Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, reigning MLS champions, now know their schedule for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, formerly known as the Concachampions. The pink team will make their debut directly in the round of 16, where they will face the winner of the match between Nashville SC and Atlético Ottawa, Canadian soccer champions.
Below, we present all the details of the tournament, the matchups, the qualified teams, and the complete schedule of North America’s most important international competition.
Inter Miami in the 2026 Concachampions: Messi goes for the international title
As 2025 MLS champions, Inter Miami secured their direct ticket to the round of 16. Messi’s arrival in 2023 completely transformed the club, but the outstanding debt remains the Concacaf Champions Cup, where they fell in the quarterfinals in 2024 to Monterrey and in the semifinals in 2025 to Vancouver Whitecaps.
Jorge Mas, one of the club’s owners, was clear about the objective: «This club’s goal for 2026 will be to win the Concachampions, and I want to go with a super-charged starting eleven».
Before facing Messi and company, Nashville SC will have to take on Atlético Ottawa, the recent Canadian league champions. Nashville enters the tournament as the US Open Cup winner, while Ottawa qualified by winning the national championship. The series will be a two-leg tie in the first round.
Teams that advanced directly to the round of 16
Like Inter Miami, four other teams will skip the first round because they won major titles in 2025:
- Toluca (Mexico) – Liga MX champion
- Seattle Sounders (United States) – Leagues Cup champion
- Alajuelense (Costa Rica) – Central American Cup Champion
- Mount Pleasant FA (Jamaica) – Caribbean Cup Champion
These clubs also enter directly into the round of 16.
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First round: All Concachampions 2026 matches
The first phase of the Concacaf Champions Cup 2026 will feature head-to-head matches in home-and-away series. These are the confirmed matchups:
- Pumas UNAM vs San Diego FC
- LA Galaxy vs Sporting SM
- Cruz Azul vs Vancouver FC
- Monterrey vs Club Xelajú
- LAFC vs. Real España
- Nashville SC vs. Atlético Ottawa
- Club América vs. Olimpia
- Philadelphia Union vs. Defense Force
- Tigres UANL vs. Forge FC
- FC Cincinnati vs. O&M FC
- Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Cartaginés
2026 Concachampions Schedule: Key Dates
Concacaf has confirmed the official tournament schedule. Here are the complete dates:
First Round
- Week 1: February 3–5
- Week 2: February 10–12
- Week 3: February 17–19
- Week 4: February 24–26
Round of 16
- First leg: March 10–12
- Second leg: March 17–19
Quarterfinals
- First leg: April 7–9
- Second leg: April 14–16
Semifinals
- First leg: April 28–30
- Second leg: May 5–7
Final
- May 30, 2026 (single match)
The winner of the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup will earn a coveted spot in the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup, where the world’s best teams will compete.
