The one thing that's been skipped over so far is that the final is now a single game instead of a home and away. That seems like an odd choice to make and I'm not a fan. Why not have a two leg final when everything else in the knock out round is two legs?
Home-away final is waaaay less appealing. There is a reason why football world uses one-legged final in almost every knockout competition. I was even expecting them to introduce final 4 tournament. And, this one-legged final is the only thing I like about this new format.
How so (I ask honestly)? Having seen my team go to the final in the CCL it was great to have a home game in Toronto and an away game in Mexico. It seems more fair and it gives both sets of fans a home game. I see this as way more appealing than giving one team a massive advantage and leaving one set of fans entirely out of it.
Whilst I am happy CCL has been expanded - more teams need more continental experience - this certainly isn't a format I like (right now, I actually hate it!). It will be interesting how the spots will be allocated for North America. Something like?: 8 MEX (2x Apertura Finalists, 2x Clausura Finalists, 2x Cup Winners, 2x Overall Table*) 8 USA (2x MLS Cup Finalists, 2x Regular Season Conference Champions, 1x US Open Cup Winner, 3x Regular Season*) 3 CAN^ (1x Cup Winner, 1x CPL Champion, 1x Regual Season Winner*) ^Canadian teams can also qualify via MLS slots *Full Season table used for hand-down spots incase of double qualification 1 Leagues Cup (Made up of next best non-qualified teams - 8 MEX & 8 MLS) On the subject of Leagues Cup - It would be nice if CPL teams got invited by 2023. Say 7 MEX, 7 MLS & 2 CPL with their allocation increasing if the CPL expands and/or able to consistantly defeat MEX/USA teams.
They won't be. The 3 Canadian MLS clubs don't want to give CPL more exposure as CPL just ended their monopoly in Canada.
Hey, if it's good enough for England ... I doubt they'd be bothered at all. And if CPL succeeds, then it's in their benefit, as anything that grows the sport in Canada is good for everyone. Also gives them a bigger talent pool for young players, as well as a convenient spot to lend players who are Canada-based.
I cannot believe how hard Central America got screwed. CCL expands and they get FEWER teams in the knockout. There are 5 this year: Alajuelense (CR), Saprissa (CR), Olimpia (Hon), Marathon (Hon), and Esteli (Nic). Though I guess a lot more at the play-in/group stage. I'd like to see the play-in berths more open. Not regionalized.
I was trying to figure out what this Leagues Cup was. I had thought it was just a renamed CONCACAF League. I like the idea of the next best non-qualifiers. I'll be interested to see how this goes. Maybe more elevation of the Caribbean game. Having been there extensively, I'd like to see better club organization down there. Exposure may help. I'll be happy if there is more parity with Liga MX.
They'll hardly elevate their game as they will keep on playing against other Caribbean teams (two more matches for teams eliminated compared to current Caribbean format) and winner will end their "continental" campaing in round of 16, against first serious opponent, just like is the case since this Champions League cup format was introduced.
Basically they drop from 7 Central American/Caribbean clubs to 5 in the round of 16. The Caribbean may be even more screwed. With North America going from 9 to 11 spots. (ignoring that Canada now can't get one of the Concacaf League spots) At the same time, the tournament almost seems a bit homogeneous until the round of 16. I wonder if aa round of 32 is the solution. Or perhaps a round of 24, with with the 8 North American/Central American group winners getting a bye. Still, I think it's progress. And the one thing we know ... is that 5 years from now, it will be changing again!
You are totally correct, but CONCACAF did a lot of good things - The new Central America and Caribbean Cups are nice additions.
I'm late to the party on the new CCL format, but overall, I think this is a huge improvement. First off, CONCACAF had to offer something for Mexico, US and Canada - the nations that finance the CCL. Regionalized group stages + creating new Central America and Caribbean Cups is brilliant. Yes, Central American clubs got screwed, but the competition to get past the group stage should be intense. I think the obvious tweak is the create a new round of competition between the top 3 3rd place North American finishers, 2 remaining Central American Clubs (the four losers of the play-in stage could face off) and the 2nd place Caribbean Cup club. A home and home series among these 6 clubs for the three remaining CCL slots.
I see that the new format won't feature a group stage, it's just an expansion of existing 16-team K.O. tournament to a 27-team K.O. tournament. What happened?
Remember a phrase that we brought up four years ago when Concacaf rolled out the new group-stage-free, CL/CCL format? "It solves nothing... but it gives everyone something"? Pretty much the same here
I think they're expecting another moneyspinner like the Gold Cup final in Vegas. Agreed that two sold out (ideally at least) home stadiums are much better
Have to update this: Concacaf already announced that from this year (2022) on, the CCL's returning to the 2-leg Final.
And UEFA president announces possible final 4 tournament for the UCL. I expect Concacrap to follow it immediately UEFA confirms it (and I am sure it will, pandemic final 8 was awesome).
WTF is goin on here, I'm completely confused at all this nonsense So lemme get this straight: The CCL expanded to reintroduce a group stage. Then they nixed it to just add more KO ties. What the hell What a clown show. How could anyone care about this when they change the format every week