Concacaf – Inside World Football

Real CD España have a mountain to climb at free-scoring LAFC

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:26:09 +0000

February 25 – Los Angeles FC return home for the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup tie knowing that only an upset of epic proportion will stop them advancing to the last 16 after a 6-1 demolition of Real CD España in Honduras last week.

The Black and Gold were in imperious form in what was their first competitive game of the season, and seem to be enjoying life under their new head coach,

Nashville in driving seat against newcomers Atletico Ottawa

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:15:30 +0000

February 25 – Nashville are on a roll. Having beaten Atletico Ottawa last week in at TD Place Stadium in Canada, they then opened their MLS campaign with an impressive 4-1 hammering of the New England Revolution at Geodis Park.

In both matches Sam Surridge found the back of the net – once against Ottawa and twice against the Revolution. While Surridge has immediately hot his goalscoring stride, Ottawa are adjusting to life after their,

Vancouver Whitecaps must now turn possession into goals to beat CS Cartaginés

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:10:54 +0000

February 25 – Vancouver Whitecaps FC head into the second leg against CS Cartaginés after a bruising 1st leg in Costa Rica that finished all square.

Without that precious away goal the Whitecaps will be under intense pressure to keep a clean sheet. One mistake will require them to score two goals.

Despite dominating the possession stat by a remarkable 75% to 25% and outshooting CS Cartaginés 15 to 7, the Canadian outfit could not break down a disciplined back line with Kevin Andrés Briceño outstanding between the posts.

Werder Bremen cancel US pre-season citing safety concerns and ‘immigration’ issues

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 03:04:43 +0000

February 23 – German club Werder Bremen have called off their summer tour of the United States because of safety concerns.

The Bundesliga club, which had planned to stage matches in Minnesota and Detroit, justified its withdrawal because of the political climate in Minneapolis and strong disagreement with the current US administration’s immigration policies.

A club spokesperson confirmed to The Athletic: “In Minnesota, two people were shot dead by state authorities.

LAFC and Inter Miami set record MLS attendance for season opener at Coliseum

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 01:10:03 +0000

February 23 – The opening matchday of the new Major League Soccer between Los Angeles FC and Inter Miami CF delivered a record-breaking 75,673 fans to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the largest crowd ever recorded for an MLS opening-weekend fixture.

It doesn’t hurt when the GOAT, Lionel Messi, comes to town, because records follow the Argentine around like silverware.

Saturday’s turnout also ranks as the second-highest standalone attendance in MLS history,

NYFC delay move to new Eithad Park stadium until Summer 2027

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:35:41 +0000

February 20 – New York City FC’s long-awaited move into Etihad Park will now come with a little more patience.

The club confirmed that the opening of Etihad Park has been pushed back by half a season and will now coincide with the start of Major League Soccer’s new 2027–28 calendar.

The first competitive match at the venue is scheduled for the summer of 2027, positioning the club with the league’s shift to a revised competition format and a first alignment with the world’s football calendar.

Chime hits MLS sponsorship note

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:27:45 +0000

February 20 – Major League Soccer (MLS) has announced a new multi-year deal with Chime, naming the digital banking platform the Official Retail Banking, Credit Card, and Debit Card Partner of the league in the United States, with the summer All-Star Game, its crown jewel.

The format of the All-Star Game has yet to be revealed but what is known is that Chime will be serving as the presenting partner and appearing on All-Star jerseys.

The post Chime hits MLS sponsorship note appeared first on Inside World Football.

LA Galaxy dominate but still have to come from behind at Sporting San Miguelito

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 04:18:17 +0000

February 20 – Los Angeles Galaxy struggled to find the back of the net in Panama but eventually came away with a draw and a crucial away goal in Panama.

The 2025 season was one to forget for the Los Angeles Galaxy as the MLS Cup Champions completely flamed out and returned one of the worst season records ever for a defending champion.

With a new campaign comes renewed hope in the form of the Concacaf Champions Cup and the 1st leg versus Sporting San Miguelito of Panama,

CSME strengthens grip on broadcast market with CONCACAF deal

Andy Elliott — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 13:04:41 +0000

February 19 – The newly-rebranded Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment (CSME) has strengthened its grip on the Canadian football broadcast landscape after agreeing a one-year extension with CONCACAF for exclusive domestic media rights.

As before, CSME, rebranded from Canadian Soccer Business (CSB), will sublicense coverage to OneSoccer, which remains the dedicated home for Concacaf’s top-level international and club competitions in Canada.

The timing of the deal is particularly significant for the women’s game,

CS Cartaginés rearguard keeps Whitecaps grounded

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:37:45 +0000

February 19 – Costa Rica’s CS Cartaginés held last year’s Champions Cup finalists to a 0-0 draw in the round one, first leg of their tie at Estadio Fello Meza, Cartago, Costa Rica.

It was a solid defensive performance from the Costa Rican side that won the competition in 1994 but have never played a Canadian club side before.

They were faced with a star-studded line up under head coach Jesper Sørensen that won a fourth straight Canadian Championship in 2025,

Philadelphia Union breach Defence Force’s resistance

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:20:14 +0000

February 19 – Philadelphia Union wasted no time stamping their authority on the Champions Cup with a 5-0 hammering of a shell-shocked Defence Force team in Trinidad and Tobago.

Defence Force did have passages of play, especially in the first half, but ultimately Philadelphia Union dominated where it mattered in front of goal with a shot count of 18 with nine on target. A total of 10 corners peppering the Defence Force rearguard.

Jabbari brace secures FC Cincinnati 4-0 first leg lead at O&M

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:20:10 +0000

February 19 – Two goals in the final 10 minutes from Ayoub Jabbari pushed FC Cincinnati to a 4-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League tie against O&M FC in the Dominican Republic.

O&M were making their debut in the competition and being 2-0 down at half time had battled valiantly to stay in the tie until Jabbari, on as a substitute, scored in the 86th minute and again two minutes into added time at Estadio Cibao FC in Santiago.

Fast starting LAFC hit Real España for six

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:50:49 +0000

February 17 – There are good starts to a game, and then there are dream starts. At Estadio Francisco Morazán in the capital of Honduras, San Pedro Sula, LAFC had the latter.

After just 55 seconds when David Martínez was fouled in the penalty area by Juan Capeluto after a sensational dummy. LAFC all time goal scorer, Denis Bouanga, made no mistake from 12 yards, and the tone was set for a 6-1 thumping in the 1st leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup,

The post Fast starting LAFC hit Real España for six appeared first on Inside World Football.

Nashville take 2-goal lead and Atletico Ottawa back to Tennessee

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:45:49 +0000

February 17 – Nashville SC made it a difficult Champions Cup debut for Atletico Ottawa at Hamilton Stadium in Hamilton, Ontario, securing a 2-0 lead for the second leg at home next Tuesday.

Atleti, who only debuted in the Canadian Premier League in 2025, were playing their ‘home’ leg in Hamilton due to renovations at TD Place, Ottawa City.

Atlético Ottawa started with just five players whos from the CPL Final.

Cartaginés face an all-star Whitecaps line-up in their bid for the summit

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:07:48 +0000

February 18 – History will be written in Cartago as CS Cartaginés face Canadian opposition for the first time in the competition.

Champions in 1994, the Costa Ricans are beginning what they hope will be another deep run – and their first-ever two-legged series against a North American club.

But they have a very tough challenge in seasoned Champions Cup campaigners Vancouver Whitecaps FC, who had a spectacular run to the final last season before being overwhelmed by Cruz Azul.

Müller headlines Sportdigital’s Concacaf coverage

Andy Elliott — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:40:12 +0000

February 17 – German football fans are getting a closer look at a competition that is rapidly going global.

German broadcaster Sportdigital has secured a rights package for North America’s Concacaf Champions Cup, underlining the growing international pull of the confederation’s flagship club tournament. The deal allows the broadcaster to air up to 15 matches of the 51-game knockout competition, exclusively on its Sportdigital1+ pay-TV channel.

Coverage begins with Canada’s Vancouver Whitecaps and Costa Rica’s CS Cartaginés –

LA Galaxy to test new look line-up against Sporting San Miguelito

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:09:28 +0000

February 18 – The six-time MLS Cup Champions LA Galaxy will be looking to uses Panama’s Sporting San Miguelito as the stepping stone to a deep run in the 2026 Champions Cup and a kick start to their season after a poor 2025.

The LA Galaxy are ranked 18 in Concacaf, while Sporting San Miguelito, ranked 63 – the difference on paper looks to great.

There is no head-to-head history between the teams who meet for the first time with the winner advancing to face 66–ranked Mount Pleasant of Jamaica in the Round of 16.

Nashville hunt for more glory as Atlético Ottawa target a CPL first

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 02:15:44 +0000

February 17 – Nashville closed out their highest ever MLS points tally season (54) only to lose in the first round of the play-offs to Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. If they overcome Canada’s Atlético Ottawa in the first round they will meet Miami next.

They qualified for the Champions Cup by beating Austin FC in the US Open Cup final, the first title in club history. This is their second Champions Cup appearance and they will be expecting to build on last season.

Real CD España ready for LAFC challenge

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 02:00:20 +0000

February 17 – Back on the Champions Cup stage for the first time since 2023, Real CD España return with experience on their side — this is appearance number 18 for Los Aurinegros.

Qualification came via a strong run to the semifinals of the 2025 Central American Cup, and there is quiet confidence in Honduras’s San Pedro Sula ahead of another tilt at continental relevance.

Standing in their way is MLS powerhouse,

The post Real CD España ready for LAFC challenge appeared first on Inside World Football.

FC Cincinnati face the unknown of O&M FC in the Dominican Republic

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 01:27:23 +0000

February 17 – The Dominican Republic is one of Concacaf’s challenger nations looking to join its elite group of countries that are competitive in qualification for major international tournaments.

Underpinning that is a fast improving and competitive domestic club game that enables its players to develop at home.

The next big test of how fast they are developing is the first round Champions Cup tie between O&M FC (Universidad Organización y Método) and FC Cincinnati.

Defence Force will need to live up to their name against newly built Philly attack

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 01:03:50 +0000

February 17 – A meeting of old Caribbean pedigree and modern MLS consistency opens in Port of Spain on Wednesday. Defence Force FC, two-time continental champions and the pride of Trinidad and Tobago, face U.S. opposition for the first time.

The visitors, Philadelphia Union, arrive as 2025 Supporters’ Shield winners and with a curious Champions Cup record — unbeaten in every opening match they’ve played in four previous editions.

This will also be their first-ever series against Caribbean opposition.

Canada Soccer agrees and expands 12-year CSME extension in bid to open revenue ‘floodgates’

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 10:21:24 +0000

February 13 – Canada Soccer has extended commercial partnership with Canadian Soccer Media and Entertainment (the renamed Canadian Soccer Business), for a further 12 years.

Under the new mandate CSME has expanded its commercial role to include Canada Soccer merchandising and licensing rights, on top of the media and sponsorship rights it already sells.

James Johnson, Group CEO, CSME, said that the new deal is an “important moment for soccer in Canada,

MLS rolls out pre-season TV ad campaign

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 03:07:29 +0000

February 13 – Major League Soccer (MLS) is rolling out a national marketing and fan-engagement push ahead of its 2026 season kickoff.

Unveiled on Thursday, the league’s new “MLS Is Back” campaign features three 30-second spots, supported by social-first content and live activations in Los Angeles, designed to super-charge momentum ahead of the opening weekend on February 21–22. Produced with Ogilvy, the work is about reminding fans what MLS feels like as North America gears up for a World Cup summer on home soil.

The post MLS rolls out pre-season TV ad campaign appeared first on Inside World Football.

Romero hat-trick leads Cruz Azul rout of Vancouver FC

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 23:36:41 +0000

February 13 – With a three-nil lead from the 1st leg of their Champions Cup two-legged affair versus Vancouver FC, Mexican powerhouse, Cruz Azul, coasted to an eight-nil aggregate win.

A hat trick from Luka Romero (pictured) underpinned the five-goal dismantling of Vancouver.

At the fourth biggest stadium in Mexico, the Estadio Cuauhtémoc was only partially full for this display of ruthless attacking football.

From the opening whistle, La Máquina Celeste showed that they were a class above their Canadian opposition;

Champions Cup all-time records

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:24:11 +0000

The Concacaf Champions Cup is now in its 61st edition. Here is a look at some of the record holders in the tournament’s history. All stats sourced from Concacaf.

Top Five All-Time Scorers

Javier Orozco (Cruz Azul, Santos Laguna):24 goals
Darwin Quintero (Club América, Santos Laguna): 23 goals
Oribe Peralta (Club América, Santos Laguna): 22 goals
André-Pierre Gignac (Tigres UANL): 20 goals
Emanuel Villa (Cruz Azul, Read more …

The post Champions Cup all-time records appeared first on Inside World Football.

Monterrey clean up at home as Xelajú miss chance

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:09:43 +0000

February 12 – Last week in Guatemala, a 1-1 draw gave both CF Monterrey and CSD Xelajú M.C. plenty to play for as they hunted a last 16 spot. Ultimately Xelajú didn’t have enough and went down 2-0.

A much-changed CF Monterrey XI had six new faces from the first leg as Domènec Torrent looked to play his strongest side. With Sergio Canales and the well-travelled Anthony Martial, supporting the big Serbian striker,

Scoreless draw is enough for Club América to progress past Olimpia

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:04:47 +0000

February 11 – A 0-0 draw at Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes in Mexico City was enough to see Club America into the last 16. Olimpia will rue their missed opportunity to upset a giant of the world game.

Club América came into the match with a 2-1 lead after winning the first leg in Honduras with a controlled performance that showed their ability to flex their line up and change their tactics seamlessly.

Vancouver FC have a mountain to climb in Puebla

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:00:46 +0000

February 12 – The Concacaf Champions Cup defending champions Cruz Azul made short work of tournament debutants, Vancouver FC, in British Columbia.

Despite an almost 6,000-mile round trip, La Máquina, scored twice in the first half through Gabriel Fernandez, who was the man-of-the-match, and Amaury Morales.

Agustín Palavecino provided the insurance in the 65th minute, and despite a short spell of pressure by the Canadians, Emmanuel Ochoa kept the clean sheet to give Los Cementeros a comfortable 3-0 win as they head back to Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla.

MLS launches ad campaign for season kick-off

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:51:49 +0000

February 13 – Major League Soccer (MLS) is rolling out a national marketing and fan-engagement push ahead of its 2026 season kick-off.

Unveiled on Thursday, the league’s new ‘MLS Is Back’ campaign features three 30-second spots, supported by social-first content and live activations in Los Angeles, designed to super-charge momentum ahead of the opening weekend on February 21–22. Produced with Ogilvy, the work is about reminding fans what MLS feels like as North America gears up for a World Cup summer on home soil.

The post MLS launches ad campaign for season kick-off appeared first on Inside World Football.

Pumas lack bite as San Diego lay down title creds

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 23:33:05 +0000

February 11 – After one of the most dominating Champions Cup displays ever seen by a Major League Soccer team, San Diego FC carried a three-goal cushion to the home of Pumas UNAM in the 1st round of the Concacaf Champions Cup.

It would prove enough as the three-time winners of the tournament could only find one goal, losing 4-2 on aggregate.

San Diego coach, Mikey Varas, obviously loved what he saw last week at Snapdragon Stadium and named the same team that had scored four in an explosive 20-minute period in the second-half.