How clubs can qualify for the expanded 2024 Concacaf Champions League

Concacaf has announced the criteria for how clubs will qualify for the 2024 Concacaf Champions League.

In September 2021, Concacaf announced that from 2023 onwards, three regional cup competitions will be played in the fall of each year and, along with other leagues and cups, will qualify clubs for a new expanded Concacaf Champions League.

The new Concacaf Champions League will include 27 clubs and more than 50 matches as the region’s top teams compete to be crowned club champion and qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup. Up to 10 MLS teams can qualify through various pathways, while a minimum of five are guaranteed to qualify.

2024 CCL Format

• A direct elimination knockout stage format composed of five rounds (Round One, Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Final)
• 27 clubs will participate
• 22 clubs will start in Round One
• Five clubs will receive a bye to the Round of 16
• The first four stages will each include home and away play (2 legs)
• The final is a single-leg match on a weekend date

2024 CCL Qualification Process

MLS (5 slots)

All MLS clubs - USA or Canada based - can qualify for the 2024 CCL, and future editions, through MLS slots.

1. MLS Cup champion [starts in Round of 16]
2. Supporters' Shield winner
3. The team that finishes first in the regular season Eastern or Western Conference standings, but does not win Supporters' Shield
4. The next best club in the Supporters' Shield standings that is not any of the clubs in slots 1 to 3
5. The next best club in the Supporters' Shield standings that is not any of the clubs in slots 1 to 4

NOTE: Should one (or more) club(s) hold multiple CCL qualification slots, then the MLS club, regardless of conference, which has accumulated the most regular-season league points will earn the slot.

Leagues Cup (3 slots)

1. Leagues Cup champion [starts in Round of 16]
2. Leagues Cup runner-up
3. Leagues Cup third-place winner

NOTE: Regulations for how to manage crossover qualification slots from the Leagues Cup will be determined in advance of the start of that competition.

U.S. Open Cup (1 slot)

1. U.S. Open Cup champion

NOTE: Should the champion hold multiple CCL qualification slots, then the U.S. Open Cup runner-up will earn the CCL slot. Should the U.S. Open Cup runner-up hold multiple CCL qualification slots, then the next best MLS club which has accumulated the most regular-season league points will earn the slot.

Canadian Championship (1 slot)

1. Canadian Championship champion

NOTE: Should the Canadian Championship winner hold multiple CCL qualification slots, then the runner-up will fill the slot. Should the runner-up hold multiple CCL qualification slots, then the highest-ranked Canadian Championship semifinalist will earn the slot.

Canadian Premier League (2 slots)

1. Canadian Premier League finals champion
2. Regular season winner

NOTE: Should a club hold multiple CCL qualification slots, then the CPL club(s) which has accumulated the most regular-season league points will earn the remaining slot(s).

LIGA MX (6 slots)

1. Apertura or Clausura champion with the highest regular-season points across both competitions [starts in Round of 16]
2. Apertura or Clausura champion that does not meet slot 1 criteria
3. Clausura runner-up
4. Apertura runner-up
5. The next best club in the Liga MX overall aggregate standings (both Apertura and Clausura) that is not any of the clubs in slots 1 to 4
6. The next best club in the Liga MX overall aggregate standings (both Apertura and Clausura) that is not any of the clubs in slots 1 to 5

NOTE: Should one (or more) club(s) hold multiple CCL qualification slots, then the Liga MX club which has accumulated the most regular-season aggregate league points (across the Apertura and Clausura) will earn the slot.

Central American Clubs (6 slots)

• The 20 Central American clubs participating in the Central American Cup will be divided into four groups of five teams.
• After round-robin play, where each club will play every other club in their group once (a total of four matches, two at home and two away), the two best clubs in each group will advance to the knockout stage of the Concacaf Central American Cup.

Concacaf Central American Cup

• The knockout stage of the competition will be composed of four rounds (quarterfinals, semifinals, play-in, and final), with the semifinalists and two play-in winners (six clubs) advancing to the expanded Concacaf Champions League. The Central American Cup champion will receive a bye to the Concacaf Champions League Round of 16.
• The number of slots per country and the qualification criteria for each slot for the 2023 Concacaf Central American Cup will be as follows (above graphic).
• Domestic leagues in Central America will qualify 18 of the 20 clubs for the Central American Cup. The criteria for qualifying the two remaining clubs will be announced following further consultation.

Caribbean Clubs (3 slots)

• The 10 Caribbean clubs participating in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup will be divided into two groups of five teams.
• After round-robin play, where each club will play every other club in their group once (a total of four matches, two at home and two away), the two best clubs in each group will advance to the knockout stage of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup.

Concacaf Caribbean Cup

• The knockout stage of the competition will be composed of three rounds (semifinals, third place play-in, and final), with the top champion, runner-up and third-place finisher (three clubs) advancing to the expanded Concacaf Champions League. The Caribbean Cup champion will receive a bye to the Concacaf Champions League Round of 16.
• The number of slots per country and the qualification criteria for each slot for the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup will be as follows (above graphic).
• Domestic leagues in the Caribbean will qualify eight of the 10 clubs for the Caribbean Cup. The criteria for qualifying the two remaining clubs will be announced following further consultation.