2018 CONCACAF League Bracket The teams listed first host the 2nd leg of the first round. The winners of the odd numbered first rounds will be the host for the 2nd leg of the 2nd round. The semifinals and final order of hosting will be based on the teams' records. 1. Portmore United (JAM) v. Santos de Guápiles (CRC) 2. Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) v. Motagua (HON) 3. Walter Ferretti (NCA) v. Club Franciscain (MTQ) 4. Real España (HON) vs. Tauro FC (PAN) 5. Arnett Gardens (JAM) v. Árabe Unido (PAN) 6. Pérez Zeledón (CRC) v. FAS (SLV) 7. UD Universitario (PAN) v. Diriangén (NCA) 8. Santa Tecla (SLV) v. Herediano (CRC) The tournament this year will run July to November which is slightly longer than last year. Dates should be announced soon. Away goals are a tie-breaker. No overtime will be played if that doesn't break a tie. Matches level after two legs will go straight to penalties.
2018 CONCACAF League Round of 16 Home team first, times are CDT First Leg Tuesday, July 31 Arabe Unido (PAN) v. Arnett Gardens (JAM) 7:00 pm Motagua (HON) v. Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) 9:00 pm FAS (SLV) v. Pérez Zeledón (CRC) 9:00 pm Wednesday, August 1 Santos de Guápiles (CRC) v. Portmore United (JAM) 7:00 pm Diriangén (NCA) v. UD Universitario (PAN) 7:00 pm @ Heredia, CRC Club Franciscain (MTQ) v. Walter Ferretti (NCA) 9:00 pm Thursday, August 2 Tauro (PAN) v. Real España (HON) 7:00 pm Herediano (CRC) v. Santa Tecla (SLV) 9:00 pm Second Leg Tuesday, August 7 Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) v. Motagua (HON) 7:00 pm UD Universitario (PAN) v. Diriangén (NCA) 7:00 pm Pérez Zeledón (CRC) v. FAS (SLV) 9:00 pm Wednesday, August 8 Walter Ferretti (NCA) v. Club Franciscain (MTQ) 7:00 pm @ Alajuela, CRC Santa Tecla (SLV) v. Herediano (CRC) 9:00 pm Thursday, August 9 Arnett Gardens (JAM) v. Arabe Unido (PAN) 7:30 pm Portmore United (JAM) v. Santos de Guápiles (CRC) 9:00 pm Real España (HON) v. Tauro (PAN) 9:00 pm The Quarterfinals start on August 21.
2018 CONCACAF League Round of 16 Home team first, times are CDT First Leg results: Tuesday, July 31 Arabe Unido (PAN) 3-0 Arnett Gardens (JAM) Motagua (HON) 2-0 Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) FAS (SLV) 2-1 Pérez Zeledón (CRC) Wednesday, August 1 Santos de Guápiles (CRC) 1-2 Portmore United (JAM) Diriangén (NCA) 0-4 UD Universitario (PAN) @ Heredia, CRC Club Franciscain (MTQ) 1-0 Walter Ferretti (NCA) Thursday, August 2 Tauro (PAN) 1-0 Real España (HON) Herediano (CRC) 1-0 Santa Tecla (SLV) Second Leg Tuesday, August 7 Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) v. Motagua (HON) 7:00 pm UD Universitario (PAN) v. Diriangén (NCA) 7:00 pm Pérez Zeledón (CRC) v. FAS (SLV) 9:00 pm Wednesday, August 8 Walter Ferretti (NCA) v. Club Franciscain (MTQ) 7:00 pm @ Alajuela, CRC Santa Tecla (SLV) v. Herediano (CRC) 9:00 pm Thursday, August 9 Arnett Gardens (JAM) v. Arabe Unido (PAN) 7:30 pm Portmore United (JAM) v. Santos de Guápiles (CRC) 9:00 pm Real España (HON) v. Tauro (PAN) 9:00 pm The Quarterfinals start on August 21.
2018 CONCACAF League Round of 16 Home team first, times are CDT First Leg results: Tuesday, July 31 Arabe Unido (PAN) 3-0 Arnett Gardens (JAM) Motagua (HON) 2-0 Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) FAS (SLV) 2-1 Pérez Zeledón (CRC) Wednesday, August 1 Santos de Guápiles (CRC) 1-2 Portmore United (JAM) Diriangén (NCA) 0-4 UD Universitario (PAN) @ Heredia, CRC Club Franciscain (MTQ) 1-0 Walter Ferretti (NCA) Thursday, August 2 Tauro (PAN) 1-0 Real España (HON) Herediano (CRC) 1-0 Santa Tecla (SLV) Second Leg results: Tuesday, August 7 Belmopan Bandits (BLZ) 0-1 Motagua (HON) Motagua advances on aggregate, 3-0. UD Universitario (PAN) 3-1 Diriangén (NCA) Universitario advances on aggregate, 7-1 Pérez Zeledón (CRC) 1-1 FAS (SLV) FAS advances on aggregate, 3-2. Wednesday, August 8 Walter Ferretti (NCA) 1-0 Club Franciscain (MTQ) 1-1 on aggregate and even on away goals. Walter Ferretti advances on penalties, 4-1 Santa Tecla (SLV) 2-1 Herediano (CRC) 2-2 on aggregate. Herediano advances on away goals, 1-0 Thursday, August 9 Arnett Gardens (JAM) 2-1 Arabe Unido (PAN) Arabe Unido advances on aggregate, 4-2. Portmore United (JAM) 1-2 Santos de Guápiles (CRC) 3-3 on aggregate and even on away goals. Portmore United advances on penalties, 7-6 Real España (HON) 1-1 Tauro (PAN) Tauro advances on aggregate, 2-1. The Quarterfinals start on August 21.
2018 CONCACAF League Quarterfinals Home team first, times are CDT First Leg : Tuesday, August 21 FAS (SLV) v. Arabe Unido (PAN) 7:00 pm Wednesday, August 22 Herediano (CRC) v. UD Universitario (PAN) 9:00 pm Thursday, August 23 Motagua (HON) v. Portmore United (JAM) 7:00 pm Tauro (PAN) v. Walter Ferretti (NCA) 9:00 pm Second Leg: Tuesday, August 28 Arabe Unido (PAN) v. FAS (SLV) 9:00 pm Wednesday, August 29 UD Universitario (PAN) v. Herediano (CRC) 9:00 pm Thursday, August 30 Walter Ferretti (NCA) v. Tauro (PAN) @ Heredia, CRC 7:00 pm Portmore United (PAN) v. Motagua (HON) 9:00 pm The Semifinals start on September 18.
Updated 8/23/2018: The 2018 CONCACAF League starts in July and the 2019 Champions League will start in February. Here are the qualifiers so far. Slots in Green go directly into the Champions League in the Spring of 2019. Bold have clinched a spot. MEX1: UANL Tigres (2017 Apertura winner) MEX2: Santos Laguna (2018 Clausura winner) MEX3: Monterrey (2017 Apertura runner-up) MEX4: Toluca (2018 Clausura runner-up) USA1: Best MLS league record 2017-2018 (ATL currently leading) USA2: 2018 MLS Cup winner USA3: Sporting Kansas City (2017 U.S. Open Cup) USA4: 2018 U.S. Open Cup winner CAN1: Toronto FC (2018 Canadian Champion) CRC1: Saprissa (2018 Clausura winner w/ better aggregate record) CRC2: Perez Zeledon (2017 Apertura winner) CRC3: Herediano (Best aggregate record non-champion) CRC4: Santos de Guapiles (Next best aggregate, from GUA 2) SLV1: Alianza (2017 Apertura & 2018 Clausura winner) SLV2: FAS (best aggregate record non-champion) SLV3: Santa Tecla (Clausura finalist) GUA1: CD Guastatoya (playoff winner) GUA2: Removed with federation suspended GUA3: Removed with federation suspended HON1: Marathon (2018 Clausura winner w/ better aggregate record) HON2: Real Espana (2017 Apertura winner) (worse aggregate record) HON3: Motagua (Runner-up with best aggregate record) PAN1: Independiente (2018 Clausura winner w/ better aggregate record) PAN2: Universitario (2017 Apertura winner w/ worse aggregate record) PAN3: Arabe Unido (Runner-up with best aggregate record) PAN4: Tauro (Runner-up with worse aggregate record) NCA1: Walter Ferretti (2017 Apertura winner) NCA2: Diriangen (2018 Clausura winner) BLZ1: Belmopan Bandits (Champion with better aggregate record) CFU1: Atletico Pantoja (DOM) (2018 Caribbean Club Champion) CFU2: Arnett Gardens (JAM) (2018 Caribbean Club runner-up) CFU3: Portmore United (JAM) (2018 Caribbean Club third place) CFU4: Club Franciscain (MTQ) (2018 Caribbean Club playoff) CL: 2018 CONCACAF League winner Guatemala's status has been clarified. Their league winner will qualify for the CCL. The CL slots have been given to Costa Rica and Panama. CORRECTION: Guatemala decided to have a playoff between the Clausura and Apertura season winners for the CCL spot. CD Guastatoya defeated Antigua GFC, 1-0, over two legs to get the spot. With Toronto qualifying from Canada, 12 of the CCL entrants confirmed. Only 3 USA and the 2018 CL winner left to determine.
2018 CONCACAF League Quarterfinals Home team first, times are CDT First leg results: First Leg : Tuesday, August 21 FAS (SLV) 0-1 Arabe Unido (PAN) Wednesday, August 22 Herediano (CRC) 3-0 UD Universitario (PAN) Thursday, August 23 Motagua (HON) 3-2 Portmore United (JAM) Tauro (PAN) 3-1 Walter Ferretti (NCA) Second Leg: Tuesday, August 28 Arabe Unido (PAN) v. FAS (SLV) 9:00 pm Wednesday, August 29 UD Universitario (PAN) v. Herediano (CRC) 9:00 pm Thursday, August 30 Walter Ferretti (NCA) v. Tauro (PAN) @ Heredia, CRC 7:00 pm Portmore United (JAM) v. Motagua (HON) 9:00 pm The Semifinals start on September 18.
2018 CONCACAF League Quarterfinals Home team first, times are CDT Second Leg results: First Leg : Tuesday, August 21 FAS (SLV) 0-1 Arabe Unido (PAN) Wednesday, August 22 Herediano (CRC) 3-0 UD Universitario (PAN) Thursday, August 23 Motagua (HON) 3-2 Portmore United (JAM) Tauro (PAN) 3-1 Walter Ferretti (NCA) Second Leg: Tuesday, August 28 Arabe Unido (PAN) 3-1 FAS (SLV) Arabe Unido advances on aggregate, 4-1 Wednesday, August 29 UD Universitario (PAN) 1-2 Herediano (CRC) Herediano advances on aggregate, 5-1. Thursday, August 30 Walter Ferretti (NCA) 0-4 Tauro (PAN) Tauro advances on aggregate, 7-1. Portmore United (JAM) 0-2 Motagua (HON) Motagua advances on aggregate, 5-2. The Semifinals start on September 20.
2018 CONCACAF League Semifinals Home team first, times are CDT As usual, I'm not 100% on the game times. First Leg : Thursday, September 20 Tauro (PAN) v. Motagua (HON) 7:00 pm Herediano (CRC) v. Arabe Unido (PAN) 9:00 pm Second Leg: Thursday, September 27 Arabe Unido (PAN) v. Herediano (CRC) 7:00 pm Motagua (HON) v. Tauro (PAN) 9:00 pm The Finals start on October 25.
2018 CONCACAF League Semifinals Home team first, times are CDT First Leg results: Thursday, September 20 Tauro (PAN) 2-1 Motagua (HON) Herediano (CRC) 2-0 Arabe Unido (PAN) Second Leg: Thursday, September 27 Arabe Unido (PAN) v. Herediano (CRC) 7:00 pm Motagua (HON) v. Tauro (PAN) 9:00 pm The Finals start on October 25.
Updated 9/27/2018: The 2018 CONCACAF League starts in July and the 2019 Champions League will start in February. Here are the qualifiers so far. Slots in Green go directly into the Champions League in the Spring of 2019. Bold have clinched a spot. MEX1: UANL Tigres (2017 Apertura winner) MEX2: Santos Laguna (2018 Clausura winner) MEX3: Monterrey (2017 Apertura runner-up) MEX4: Toluca (2018 Clausura runner-up) USA1: Best MLS league record 2017-2018 (ATL currently leading) USA2: 2018 MLS Cup winner USA3: Sporting Kansas City (2017 U.S. Open Cup) USA4: Houston Dynamo (2018 U.S. Open Cup) CAN1: Toronto FC (2018 Canadian Champion) CRC1: Saprissa (2018 Clausura winner w/ better aggregate record) CRC2: Perez Zeledon (2017 Apertura winner) CRC3: Herediano (Best aggregate record non-champion) CRC4: Santos de Guapiles (Next best aggregate, from GUA 2) SLV1: Alianza (2017 Apertura & 2018 Clausura winner) SLV2: FAS (best aggregate record non-champion) SLV3: Santa Tecla (Clausura finalist) GUA1: CD Guastatoya (playoff winner) GUA2: Removed with federation suspended GUA3: Removed with federation suspended HON1: Marathon (2018 Clausura winner w/ better aggregate record) HON2: Real Espana (2017 Apertura winner) (worse aggregate record) HON3: Motagua (Runner-up with best aggregate record) PAN1: Independiente (2018 Clausura winner w/ better aggregate record) PAN2: Universitario (2017 Apertura winner w/ worse aggregate record) PAN3: Arabe Unido (Runner-up with best aggregate record) PAN4: Tauro (Runner-up with worse aggregate record) NCA1: Walter Ferretti (2017 Apertura winner) NCA2: Diriangen (2018 Clausura winner) BLZ1: Belmopan Bandits (Champion with better aggregate record) CFU1: Atletico Pantoja (DOM) (2018 Caribbean Club Champion) CFU2: Arnett Gardens (JAM) (2018 Caribbean Club runner-up) CFU3: Portmore United (JAM) (2018 Caribbean Club third place) CFU4: Club Franciscain (MTQ) (2018 Caribbean Club playoff) CL: 2018 CONCACAF League winner With the Dynamo win in the Open Cup there are only 2 USA slots and the 2018 CL winner left to determine. Atlanta United could clinch the USA1 slot this weekend.
It is going to be interesting to see which pot the Dynamo wind up in. USA1, USA3, and USA4 will be Pot 1 with USA2 in Pot 2. The USA spots are odd this time around because of the transition stage and having two MLS Cup winners and two Open Cup winners. USA2 and USA3 are normally the Supporter Shield and opposite conference regular season winner with USA4 being the Open Cup winner. According to the Wikipedia page it is not clear who is USA1 or USA2. That is likely to be Atlanta, by winning the combined season tables, and the winner of MLS Cup 2018. One of those two will be in Pot 2. They show the Dynamo as USA4 but that means we would be in Pot 1.
2018 CONCACAF League Semifinals Home team first, times are CDT Second Leg results: Thursday, September 20 Tauro (PAN) 2-1 Motagua (HON) Herediano (CRC) 2-0 Arabe Unido (PAN) Second Leg: Thursday, September 27 Arabe Unido (PAN) 1-0 Herediano (CRC) Herediano advances on aggregate, 2-1. Motagua (HON) 2-0 Tauro (PAN) Motagua advances on aggregate, 3-2. FINALS Thursday, October 25 Herediano (CRC) v. Motagua (HON) TBA Thursday, November 1 Motagua (HON) v. Herediano (CRC) TBA The winner advances to the 2019 CCL.
2018 CONCACAF League FINALS Thursday, October 25 Herediano (CRC) v. Motagua (HON) 9:00 pm Thursday, November 1 Motagua (HON) v. Herediano (CRC) 9:00 pm The winner advances to the 2019 CCL.
2018 CONCACAF League FINALS Home team first, times are CT Thursday, October 25 Herediano (CRC) 2-0 Motagua (HON) Thursday, November 1 Motagua (HON) v. Herediano (CRC) 9:00 pm The winner advances to the 2019 CCL.
2018 CONCACAF League FINALS Home team first, times are CT Thursday, October 25 Herediano (CRC) 2-0 Motagua (HON) Thursday, November 1 Motagua (HON) 2-1 Herediano (CRC) Herediano advances on aggregate, 3-2. Herediano will take part in the 2019 CCL.
The 2019 CONCACAF League and 2020 CONCACAF Champions League are going to change. The 2019 CONCACAF League will increase to 22 teams with a qualifying round in July. The 5 Central American champions will now have to start in the CL instead of going straight into the CCL. The Canadian Premier League champion (or however they pick a team this year) will also be added to the CL. Only 10 teams will qualify directly to the 2020 CCL: 4 Mexico, 4 USA, the Canadian Championship winner and the Caribbean Football Union Champion. The other six will be the 2019 CL winner and the next five best teams from that tournament. This probably means more Costa Rican, Honduran, and Panamanian teams in the CCL but we shall see.
It comes across like typical CONCACAF corruption and assumption of who should win. As I understand it CAFU has 5 auto slots and CFU just one, meanwhile the two North American leagues get 4 teams each to the final 16. CFU and CAFU then compete in CL for one slot. I assume CFU said this is bull, you should put your 5 slots up for competition, and instead we just added 5 more CL slots plus the Canadian. I fully expect when CAFU dominates the CL slots and has as many teams as North America that we will then freak out. And CFU will be even more cranky when it has 1 or 2 teams and CAFU like 10. They need to go back to a true Champions League, or only very few automatic bids and everyone else to CL to qualify like Europe. I wouldn't mind if it just worked out that MLS, MX, CAFU dominated, but through a competitive process. This instead is people playing games so they can skip stages. I assume at least part of the problem is putting 8 MLS and MX teams automatically through at which point I am sure everyone else gets grabby too. I think it needs to be more like it used to be, 1 or 2 MLS/MX automatic slots and then we get other teams in but they go through qualifying. And then they need to balance out CFU and CAFU better.
One sticking point to what you speak on is the voting block that is the Caribbean nations all sticking together for mutual benefit. Thus, what is the "right" thing to do for growing the CCL is not done. Nor is just mirroring what is traditional in the UCL. The Caribbean lads make sure to get their interests in first and then let the chips fall where they may. This is why MLS and Liga MX head honchos are talking about a return to something like the old SuperLiga, thus having what their federations desire and excluding the Windies (to borrow the term from Cricket for all the island nations in the Caribbean combined in sport).
I could see Superliga being let's shrink the automatic CCL spots and then "I will fight you for the rest." Which is basically what CAFU and CFU seemed to have done. It's a fool's bet because the likely result is a CAFU rout. My thing is this tournament shouldn't be about annointing pre-decided winners but instead broad champion representation and decide it on the field. MLS and MX get their winners and then some. CAFU basically get their winners in and now will start to send second or maybe third teams. And then CFU sends a regional champion for a bunch of nations. So not even all their champions. So it's not a champions league because we send also rans and other countries can't even get their winners in. I get UEFA has qualifying rounds and in a sense not everyone gets their champions through to the groups. But they make the lesser qualifiers from even big dog countries play in qualifying at at least some stage. I'd be content to go back to the old format c. 2010. I think what you are talking about, while often liked by soccer snobs, is a made for TV spectacle and not really an open sports competition. To me it's not a real international competition if you constrain it down to a few countries before it really begins. And let me remind what happened with Superliga before. It is usually entertaining for a year or two when the big dogs are all pitted and then the shallow pool gets boring after a couple years. "Oh, Dynamo - Pachuca, again....." To me it says something about our region and it being corrupt, money oriented, favoring the favorites, that we basically construct it to deliver a result. I like a system where Aberdeen or Porto can surprise once in a while.
There is a new format for the League and the Champions League. 22 teams will enter the CONCACAF league. 6 of them will advance to the CONCACAF Champions League. Only 10 teams will directly qualify for the CCL. Qualification 2019 CONCACAF League Preliminary Round CRC3: Saprissa (Best aggregate record non-champion) HON3: Olimpia (Best aggregate record non-champion) PAN3: TBD (Best aggregate record non-champion) SLV2: TBD (2019 Clausura winner) SLV3: Alianza (Best aggregate record non-champion) GUA2: TBD (2019 Clausura winner) GUA3: TBD (Best aggregate record non-champion) NCA2: Managua (2018 Apertura winner) BLZ1: Belmopan Bandits (Champion with better aggregate record) CFU3: TBD (2019 Caribbean Club third place) CFU4: TBD (2019 Caribbean Club playoff) CAN2: TBD (CPL qualification winner) Round of 16 CRC1: Herediano (2018 Apertura winner) CRC2: TBD (2019 Clausura winner) HON1: Motagua (2018 Apertura winner) HON2: TBD (2019 Clausura winner) PAN1: Tauro (2018 Apertura winner) PAN2: TBD (2019 Clausura winner) SLV1: Santa Tecla (2018 Apertura winner) GUA1: CD Guastatoya (2018 Apertura winner) NCA1: TBD (2019 Clausura winner) CFU2: TBD (2019 Caribbean Club runner-up) The Preliminary Round is in July. The Round of 16 starts in August. 2020 CONCACAF Champions League MEX1: Club America (2018 Apertura winner) MEX2: TBD (2019 Clausura winner) MEX3: Cruz Azul (2018 Apertura runner-up) MEX4: TBD (2019 Clausura runner-up) USA1: TBD (2019 MLS Cup winner) USA2: TBD (2019 MLS Supporter Shield winner) USA3: TBD (2019 MLS other conference winner) USA4: TBD (2019 U.S. Open Cup winner) CAN1: TBD (2019 Canadian Champion) CFU1: TBD (2019 Caribbean Club Champion) CL: 2019 CONCACAF League 1st CL: 2019 CONCACAF League 2nd CL: 2019 CONCACAF League 3rd CL: 2019 CONCACAF League 4th CL: 2019 CONCACAF League 5th CL: 2019 CONCACAF League 6th NOTE: BOLD have clinched a spot but some of the seeding can still switch around within federations.
The CL field is almost complete. Still a long way to go for the CCL. Qualification 2019 CONCACAF League Preliminary Round CRC3: Saprissa (Best aggregate record non-champion) HON3: Marathon (Best aggregate record non-champion) PAN3: TBD (Best aggregate record non-champion) SLV2: Santa Tecla (aggregate table standings) SLV3: Aguila (Best aggregate record non-champion) GUA2: TBD (2019 Clausura winner) GUA3: Communicaciones (Best aggregate record non-champion) NCA2: Real Esteli (2019 Clausura winner) BLZ1: Belmopan Bandits (Champion with better aggregate record) CFU3: Capoise (HAI) (2019 Caribbean Club third place) CFU4: Robinhood (SUR) (2019 Caribbean Club playoff) CAN2: TBD (CPL qualification winner) Round of 16 CRC1: San Carlos (2019 Clausura winner) CRC2: Herediano (2018 Apertura winner) HON1: Motagua (2018 Apertura winner) HON2: Olimpia (2019 Clausura winner) PAN1: Tauro (2018 Apertura winner) PAN2: TBD (2019 Clausura winner) SLV1: Alianza (2018 Apertura winner) GUA1: CD Guastatoya (2018 Apertura winner) NCA1: Managua (2018 Apertura winner) CFU2: Waterhouse (JAM) (2019 Caribbean Club runner-up) The Draw in May 30. The Preliminary Round is in July. The Round of 16 starts in August. 2020 CONCACAF Champions League MEX1: Club America (2018 Apertura winner) MEX2: UANL or Leon (2019 Clausura winner) MEX3: Cruz Azul (2018 Apertura runner-up) MEX4: UNAL or Leon (2019 Clausura runner-up) USA1: TBD (2019 MLS Cup winner) USA2: TBD (2019 MLS Supporter Shield winner) USA3: TBD (2019 MLS other conference winner) USA4: TBD (2019 U.S. Open Cup winner) CAN1: TBD (2019 Canadian Champion) CFU1: Portmore Utd (JAM) (2019 Caribbean Club Champion) CL: 2019 CONCACAF League 1st CL: 2019 CONCACAF League 2nd CL: 2019 CONCACAF League 3rd CL: 2019 CONCACAF League 4th CL: 2019 CONCACAF League 5th CL: 2019 CONCACAF League 6th NOTE: BOLD have clinched a spot but some of the seeding can still switch around within federations.