs must do it too. This is ridiculous. Very disappointed in C'CAF and the Conmeball. Friendlies go straight to pens. Reinstate OT for both continents. And since the CWC added a 4th sub for OT, make that uniform for all CLs. I hope we never see PKs now, the tension of a 30m OT after 2 legs, is off the charts. Never forget Islanders-Blue Cross or Quakes vs Toluca. Awesome stuff, don't rob us of that.
Islanders- blue cross I thought away goals still counted in extra time! Thought the Islanders were gonna win the series... Back when Chuleta was lethal
America and Tigres on the same side of the bracket, Tigres to play Toronto in QF if both win Round 1.
Saprissa vs America Tauro vs Dallas Colorado vs Toronto Herediano vs Tigres Motagua vs Tijuana Olimpia vs NY Red Bulls Santa Tecla vs Seattle Cibao vs Chivas
Liga MX has a chance at having all four Semifinalists. As a Red Bulls fan, I'm worried about losing to Olimpia. Tijuana was eleventh in the Apertura, and they might be the worst Liga MX club in the CCL.
Disparity between upper and lower part of the bracket is amazing. Tigres would have to go past worst possible opponents to reach the final - best Costa Rican team > best MLS team > biggest Mexican club.
More rematches on hand than I expected: América and Saprissa facing off again after the 2015 quarterfinals FC Dallas and Tauro reacquainting themselves, after Tauro's surprise win over Dallas in 2011 opened up the possibility for Toronto to punk their fellow MLSers on the last matchday Tigres and Herediano meeting up in the first round of the CCL for the third time in four years Also, the winners of the bolded series will host the second leg of their respective quarterfinal.