After the Club World Cup and Gold Cup, the Leagues Cup closes off a fever summer

The 2025 Leagues Cup, a competition between the best MLS and Liga MX teams is the the third major soccer tournament in the United States this summer. Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, soccer fever is already brewing in the United States, with the Club World Cup, the Gold Cup preceding the competition between the two best leagues in North America.

The highest profile tournament of the summer was the first Club World Cup in an expanded version with 32 teams, which ended with the title going to Chelsea of England. Despite much uncertainty going into the new tournament, FIFA claimed that an average of 39,557 fans showed up at each match (63 games) and a total attendance of nearly 2.5 million spectators.

81,118 fans at MetLife Stadium saw the Londonders outclass the highly fancied PSG in the same venue that will hold the 2026 World Cup.

USA vs. Mexico in the Gold Cup

The 2025 Gold Cup final which pitted the United States against Mexico ended the regional Concacaf competition with the final between the regional rivals delivering a full house at NRG Stadium (Houston, Texas) with just over 70,000 spectators in attendance.

And finally, the Leagues Cup

The Leagues Cup is new competition that pits clubs from Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States and Canada against clubs from Liga MX, the top professional league in Mexico. It’s designed to foster competition between the major North American leagues and is sanctioned by CONCACAF.

For the 2025 edition, 36 clubs participate: all 18 Liga MX teams and 18 qualifying MLS teams (generally the top nine from each MLS conference from the previous season’s playoffs, with some exceptions).

Inter Miami were the winners in 2023 with Columbus Crew reigning champions in a tournament that has seen dominance by sides from north of the border.