Will MLS's Leagues Cup Domination Continue? Quarterfinal Matchups, Predictions

The business end of the annual Leagues Cup tournament between the best teams in MLS and their counterparts in Mexico’s Liga MX is here. The original field of 36 teams — 18 from each side of the Rio Grande — has been whittled down to eight, with the single-elimination quarterfinals kicking off on Tuesday before concluding with a pair of nationally televised games on Wednesday night. Here's an in-depth look at the four matchups, plus my picks to reach next week’s final four. Tuesday, Aug. 25 Monterrey vs. Chicago Fire (8:30 p.m. ET, Apple TV) The Fire went a perfect 3-0 in the first round — or Phase 1 — of the tournament, and have steadily improved under second-year coach Gregg Berhalter, who led the U.S. national team to the knockout stage at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Once one of MLS’s marquee franchises, Chicago returned to the playoffs last fall after an eight-season drought, and Berhalter’s team — which recently signed legendary Polish striker Robert Lewandowski from Barcelona — is currently third in the Eastern Conference, three points behind Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami with a game in hand. Los Rayados will be Lewandowski & Co.’s toughest opponent yet. Monterrey is third in Liga MX’s Apertura standings, and while they’re back in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2023, when they advanced to the final four, they have both the pedigree of a club that boasts five Mexican and five Concacaf titles all-time and prolific former Fire forward Hugo Cuypers, who headed south of the border shortly after Lewandowski’s arrival and will surely be extra motivated to eliminate his ex-employers. Still, Chicago is the lone quarter-finalist hosting a home match as opposed to playing at a neutral site. That’s a significant advantage even if the contest will be held at the club’s former home stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois instead of Soldier Field — and a major reason why MLS sides have won all three editions of the Leagues Cup since the expanded format was introduced in 2023. Pick: Fire Léon vs. Real Salt Lake (10:30 p.m. ET, Apple TV) Not only will RSL not be at their usual home in Sandy, Utah, Tuesday’s nightcap will be staged at the stadium of their chief MLS rival, the Colorado Rapids: in even thinner air than the Claret and Cobalt usually play in at the foot of the Wasatch Range, with a sea of green in the stands as Léon supporters are expected to make up the bulk of those in attendance. That’s part of the reason Pablo Mastroeni rested 10 starters over the weekend in Orlando to have them fresh for Léon — especially with RSL just one point above the playoff line in MLS’s Western Conference. With no guarantee of even getting the chance to make a title run in league play, prioritizing the Leagues Cup is a no-brainer, given that just reaching the final would be enough to secure a spot in next season’s Concacaf Champions Cup. Winning would snare RSL a round of 16 berth in addition to $2 million in prize money. The same goes for Léon. Los Esmeraldas are in a similar situation to RSL, just one point above the playoff line in Mexico and in danger of missing out on the Liguilla entirely. But Léon is the team in better form, having won six consecutive matches across both Liga MX and Leagues Cup. Add in the fact that RSL just sold prize teenager and U.S. men’s national team prospect Zavier Gozo to Premier League mainstay Crystal Palace, and this mountain is probably too tall for Diego Luna and his teammates to scale. Pick: Léon Wednesday, Aug. 26 Toluca vs. Austin FC (8:30 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX One/Apple TV) Wednesday’s neutral site action gets underway far from both central Mexico and central Texas, in (of all places) Harrison, New Jersey. That’s not likely to keep Toluca fans based all over the East Coast from coming out to support their team at the New York Red Bulls’ Sports Illustrated Stadium. Toluca, the Apertura and Clausura champions in 2025, are having another fine season in domestic play, trailing only Atlas and Liga MX  leaders Club América five matches into the new campaign. Although Austin stunned América on penalties to reach the last eight, upsetting the Red Devils to reach the Leagues Cup semis would be the highlight of an otherwise miserable season. Los Verdes fired coach Nico Estévez in May; they still sit 28th out of 30 MLS teams in the Supporters Shield standings. With Austin almost certain to miss the playoffs for the third time in four years, Toluca ought to get their best game. Even that might not be enough. Pick: Toluca Club América vs. Columbus Crew (10:30 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX One/Apple TV) The marquee match of the knockout stage pits Liga MX’s most successful, most popular and richest club — the Mexico City-based Aguilas — against the 2024 Leagues Cup champion Crew. This will be an away game for Columbus. With the LA Galaxy’s 27,000-seat Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. assigned hosting duties, the venue will be packed to the gills by fans proudly clad in yellow — and not for the three-time MLS Cup winners. They’d have their hands full even in Ohio’s capital. It’s been a nightmare 2026 for Columbus, which has won just five of its 21 MLS games this season and is 15th — dead last — in the East. The Crew, which just sold USA World Cup defender Max Arfsten to English second-tier team Middlesbrough, has lost three straight games going into Wednesday’s encounter. Meantime, América is all alone atop Liga MX’s Apertura table and the prohibitive favorite to claim its 17th Mexican title later this year. No wonder Los Aguilas are the bookies' overwhelming pick to advance even without their No. 10 — Arfsten’s U.S. teammate Alex Zendejas, who is still recovering from post-World Cup knee surgery. Pick: Club América