For the first time in the competition’s recent history, a Liga MX club is absolutely guaranteed to lift the Leagues Cup trophy. Toluca and Monterrey are set to clash in Houston this Sunday for the 2026 crown, and honestly, the MLS has gotta be feeling a little stung by this one.
MLS Dumped Out as Mexican Teams Dominate
Talk about a plot twist! Since its expansion in 2023, MLS teams have pretty much run the show in the Leagues Cup. But this year? Forget about it. The final four clubs were entirely from Mexico’s top league. Every single MLS quarterfinalist got dumped out of the competition at that same stage. All four of them. It wasn’t just one or two upsets, this was a full-blown takeover, showing everyone that Liga MX came to play, and they weren’t messing around this time. It sets up a seriously intense final between two powerhouses who clearly earned their spot.
Stakes Are High for Sunday’s Championship
Alright, so Toluca and Monterrey are already locked into next season’s CONCACAF Champions Cup just by making it this far. That’s huge for both squads, securing a spot in a major international competition. But the winner of this match gets even more: a sweet bye straight into the second round of the Champions Cup. The runner-up? They’ll be forced to navigate a first-round matchup. That’s a massive advantage on the line, potentially saving tired legs and avoiding an early stumble in continental play. You know both teams are going to leave it all out on the pitch for that kind of edge.
So how do you catch all this action? You won’t find it on traditional TV in the U.S. The only way to watch the 2026 Leagues Cup final is live streaming on Apple TV. New subscribers can snag a 7-day free trial, or if you recently bought an eligible Apple device, you could even get up to three months free. After that, it’s $12.99 a month to keep streaming all the global soccer you can handle.
The Leagues Cup final kicks off Sunday, September 6, at 8:15 p.m. local time from Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. That’s 6:15 p.m. Pacific Time for those of us on the West Coast. And while the big final is going down, don’t forget the MLS schedule gets back in full swing next week, with matches like Portland Timbers vs. St. Louis City and Vancouver Whitecaps vs. LA Galaxy set for Wednesday, September 9. Then Saturday, September 12, brings more action including FC Dallas vs. Portland Timbers. There’s plenty of soccer on the horizon, but first, we find out who takes home the Leagues Cup.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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