FC Cincinnati have qualified for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup with the Orange and Blue’s win over Charlotte FC on Saturday, the confederation announced Wednesday.
The Champions Cup is the premier men’s club continental tournament for Concacaf – the regional governing body of North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The Champions Cup, re-named and rebranded from the Concacaf Champions League starting in 2024, crowns the club champion of the region and provides the qualification route to the new and expanded FIFA Club World Cup.
The Orange and Blue qualified for the premier tournament by virtue of securing, at minimum, a spot as one of the best two finishers in the Supporters’ Shield standings among non-conference champions and the MLS Cup winner. However, FC Cincinnati could still participate in the 2024 Champions Cup officially as the 2023 Supporters’ Shield winners, MLS Cup Champions, or as the first-place finisher in the Eastern Conference.
Next season’s participation in the tournament will be FC Cincinnati’s first in the continental competition.Â
About the 2024 Concacaf Champions CupÂ
The 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup will crown the club champion of Concacaf. The winner of the 2024 Champions Cup will qualify for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, under the Club World Cup’s new 32-team format, set to take place in the United States in 2025.
The Champions Cup will be played in a direct elimination knockout stage format and will be composed of five rounds: Round One, Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Final.
The 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup is the 59th edition of the region’s premier club competition, the first in a 27-team format. Of the 27 clubs that will participate, 22 will begin play in Round One and five will receive a bye to the Round of 16.Â
In addition to expanding the competition format, and re-naming and rebranding the tournament, Concacaf will significantly increase the financial distributions and prize money for participating clubs in Concacaf Champions Cup.
Each edition, starting in 2024, the Concacaf Champions Cup champion will receive USD $5m+ in financial distributions and prize money, an increase of more than five times compared with the Concacaf Champions League era.
Five teams enter in the Round of 16 – the 2023 MLS Cup Champion (TBD), the 2022-23 Liga MX Champion (Pachuca), the 2023 Leagues Cup Champion (Inter Miami CF), and the to be determined champions of the 2023 Caribbean Cup and 2023 Central American Cup.
In total, 18 teams from the North American Zone qualify for the tournament, six clubs from the Central American Zone, and three teams from the Caribbean Zone.Â
Next season, 10 of the maximum-possible 10 Major League Soccer clubs will participate in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup. Five qualify through MLS play (MLS Cup Champion, Supporters’ Shield Winner, First Place in Regular Season of the Non-Supporters’ Shield-Winning Club’s Conference, Next Two Best Clubs in Supporters’ Shield Standings). Three berths come from Leagues Cup, which is open to all Liga MX/MLS clubs – this season all three berths went to MLS clubs (Inter Miami CF, Nashville SC, Philadelphia Union). Two possible berths come from the U.S. Open Cup and Canadian Championship, both of which this year were secured by MLS clubs (Houston Dynamo FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC).Â
FC Cincinnati become the 13th club to officially qualify for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, joining six Liga MX clubs (Pachuca, Tigres, Toluca, Chivas, Monterrey, Club América); three MLS clubs who qualified through the 2023 Leagues Cup (Inter Miami CF, Nashville SC, Philadelphia Union); two MLS clubs who qualified through domestic cup play (Houston Dynamo FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC); and one Canadian club through Canadian Premier League play (Cavalry FC).
For more information on the Concacaf Champions Cup, visit HERE.
The Orange and Blue return to action Saturday, September 30 at Toronto FC. Kickoff from BMO Field is set for 7:30 p.m., and the match will stream for free, with no subscription required, exclusively on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Fans can also listen to the match locally on ESPN 1530.
