Concacaf Champions Cup 2026: Preview, Predictions for Every Round of 16 Matchup

The 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup is forging ahead this week, with the 27-team competition cut to 16 for the second round bracket.

This round sees the seeded teams enter the fold, with MLS sides Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders, Liga MX’s Deportivo Toluca, Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant, and Costa Rica’s Alajuelense all having received a bye through the opening round.

The second round continues to carry the same format of two-legged ties, with the away goals rule still in effect to break the deadlock should teams be tied after 180 minutes.

Here, Sports Illustrated breaks down and predicts the outcomes of the eight round of 16 matchups, with teams battling for glory and a chance to play at the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.

The 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Bracket - Round of 16

Deportivo Toluca vs. San Diego FC

Leg 1: March 11 2026 | Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, Calif.
Leg: 2: March 18, 2026 | Estadio Nemesio Díez, Toluca de Lerdo

San Diego FC wasn’t given an easy road to their first Concacaf Champions Cup, but they enter the second round brimming with confidence. So far this season, they dismantled Liga MX’s Pumas UNAM 4–2 on aggregate to advance from round one and have three wins to open the MLS season, all clean sheets.

Led by 2025 MLS Newcomer of the Year Anders Dreyer, manager Mikey Varas’s side has a balanced approach and one that primarily threatens from the wings. Dreyer is already up to two goals and four assists across all competitions this season. He has proven to be everything San Diego hoped Mexico international Hirving Lozano would be.

36 games.
20 goals. 20 assists.
Second-fastest in @MLS history. pic.twitter.com/gYRKOfXWti
— San Diego FC (@sandiegofc) March 3, 2026

Aside from Dreyer, 2026 has already been a breakout year for 19-year-old goalkeeper Duran Ferree with clean sheets in his first three career MLS starts. At the same time, young defenders, 20-year-old Manu Duah and 19-year-old Luca Bombino, have been stellar.

The team faces a momentous task against Toluca, who enters the competition after winning the Apertura this season and currently sitting second after 10 games in the 2025-26 Clausura.

To find success, San Diego will need to shut down Paulinho, who sits second in Liga MX scoring with six goals, as well as Marcel Ruíz, who has been a versatile force in central midfield and a key to the club’s success over the last two seasons.

Toluca are the undoubted favorites here and will likely have plenty of fans at the first leg in San Diego, helping set the tone for the tie. Unfortunately for the Chrome and Azul, this is likely the end of their inaugural Concacaf Champions Cup campaign.

Prediction: Deportivo Toluca advances to play LA Galaxy in the quarterfinal.

Mount Pleasant vs. LA Galaxy

Leg 1: March 11, 2026 | Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, Calif.
Leg: 2: March 19, 2026 | National Stadium, Kingston

The LA Galaxy qualified for the Champions Cup as the third-place finisher from the 2025 Leagues Cup, despite finishing bottom of the Western Conference in the worst season in club history. Yet, after a slight scare against Panama’s San Miguelito in round one, they have the quarterfinals within sight.

To get there, the six-time MLS Cup champions will need to eliminate Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant FC, who won the first edition of the Caribbean Cup to qualify for the competition. However, It’s tough to gauge just how tough the test may be.

Last week, The Athletic reported that several players were facing Visa issues entering the U.S. to play the first leg against the Galaxy.

The Jamaican Premier League side has six Haitian players, and Haiti is one of 19 countries whose citizens are banned from entering the United States by President Donald Trump. Athletes, however, are supposed to be allowed to enter sporting competitions, even if fans are barred.

Mount Pleasant’s sporting director, Paul Christie, told the Jamaica Observer that the club may need to rely on “seven or eight academy kids” to make up the numbers, and that his side is “not being given the opportunity to be at our best.”

If Mount Pleasant lacks a full-strength squad, the Galaxy should advance swiftly. João Klauss has been a revelation since joining from St. Louis CITY SC and has four goals in three MLS games this season, while both Gabriel Pec and Marco Reus have rounded into form as of late.

If, for whatever reason, the Galaxy falters in that opening leg at home, they could be in for a scare in the second match in Kingston, Jamaica against a full-strength opponent.

Prediction: LA Galaxy advances to play Deportivo Toluca in the quarterfinal.

Cruz Azul vs. CF Monterrey

Agustín Palavecino has played a key role with Cruz Azul in Liga MX and the Champions Cup this season. | Elizabeth Ruiz Ruiz/Getty Images

Leg 1: March 10, 2026 | Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe
Leg: 2: March 17, 2026 | Estadio Cuauhtémoc, Puebla

Two heavyweights meet early in this year’s Champions Cup, with five-time champions CF Monterrey matching up against defending and seven-time winners, Cruz Azul.

Monterrey qualified for the second round with a 3–1 aggregate win over Guatemala’s Club Xelajú and meets their Mexico foes, who beat Canadian Premier League side Vancouver FC 8-0 on aggregate, in the first round, led by a hat trick from Luka Romero.

This matchup also marks the first time the two teams have met in the continental competition since their 2021 semifinal clash, when Monterrey prevailed 5–1 on aggregate.

Currently sitting atop the Liga MX Clausura with 25 points through 10 games, Cruz Azul is the favorite and will turn to Romero, as well as their José Paradela, who has five goals in Liga MX play. Argentine Carlos Rotondi remains a critical piece down the left side, and his countryman, Agustín Palavecino, enters the clash after a goal and an assist in the last match, a 3–1 win over Atlético San Luis.

Cruz Azul win their 7th Concacaf Champions Cup title! 🏆🇲🇽

They defeat Vancouver 5-0 in the Final 💪 pic.twitter.com/Ti2cAf2Bs8
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 2, 2025

Monterrey, meanwhile, sits ninth in Liga MX with 13 points in 10 games and will hope for standout attacking form from former FC Cincinnati winger Luca Orellano, who has three goals in league play this season.

While the two sides have a significant gap between them in Liga MX, the magic of the Concacaf Champions Cup always brings close matchups. Still, as much as Monterrey can challenge, Cruz Azul’s qualities in the competition should push them through.

Prediction: Cruz Azul advances to play LAFC in the quarterfinal.

Deportiva Alajuelense vs. LAFC

Son Heung-min, Stephen Eustàquio — Son Heung-min (left) and Stephen Eustáquio (right) bring UEFA Champions League experience to the Champions Cup. | Tim Warner/Getty Images

Leg 1: March 10, 2026 | BMO Stadium, Los Angeles, Calif.
Leg: 2: March 17, 2026 | Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto, Alajuela

The LAFC show heads to Costa Rica, with Son Heung-min and Stephen Eustáquio bringing their UEFA Champions League experience to the second round of the Concacaf Champions Cup.

The Black and Gold were dominant in the opening round of the competition, with a 7–1 aggregate win over Honduras-based side, Real España, while their opponents, LD Alajuelense, enter the fray after a third-straight Concacaf Central American Cup title.

Led by first-year manager Marc Dos Santos, who has built his team into an unrelenting possession-based side this season, LAFC will be the heavy favorites, even if they do not play superstars Son, Eustàquio and Denis Bouanga through the full two matches.

After three games in the MLS season, the team has proven versatile and not completely reliant on its top stars, showcasing immense depth and a variety of attacking tactics while conceding no goals.

Former MLS striker Ronaldo Cisneros will lead the line for the Costa Rican giants and hopes to continue the form that has him with four goals and an assist in 11 Liga FPD matches this season. Costa Rica international Ronald Matarrita will also be vital, offering consistency at left-back.

Costa Rican sides usually offer one of the toughest tests for MLS teams in the Champions Cup, and many others may struggle to advance. LAFC, however, is one of the best MLS sides in 2026 and should have zero issues.

Prediction: LAFC advances to play Cruz Azul in the quarterfinal.

Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC

Lionel Messi — Messi has three goals in three MLS games so far. | Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

Leg 1: March 11, 2026 | Geodis Park, Nashville, Tenn.
Leg: 2: March 18, 2026 | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Moments after winning the 2025 MLS Cup, Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas stated that winning the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup was the next priority.

In the offseason, it was evident that every move the club made had that mission in mind, highlighted by the $15 million acquisition of former Monterrey striker Gérman Berterame.

Given its MLS Cup title, Lionel Messi’s side earned a bye through the first round. Nashville SC thrashed Canadian Premier League champions, Atlético Ottawa, 7-0 aggregate in round one to advance.

Neither side has it easy in this one, and Nashville will certainly be looking for revenge after Miami defeated them in the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs and 2023 Leagues Cup final. This time around, Nashville boasts a potent attacking group of MLS Golden Boot leader Sam Surridge, as well as last year’s key-pass leader Cristian Espinoza and 2022 MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar.

Patrick Yazbek finds Sam Surridge for a quick finish in front of the goal!@NashvilleSC leads 1-0 at home.

Watch on Apple TV: https://t.co/fbaGBOsJh1 pic.twitter.com/ZeNXyxOmzm
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 8, 2026

At the same time, manager B.J. Callaghan’s side has developed depth and attacking variety, with 21-year-old Warren Madrigal already a breakout star on the left wing after joining in the offseason.

For Miami, the focus remains on Messi. Despite its best efforts, the team continues to rely on the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner to power their attacks and have struggled to get Berterame and other attackers flowing.

Telasco Segovia, Mateo Silvetti, and Rodrigo De Paul have each had flashes over the last two weeks, with a 4–2 win over Florida foes Orlando City and a 2–1 win over D.C. United. Yet, as much as those games showed attacking abilities, they also highlighted the defensive issues that remain.

Nashville should be confident. They’ve got cohesion, multiple threats and a solid defense. Overall, they're better than any team Miami has faced this season and should be able to pull off the upset ... if you can even call it that at this point.

Prediction: Nashville SC advances to play Club América in the quarterfinal.

Club América vs. Philadelphia Union

Brian Rodríguez led Club América with seven goals in the Liga MX Apertura. | Emiliano Morales/Jam Media/Getty Images

Leg 1: March 10, 2026 | Subaru Park, Chester, Pa.
Leg: 2: March 18, 2026 | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

This isn’t the usual Club América, as the Liga MX giants and seven-time Concacaf champions sit eighth in the Liga MX Clausura and enter the round of 16 after eliminating Honduras’s Club Olimpia 2–1 on aggregate in the first round.

Víctor Dávila and Brian Rodríguez had the goals in that matchup and could be relied upon again, as Las Águilas take on another club that isn’t quite living up to their previous lofty standards, the Philadelphia Union.

After winning the 2025 Supporters’ Shield as the best team in the 2025 MLS regular season, the Union bid farewell to several key players and have looked like a shell of their former selves in 2026, with three losses to start the MLS season.

The Union’s best moments so far have come in the Champions Cup. In the last round, they thrashed Trinidad and Tobago’s Defence Force FC 12-0 on aggregate and 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan scored his first senior goals for the club. At the same time, his second leg performance made him the youngest player to score a brace in the Champions Cup at just 16 years, four months, and 29 days.

Despite his prominent role in the last round, expect manager Bradley Carnell to limit Sullivan’s minutes against a team like Club América. Instead, the Union will rely on central midfielder Jovan Lukić and striker Bruno Damiani to create attacks, while Jamaica international Andre Blake remains vital between the sticks.

Neither side has played convincing soccer as of late, and both are likely looking at the Champions Cup as a chance to find some momentum and happier moments, making this one a bit of a toss-up. Still, América likely has the more established talent and a better history in the competition, making them the favorite to advance.

Prediction: Club América advances to play Nashville SC in the quarterfinal.

Tigres UANL vs. FC Cincinnati

Kévin Denkey, Juan Brunetta — Kévin Denkey (left) and Juan Brunetta (right) met in last year’s Champions Cup clash between FC Cincinnati and Tigres UANL. | Hugo Rivera/Jam Media/Getty Images

Leg 1: March 12, 2026 | TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Leg: 2: March 19, 2026 | Estadio Universitario, San Nicolás de los Garza

Tigres UANL might be sixth in Liga MX heading into the round of 16 against FC Cincinnati, but should be seen as massive favorites, given Cincinnati’s struggles to produce attacks in MLS this season.

While Cincinnati dominated Dominican club O&M FC, 13-0 on aggregate, they have been overly reliant on star Designated Player midfielder, Evander, in MLS play. Without him, they fell to Minnesota United and recently fell 1–0 to Toronto FC, after he returned from injury late in the matchup.

Although Evander will likely be in the starting lineup for both games against Tigres, the talent around him, including club-record transfer Kévin Denkey, likely isn’t enough to pose a significant challenge.

For Tigres, who defeated the Canadian Premier League’s Forge FC 4–1 in the first round, it's a story of depth, rather than top-tier form. Former Atlético Madrid star Ángel Correa has 11 goals in league play since joining last summer, while Juan Brunetta and Diego Lainez offer consistent threats and experience.

Between the sticks, no keeper thrives in the chaos that can come in the Champions Cup better than Nahuel Guzmán, known for his antics on penalty kicks and other key moments. Even at 40 years old, he’s had eight clean sheets in 17 starts in league play so far.

This tie is a rematch of last year’s round of 16, when Tigres UANL advanced 4-2 on aggregate. This season, it looks like it might fall the same way.

Prediction: Tigres UANL advances to play Vancouver Whitecaps in the quarterfinal.

Seattle Sounders vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

Leg 1: March 12, 2026 | BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, BC
Leg: 2: March 18, 2026 | One Spokane Stadium, Spokane, Wa.

No team has enjoyed as much success in the last year asVancouver Whitecaps, who made the finals in the 2025 MLS Cup, 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup and won the club’s fourth-straight Canadian Championship. This year, they’re looking to finish the job in MLS and the Champions Cup.

So far, so good. The Canadian side advanced past Costa Rica’s C.S. Cartaginés in the opening round and has three wins in MLS play, most recently knocking off Cascadia Cup rivals Portland Timbers, 4–1. Luckily for them, it’s another Cascadia foe in the round of 16, facing 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup winners, Seattle Sounders.

For Vancouver, the key will be Brian White’s continued form after he scored a brace against Portland, as well as how USMNT World Cup hopeful Sebastian Berhalter controls the midfield and creates set-piece opportunities. German legend Thomas Müller has also been influential since arriving last summer, with 10 goals and three assists across his first 15 MLS matches.

NEWS | ONE Spokane Stadium will host our 2026 @TheChampions Round of 16 match while Lumen Field undergoes preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

MORE ➡️ https://t.co/C6PJptmkTf pic.twitter.com/agia7Yr5Bn
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) January 14, 2026

The Sounders bring plenty of weapons into the tie as well, with Albert Rusnák leading the charge in the attack alongside Jesús Ferreira, while their own USMNT World Cup hopeful midfielder, Cristian Roldan, controls the center of the park.

Yet, even with the rivalry and Seattle's knack for cup games, Vancouver looks to be the favorite, given their dominance over the past year. At the same time, Seattle effectively play two away matches, having relocated their “home” second leg to the 5,000-person-capacity One Spokane Stadium due to World Cup renovations at Lumen Field.

Prediction: Vancouver Whitecaps advances to play Tigres UANL in the quarterfinal.