The Leagues Cup 2023 is a tournament that promises a lot of excitement and rivalry between MLS and Liga MX clubs.
The competition, which is the first official edition recognized by FIFA and Concacaf, brings together 47 teams from the two strongest leagues in North America.
The champion, in addition to taking home the trophy, guarantees a direct place in the round of 16 of the 2024 Concacaf Champions League, while the runner-up and third-placed team also qualify for the first phase of the continental tournament.
Where to watch the Legues Cup 2023
The best option is the MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, which lets you watch all 77 games of the tournament.
Some of the games will be broadcast on Televisa, Univision, FOX Sports channels, which can be accessed through cable TV or streaming services such as fuboTV and Sling TV.
Other games will be broadcast on TSN and RDS channels, which can also be watched online via TSN Direct and RDS Direct.
Some of the games involving Mexican clubs will be broadcast free of charge on Canal 9 or Canal 5 and also on Azteca 7.
But which teams are the favorites to win the Leagues Cup 2023? It's hard to pick an absolute favorite, as the tournament features high-level teams and tradition in both leagues.
I will analyze the main favorites:
Inter Miami:
The team is one of the most popular in the MLS, especially after the signing of Lionel Messi, who left PSG to play in the United States.
Inter Miami has a good chance of advancing to the knockout stage, where they could face stronger teams from Liga MX and MLS.
Chivas:
The Mexican club is one of the most traditional and popular in the country, but it is going through a period of crisis.
The team has not won in five games in Liga MX and is in second-to-last position in the table.
The team needs to recover in the competition and show its strength against its North American rivals.
UANL Tigers:
Tigres is one of the strongest teams in Liga MX and has a squad full of stars, such as Gignac, Thauvin, Pizarro and Salcedo.
Tigres is one of the favorites for the title and has experience in international competitions, having been runner-up in the 2020 Club World Cup.
America-Mx:
América is the biggest champion of Liga MX, with 13 titles, and also the biggest champion of Concacaf, with seven trophies.
América has a competitive team and has players like Ochoa, Benedetti, Fidalgo and Roger Martínez.
Blue Cross:
Cruz Azul is one of the four big teams in Mexican football, but went through a long drought of titles until winning the Clausura 2021, ending a 23-year drought.
The team is the current runner-up in the Concacaf Champions League and is seeking its seventh continental title in the Leagues Cup.
Cruz Azul has an experienced and talented squad, with names like Corona, Aguilar, Romo and Baca.
UNAM Pumas:
Pumas is another member of Mexico's big four, but is not going through a good phase.
The team has not won a title since the 2011 Apertura and finished last in the 2021 Clausura.
The team's highlights are forwards Dinenno and González.
New York City FC:
New York City FC is one of the newest teams in MLS, founded in 2013 as a subsidiary of Manchester City.
The team has never been league champion, but came close in 2019, when they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The team has players like Castellanos, Moralez and Medina.
Atlanta United FC:
Atlanta United FC is another recent MLS team, founded in 2014 and debuting in the league in 2017.
The team won the MLS Cup in 2018 and the US Open Cup in 2019, showing its strength on the national scene.
The team has players like Guzan, Barco and Moreno.
Los Angeles FC:
Los Angeles FC is the third newest team in MLS, founded in 2014 and debuting in the league in 2018.
The team won the regular season in 2019 but has never reached the MLS Cup final. The team has players such as Vela, Rossi and Atuesta.
After analyzing the main favorites for the Legues Cup 2023 title, my prediction is:
Finally, the champion of the competition will be the Tigers.