Phase One begins tonight 8/4/2026 Columbus Crew vs Atlas FC REF: Marco Antonio ORTIZ NAVA (MEX) AR1: Christian Kiabek ESPINOSA ZAVALA (MEX) AR2: Michel Alejandro MORALES MORALES (MEX) 4TH: Karen HERNÁNDEZ ANDRADE (MEX) VAR: Oscar MACÍAS ROMO (MEX) AVAR: Allen CHAPMAN (USA) FC Cincinnati vs Pachuca REF: Oshane NATION (JAM) AR1: Ojay DUHANEY (JAM) AR2: Stephanie-Dale YEE SING (JAM) 4TH: José Raúl TORRES RIVERA (PUR) VAR: Michael RADCHUK (USA) AVAR: Daneon PARCHMENT (JAM) Charlotte FC vs Pumas REF: Rubiel VÁZQUEZ (USA) AR1: Chris ELLIOTT (USA) AR2: Nick URANGA (USA) 4TH: Katia Itzel GARCÍA MENDOZA (MEX) VAR: José Carlos RIVERO (USA) AVAR: Shirley PERELLÓ (HON) Minnesota United FC vs FC Juárez REF: Alyssa PENNINGTON (USA) AR1: Meghan MULLEN (USA) AR2: Gabrielle LEMIEUX (CAN) 4TH: Julio LUNA (GUA) VAR: Erick Yair MIRANDA GALINDO (MEX) AVAR: Nelson SALGADO (HON) Tigres vs Real Salt Lake REF: Selvin BROWN (HON) AR1: Gerson ORELLANA (HON) AR2: Roney SALINAS (HON) 4TH: Pierre-Luc LAUZIÈRE (CAN) VAR: Jesús MONTERO (CRC) AVAR: Yasith MONGE (CRC) Vancouver Whitecaps vs Atlante FC REF: Katja KOROLEVA (USA) AR1: Felisha MARISCAL (USA) AR2: Kali SMITH (USA) 4TH: Pablo CAMACHO (CRC) VAR: David GÓMEZ (CRC) AVAR: Daniel RADFORD (USA)
8/5/2026 Inter Miami CF vs Atlético de San Luis REF: Saíd MARTÍNEZ (HON) AR1: Walter LÓPEZ (HON) AR2: Christian RAMÍREZ (HON) 4TH: Josué UGALDE (CRC) VAR: Allen CHAPMAN (USA) AVAR: Shirley PERELLÓ (HON) C.F. Monterrey vs Orlando City REF: Adonai ESCOBEDO GONZÁLEZ (MEX) AR1: Michel Ricardo ESPINOZA ÁVALOS (MEX) AR2: Leonardo Javier CASTILLO RODRÍGUEZ (MEX) 4TH: Fernando HERNÁNDEZ GÓMEZ (MEX) VAR: Daneon PARCHMENT (JAM) AVAR: Michael RADCHUK (USA) Nashville SC vs Club León REF: Sergio REYNA (GUA) AR1: Juan TIPAZ (GUA) AR2: Keytzel CORRALES (NCA) 4TH: Víctor Alfonso CÁCERES HERNÁNDEZ (MEX) VAR: David GÓMEZ (CRC) AVAR: Jesús MONTERO (CRC) FC Dallas vs Querétaro REF: Daniel QUINTERO HUITRÓN (MEX) AR1: Enríque Isaac BUSTOS DÍAZ (MEX) AR2: Karen Janett DÍAZ MEDINA (MEX) 4TH: Bryan LÓPEZ (GUA) VAR: Yasith MONGE (CRC) AVAR: Oscar MACÍAS ROMO (MEX) Toluca FC vs Seattle Sounders REF: Iván BARTON (SLV) AR1: David MORÁN (SLV) AR2: Henry PUPIRO (NCA) 4TH: Jefferson ESCOBAR (HON) VAR: Jorge Abraham CAMACHO PEREGRINA (MEX) AVAR: Edvin JURISEVIC (USA) Los Angeles Football Club vs Chivas de Guadalajara REF: César Arturo RAMOS PALAZUELOS (MEX) AR1: Alberto MORÍN MÉNDEZ (MEX) AR2: Marco Antonio BISGUERRA MENDIOLA (MEX) 4TH: Jesus Rafael LOPEZ VALLE (MEX) VAR: Erick Yair MIRANDA GALINDO (MEX) AVAR: José Carlos RIVERO (USA)
8/6/2026 New York City FC vs Santos Laguna REF: Andrew SAMUEL (TRI) AR1: Caleb WALES (TRI) AR2: Stefan TANAKA-FREUNDT (CAN) 4TH: Luis Enrique SANTANDER AGUIRRE (MEX) VAR: Allen CHAPMAN (USA) AVAR: Daneon PARCHMENT (JAM) Cruz Azul vs Philadelphia Union REF: Juan Gabriel CALDERÓN (CRC) AR1: Juan Carlos MORA (CRC) AR2: William ARRIETA (CRC) 4TH: Keylor HERRERA (CRC) VAR: Oscar MACÍAS ROMO (MEX) AVAR: David GÓMEZ (CRC) Chicago Fire FC vs Club Necaxa REF: Rosendo MENDOZA (USA) AR1: Ryan GRAVES (USA) AR2: José Ibrahim MARTÍNEZ CHAVARRÍA (MEX) 4TH: Carly SHAW-MacLAREN (CAN) VAR: Michael RADCHUK (USA) AVAR: José Carlos RIVERO (USA) Three other games TBA
8/6/2026 Austin FC vs Tijuana REF: Reon RADIX (GRN) AR1: Zachari ZEEGELAAR (SUR) AR2: Clinton HAYWARD (BER) 4TH: Kwinsi WILLIAMS (TRI) VAR: Daniel RADFORD (USA) AVAR: Nelson SALGADO (HON) Club América vs San Diego FC REF: Mario ESCOBAR (GUA) AR1: Luis VENTURA (GUA) AR2: Humberto PANJOJ (GUA) 4TH: Jon FREEMON (USA) VAR: Edvin JURISEVIC (USA) AVAR: Jorge Abraham CAMACHO PEREGRINA (MEX) Portland Timbers vs Puebla REF: Victor RIVAS (USA) AR1: Logan BROWN (USA) AR2: Jose DA SILVA (USA) 4TH: Steven MADRIGAL (CRC) VAR: Jesús MONTERO (CRC) AVAR: Yasith MONGE (CRC)
8/7/2026 Charlotte FC vs Atlas FC REF: Julio LUNA (GUA) AR1: Gerson ORELLANA (HON) AR2: Stephanie-Dale YEE SING (JAM) 4TH: Oshane NATION (JAM) VAR: Guillermo PACHECO LARIOS (MEX) AVAR: Nelson SALGADO (HON) Columbus Crew vs Pachuca REF: Filip DUJIC (CAN) AR1: Gérard-Kader LEBUIS (CAN) AR2: Gabrielle LEMIEUX (CAN) 4TH: Walter LÓPEZ CASTELLANOS (GUA) VAR: Allen CHAPMAN (USA) AVAR: Michael RADCHUK (USA) FC Cincinnati vs Pumas REF: Oliver VERGARA (PAN) AR1: Andrés VARGAS (PAN) AR2: Carlos FERNÁNDEZ (CRC) 4TH: Alyssa PENNINGTON (USA) VAR: Erick Yair MIRANDA GALINDO (MEX) AVAR: David GÓMEZ (CRC) Tigres vs Minnesota United FC REF: José Raúl TORRES RIVERA (PUR) AR1: Ojay DUHANEY (JAM) AR2: Roney SALINAS (HON) 4TH: Marco Antonio ORTIZ NAVA (MEX) VAR: José Carlos RIVERO (USA) AVAR: Anthony BRAVO (CRC) Vancouver Whitecaps vs FC Juárez REF: Karen HERNÁNDEZ ANDRADE (MEX) AR1: Sandra Elizabeth RAMÍREZ ALEMÁN (MEX) AR2: Danny SOJO (CRC) 4TH: Selvin BROWN (HON) VAR: Daneon PARCHMENT (JAM) AVAR: Oscar MACÍAS ROMO (MEX)
Chi v Nex 12'. I don't think that foul call going out was very good, plus an opportunity for a delayed whistle.
Rosendo Mendoza was originally supposed to referee tonight's Chicago-Necaxa Leagues Cup game, but he has been replaced by Katia García. pic.twitter.com/O4GdnMhx1D— Alex Calabrese (@amcalabrese12) August 7, 2026
My word these leagues cup referee kits are ugly. And was this really the best kit matchup they could do for Cruz Azul vs Philly??
Red card for Tijuana after disallowed goal for offside interfering with an opponent (thoughts?), the commentators report it was for “making physical contact with the referee”.
Thoughts on this one in Philadelphia last night? Not given on the field or via VAR. Excuse me??? How ISN'T this a penalty kick for the Philadelphia Union against Cruz Azul???I am shocked that the referee stuck with his initial call on the field!#doop | #LeaguesCup2026 pic.twitter.com/lnVu0WgzpC— Todd Lewis (@ItsAToddLife) August 7, 2026
On the field I sort of see how the ref gets there … he’s edge-on to the arm angle and can’t really see how extended it is from the body. From his angle it looks like a natural position. but VAR has to catch the hand-to-ball motion, surely?
Understood on the angle live from looking at it again, but that first replay is pretty clear and obvious to me for a VAR intervention.
The Tijuana game had actual mistaken idenity. Two Austin players smashed at TJ player, one Austin player was on a caution and Radix sent him for a 2CT. VAR slow mo shows it was the other player that made the most of the foul, so reveresd. On the denied goal... that was the right call. The 18 camera showed the offside, but not the advantage, and then the goal camera showed the offside player holding the arm of the defender while the defender was trying to clear the ball. So take those two pieces together = offside. I also liked that he stuck with the IFK to make it clear it was offside, as I don't think anyone would have bought a hold call. One of those weird plays where the hold was small enough to not be a foul, but strong enough to be an actual advantage I guess. Definitely an unusual play. BTW, I liked Radix. He is built like a linebacker, but has the fitness of... well of a FIFA referee I guess. I liked his confidence and his wild-eyed no-nonesnes approach. I love that he sent the dude for bumping him. Not sure how old he is, but he is the kind of guy that would do well if he came to the US. I remmber him from the COVID era--it seemed like he was getting better games back then (iirc, he even did the US once vs. Jamaica? Or T/T? some island nation). I was definitely hoping he'd come to the US if there was a PRO strike/lockout. This was the first post-COVID time I've seen him, and I'd say he has gotten better. Definitely more confident. I'd perfer him now for the US over Nation, based on this performance alone.
It was USA vs Jamaica (at the same stadium as this game!), notable from a refereeing perspective because he - I think it’s fair to say - missed a clear DOGSO in the first minute. This was before VAR came into CONCACAF WCQ.
8/8/2026 Orlando City vs León REF: Pablo CAMACHO (CRC) AR1: Jeriel VALVERDE (CRC) AR2: David MORÁN (SLV) 4TH: Saíd MARTÍNEZ (HON) VAR: Yasith MONGE (CRC) AVAR: Francia María GONZÁLEZ MARTÍNEZ (MEX) Inter Miami CF vs C.F. Monterrey REF: Bryan LÓPEZ (GUA) AR1: Juan TIPAZ (GUA) AR2: Keytzel CORRALES (NCA) 4TH: Sergio REYNA (GUA) VAR: Guillermo PACHECO LARIOS (MEX) AVAR: Daniel RADFORD (USA) Chivas de Guadalajara vs FC Dallas REF: Josué UGALDE (CRC) AR1: Luis GRANADOS (CRC) AR2: Henry PUPIRO (NCA) 4TH: Keylor HERRERA (CRC) VAR: Jesús MONTERO (CRC) AVAR: Marianela ARAYA (CRC) Real Salt Lake vs Atlante FC REF: Lizzet Amairany GARCÍA OLVERA (MEX) AR1: Alberto MORÍN MÉNDEZ (MEX) AR2: Geovany GARCÍA (SLV) Daniel QUINTERO HUITRÓN (MEX) VAR: Daneon PARCHMENT (JAM) AVAR: Benjamin WHITTY (CAY) Toluca FC vs LAFC REF: Víctor Alfonso CÁCERES HERNÁNDEZ (MEX) AR1: Michel Alejandro MORALES MORALES (MEX) AR2: Jorge Antonio SÁNCHEZ ESPINOZA (MEX) 4TH: Katja KOROLEVA (USA) VAR: Diana Stephanía PÉREZ BORJA (MEX) AVAR: Lukasz SZPALA (USA)
End of the game, Columbus leading Pachuca with a minute left. Dujic whistles a foul near the corner flag for Pachuca coming out; GK moves all they way past the 18 to set up the kick. Good news: Dujic made him move the ball back twice to closer to the original spot. GK tosses it back to the 18. Great news: Dujic gives a yellow for dissent. Less great: Then the GK proceeded to take the kick from the 18 anyway and so what was the point of any of it? The advantage was gained and the yellow impacted nothing.
Seems like the Mexican referees are more into the Leagues Cup than the American referees. The assignments are pretty one-sided. Maybe it evens out in R2.
Same game. A Pachuca goal was disallowed for offside. A video board replay in the stadium showed it clearly. Then VAR took at least 5 minutes to confirm. What the heck were they doing?
Of the assignments posted above, I count 7 Mexican referees and 6 MLS referees (5 Americans plus a Canadian, Dujic). Not sure how you’re coming to your conclusion.