What happens if there is a tie in the CONCACAF Champions Cup? New format, tiebreakers, schedule…

The CONCACAF Champions League is dead, long live the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The pan-continental tournament returns to its former name, not used since 2008, for the 2024 edition of the competition.

This year’s looks set to be a thriller with renewed interest on the competition and a number of top clubs vying to be crowned CONCACAF champions. Among the favourites are 2023 Leagues Cup winners Inter Miami, with Lionel Messi in tow, and fellow MLS sides FC Cincinnati and Houston Dynamo. The Mexican contingent is led by Liga MX giants Club América and Chivas.

The first round of fixtures has already thrown up some exciting encounters and there’s plenty more to come from the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Here’s everything you need to know…

What happens if there is a tie in the CONCACAF Champions Cup?

The new format – rather bucking the trend in soccer of late – has made things simpler. There is no group phase; each of the five rounds consist of knockout ties.

From Round One through to the semifinals all ties are played over two legs. If the scores are level away goals will be used as the first tiebreaker. If the two teams are level on away goals a period of extra time will be used, followed by a penalty shootout to determine the winner. It’s all refreshingly straight-forward.

The only point of confusion is that teams will be awarded points for wins (three) and draws (one) as they progress through the tournament. These points will be used to decide which team hosts the second leg of ties after the round of 16.

How do teams qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup?

Most teams in the CONCACAF Champions Cup qualify by virtue of their domestic league position, with qualification spots for teams placing highly in the United States (MLS), Mexico (Liga MX) and Canada (Canadian Premier League). There are also places for teams that triumph in the international competitions within CONCACAF, including the Leagues Cup (three teams), the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup (three teams) and the CONCACAF Central American Cup (six teams).

Not all qualifying teams enter the competition at the same stage. The first round, currently being played, sees 22 teams playing in 11 two-legged ties. The 11 winners from those fixtures will progress to the Round of 16, where they will be joined by five other higher-ranking qualifiers.

Which 27 teams are playing in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup?

Across the next four months 27 teams will battle it out to be crowned continental champions. Here’s the full list of those teams in contention for the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup…

CONCACAF Champions League fixtures – Round One

Five of the two-legged round one ties will be played to a completion in the first half of February, with the remaining six taking place in the second half of the month.

CONCACAF Champions Cup schedule

Unlike the previous format, there is no group stage for this year’s competition. The tournament is arranged in five rounds of knockout ties. The first four rounds will be two-legged affairs but the final will be a one-off match played at a neutral venue.

The winner of the tournament will receive over $5 million in financial distributions and prize money, which CONCACAF say is a five-fold increase on the amount on offer during the CONCACAF Champions League era.

The growth of soccer in the United States has brought fresh attention on the CONCACAF competition and the MLS sides will count themselves as major contenders to lift the trophy.

The additional games will complicate the schedules of teams who progress in the competition – particularly in a year where players may have international commitments in the Copa America, European Championships and the Olympic Games – but the knockout format gives all teams the chance to make history. It’s the first year for the CONCACAF Champions Cup in this format and it looks set to be a memorable one.