# MLS performance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup

Major League Soccer teams have participated in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (formerly the CONCACAF Champions League from 2008 to 2023) each season since 1997. As of 2023, MLS may send up to ten teams to the CONCACAF Champions Cup each season — up to six from the United States, up to one from Canada, and up to three through the Leagues Cup berths.
Under the Champions Cup's updated format starting in 2008–09, the first MLS team to finish first in its group was Real Salt Lake in 2010.
The first Champions League title won by an MLS side occurred in 2022, when Seattle Sounders FC defeated Mexico's UNAM 5–2 on aggregate in the final. Seattle was therefore the first MLS side to participate at the FIFA Club World Cup. Real Salt Lake, CF Montréal, Toronto FC, Los Angeles FC and Columbus Crew all also reached the final, with Real Salt Lake losing to Monterrey in 2011, CF Montréal to América in 2015, Toronto FC to Guadalajara in 2018, Los Angeles FC to UANL in 2020, León in 2023 and Columbus Crew to Pachuca in 2024, respectively.

## Performance by round

The following table shows the number of MLS participants in the Champions Cup each season, as well as the number of MLS teams that have reached various stages in the knockout rounds. MLS teams performed poorly during the first two years, as fixture congestion from the Superliga tournament as well as CONCACAF Champions League preliminary rounds meant that MLS teams often fielded teams without their first choice players.
Beginning in 2018, the Champions League format was changed to eliminate group play and the knockout round started with sixteen teams rather than eight. Beginning in 2024, the format was expanded to include five knockout rounds and twenty-seven teams.
| Tournament | Participants | Quarter- finalists | Semi- finalists | Finalists | Champions |
| 1997 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 1998 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1999 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| 2000 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2002 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| 2003 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 2004 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 2005 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 2006 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 2007 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| 2008 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| 2008–09 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2011–12 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| 2012–13 | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 2013–14 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2015–16 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 2018 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 2019 | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | — |
| 2020 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2021 | 5 | 5 | 1 | — | — |
| 2022 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 2024 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2025 | 10 | 4 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Notes:
* MLS sent only four teams to the Champions League in 2008–09 because the Canadian team, the Montreal Impact, played in the USL First Division at the time.

## Performance by opposition in knockout series

The following table shows the performance of MLS teams in the knockout rounds for each home-and-away series for opponents from various leagues. During the first nine seasons of the Champions League, MLS teams did not play any foreign teams in knockout stage other than Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama. With the change in tournament format in the 2018 season, specifically with the knockout rounds now including a round of 16, MLS teams have played knockout matches against a greater variety of countries.
In the Champions Cup knockout rounds, MLS teams have played Mexican teams more than any other country, in some years facing multiple matchups. Seattle's 2013 quarter-final win over Mexico's UANL was the first time since the Champions League format began in 2008–09 that an MLS team eliminated a Mexican team in the knockout rounds. Montreal repeated the feat in 2015 when they beat Mexico's Pachuca in the quarter-finals. In 2018, Toronto FC and the New York Red Bulls both advanced to the semi-finals by beating Mexican teams, the first time that two MLS teams eliminated two Mexican teams in the same tournament. In 2020, Los Angeles FC became the first MLS team to eliminate three Mexican teams in the same tournament — beating Mexican opponents in the Round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals, before losing in the final to a Mexican team. MLS' improved performance against Mexican teams was attributed to MLS club academies focused on player development, and an increase in player salaries through the league's Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) program.
| Tournament | Mexico | Trinidad and Tobago | El Salvador | Honduras | Costa Rica | Guatemala | Panama | Jamaica | Dominican Republic | Nicaragua | Haiti | Canada |
| 1997 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998 | 2–0 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999 | 0–1 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | 2–0 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | 1–3 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | 0–2 | — | — | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | 1–0 | — | — | 0–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | 0–1 | — | — | — | 0–1 | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — | 0–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | 0–2 | — | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | 0–1 | — | — | — | 0–1 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — |
| Subtotal | 3–10 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 6–0 | 2–8 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–09 | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | 0–1 | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | 0–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | 1–3 | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | 0–3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | 1–1 | — | — | — | 1–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | 0–4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | 0–2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Subtotal | 2–18 | — | — | — | 3–1 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | 3–3 | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | — | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | 1–4 | — | — | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — |
| 2020 | 3–3 | — | — | 1–2 | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | 1–4 | — | — | 1–0 | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | — |
| 2022 | 3–2 | — | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — | — | — | — | 1–0 | — |
| 2023 | 1–2 | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0–1 | — |
| 2024 | 2–7 | — | — | — | 2–0 | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | — | 1–0 |
| 2025 | | — | — | | | | — | | — | — | — | — |
| Subtotal | 14–25 | — | 2–0 | 5–2 | 9–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Totals | 19–54 (26%) | 5–0 (100%) | 3–0 (100%) | 11–2 (85%) | 13–9 (59%) | 5–2 (71%) | 4–2 (67%) | 3–0 (100%) | 2–0 (100%) | 1–0 (100%) | 1–1 (50%) | 1–0 (100%) |

## CONCACAF Club Ranking

In 2023, CONCACAF released a new club ranking system ahead of the revamped Champions Cup and regional competitions. It replaced the former CONCACAF Club Index as the method used to seed clubs in international competitions. A modified Elo rating system, MLS teams receive updated ratings from results in MLS, Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, US Open Cup, and Club World Cup matches, with more weight placed on international matches.
    As of August 26, 2024
| Rank | Club | Points |
| 1 | Columbus Crew | 1,253 |
| 2 | America | 1,235 |
| 3 | Tigres UANL | 1,231 |
| 4 | Pachuca | 1,228 |
| 5 | Los Angeles FC | 1,226 |
| 6 | Monterrey | 1,226 |
| 7 | Inter Miami CF | 1,214 |
| 8 | Cruz Azul | 1,212 |
| 9 | Guadalajara | 1,207 |
| 10 | Toluca | 1,205 |
| 11 | León | 1,200 |
| 12 | UNAM | 1,197 |
| 13 | Orlando City SC | 1,195 |
| 14 | FC Cincinnati | 1,195 |
| 15 | Seattle Sounders FC | 1,195 |
| 16 | New York Red Bulls | 1,195 |
| 17 | Philadelphia Union | 1,194 |
| 18 | LA Galaxy | 1,192 |
| 19 | New York City FC | 1,189 |
| 20 | Real Salt Lake | 1,188 |

## Performance by team

As of 2024, 27 MLS teams have appeared in the CONCACAF Champions Cup since MLS began sending teams to the competition in 1997.
Seattle Sounders FC became champions in 2022, ending Liga MX's winning streak in the competition since 2006. They were the fifth MLS club to make it to the final, following Real Salt Lake in 2011, Montreal Impact in 2015, Toronto FC in 2018 and Los Angeles FC in 2020.
Canadian teams in MLS – CF Montréal, Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC – qualify to the Champions Cup via a separate competition, the Canadian Championship, and they represent the Canadian Soccer Association. Starting in 2024, all three Canadian teams may also qualify through MLS or Leagues Cup. The only times MLS standings were used for Canadian teams qualification were the 2014 season to determine the 2015–16 Champions League representative, as the Canadian Championship format was changed that season, and the 2020 season to determine the 2021 Champions League representative, as the 2020 Canadian Championship was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Starting in 2018, the group stage was removed, so MLS teams now started in the Round of 16 (first round). Starting in 2024, one or two MLS teams receive byes to the round of 16 (second round) while others enter in the first round of 22 teams.
    As of 2024 tournament
| Team | Apps | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Best Result |
| Atlanta United FC | 3 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 10 | +1 | Quarter-finals |
| Austin FC | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | –1 | Round of 16 |
| Chivas USA* | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | –2 | Preliminary round |
| Chicago Fire | 3 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 14 | +4 | Third place |
| FC Cincinnati | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 3 | +4 | Round of 16 |
| Colorado Rapids | 4 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 19 | –6 | Round of 16 |
| Columbus Crew | 5 | 27 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 35 | 38 | –3 | Final |
| FC Dallas | 3 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 27 | 25 | +2 | Semi-finals |
| D.C. United | 12 | 52 | 24 | 12 | 16 | 84 | 71 | +13 | Champions |
| Houston Dynamo FC | 8 | 40 | 15 | 11 | 14 | 48 | 48 | 0 | Semi-finals |
| Inter Miami CF | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 8 | –1 | Quarter-finals |
| LA Galaxy | 10 | 44 | 20 | 11 | 13 | 74 | 57 | +17 | Champions |
| Los Angeles FC | 2 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 24 | 12 | +12 | Final |
| CF Montréalǂ | 4 | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 27 | 26 | +1 | Final |
| Nashville SC | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 5 | +5 | Round of 16 |
| New England Revolution | 5 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 18 | 25 | –7 | Quarter-finals |
| New York City FC | 2 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 17 | +2 | Semi-finals |
| New York Red Bulls | 5 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 27 | 19 | +8 | Semi-finals |
| Orlando City SC | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 6 | +3 | Round of 16 |
| Philadelphia Union | 3 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 23 | 22 | +1 | Semi-finals |
| Portland Timbers | 3 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 19 | +12 | Quarter-finals |
| Real Salt Lake | 3 | 22 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 34 | 22 | +12 | Final |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 4 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 0 | Quarter-finals |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 7 | 46 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 72 | 59 | +13 | Champions |
| St. Louis City SC | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | Round one |
| Sporting Kansas City | 6 | 30 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 40 | 41 | –1 | Semi-finals |
| Toronto FCǂ | 7 | 34 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 46 | 45 | +1 | Final |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FCǂ | 4 | 18 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 24 | 25 | –1 | Semi-finals |
ǂ – team represents Canada * – team folded Apps – CCC appearances Pld – games played W, D, L – wins, draws, losses GF, GA, GD – goals for, goals against, goal difference
MLS performance since the beginning of the Champions League era :
| Team | Apps | 08–09 | 09–10 | 10–11 | 11–12 | 12–13 | 13–14 | 14–15 | 15–16 | 16–17 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 8 | • | • | GS | QF | SF | • | • | QF | • | QF | • | R16 | • | C | • | • | R16 |
| Toronto FC | 7 | • | PR | GS | SF | GS | • | • | • | • | F | R16 | • | QF | • | • | • | • |
| Houston Dynamo FC | 6 | QF | GS | • | • | QF | GS | • | • | • | • | QF | • | • | • | • | R16 | • |
| LA Galaxy | 6 | • | • | PR | QF | SF | QF | • | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | Q |
| Columbus Crew | 5 | • | QF | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | QF | • | • | F | R16 |
| CF Montréal | 5 | QF | • | • | • | • | GS | F | • | • | • | • | QF | • | QF | • | • | • |
| New York Red Bulls | 5 | • | PR | • | • | • | • | GS | • | QF | SF | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| Sporting Kansas City | 5 | • | • | • | • | • | QF | GS | • | GS | • | SF | • | • | • | • | • | R1 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 5 | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | SF | • | • | • | • | • | QF | R1 | Q |
| Colorado Rapids | 4 | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | R16 | • | • | • | R16 | • | • | R1 |
| D.C. United | 4 | GS | GS | • | • | • | • | QF | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| Real Salt Lake | 4 | • | • | F | • | GS | • | • | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 |
| Atlanta United FC | 3 | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | • | QF | QF | QF | • | • | • | • |
| FC Dallas | 3 | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | SF | R16 | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| Los Angeles FC | 3 | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | • | F | • | • | F | • | Q |
| New England Revolution | 3 | PR | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | QF | • | QF | • |
| Philadelphia Union | 3 | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | SF | • | SF | R16 | • |
| Portland Timbers | 3 | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | • | GS | • | • | • | QF | • | • | • | • |
| FC Cincinnati | 2 | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | • | • | • | • | R16 | R16 |
| Inter Miami CF | 2 | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | • | • | • | QF | Q |
| New York City FC | 2 | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | • | • | • | QF | • | SF | • | • | • |
| Orlando City SC | 2 | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | • | • | • | • | • | • | R16 | R16 | • |
| Austin FC | 1 | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | • | R16 | • | • |
| Chivas USA | 1 | PR | • | • | • | • | • | Team dissolved | Team dissolved | Team dissolved | Team dissolved | Team dissolved | Team dissolved | Team dissolved | Team dissolved | Team dissolved | Team dissolved | Team dissolved |
| Nashville SC | 1 | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | • | • | • | R16 | • |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 1 | • | • | • | • | • | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
| St. Louis City SC | 1 | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | R1 | • |

### Records

Biggest win: 8 goal margin D.C. United 8–0 Joe Public (1998 Quarter-finals)
Biggest defeat: 6 goal margin Atlético Morelia 6–0 Columbus Crew (2003 Quarter-finals, first leg) Pachuca 6–0 Philadelphia Union (2024 Round of 16, second leg)

## Other continental competitions

MLS teams have participated in other continental competitions.

### Copa Sudamericana

* 2005 — D.C. United played in the Round of 16, where they lost 3–4 in aggregate over two legs (1–1, 2–3) to Chile's Universidad Católica.
* 2007 — D.C. United played in the Round of 16, where they lost 2–2 on aggregate on away goals (2–1, 0–1) to Mexico's Guadalajara.