
Austin FC to Face Mazatlán FC, FC Juárez in Leagues Cup 2023 Group Stage
January 20, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Austin FC News Release
Austin, TEXAS - Austin FC was drawn with Liga MX clubs Mazatlán FC and FC Juárez for the Leagues Cup 2023 group stage. As a result of its fourth-place finish in the 2022 MLS Supporters' Shield standings, Austin FC is a seeded MLS team for Leagues Cup 2023. Location, dates and kickoff times for these matches will be announced in the coming months.
Leagues Cup is a new, first-of-its-kind tournament featuring all 29 MLS and 18 Liga MX clubs. Both leagues will pause their respective seasons for the month-long event beginning on Friday, July 21 with the final taking place on Saturday, August 19.
The tournament will be played across the U.S. and Canada. The champion, as well as the second and third place finishers, will qualify for the Concacaf Champions League and the opportunity to earn a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup.
The inaugural edition of the new competition will feature 15 groups consisting of three (3) teams. Teams in each group will play each other once at the home venue of the group's seeded MLS team, with the top two (2) teams from each group advancing to the knockout rounds. Liga MX champions CF Pachuca and MLS champions Los Angeles FC receive byes directly to the knockout rounds.
Matches cannot end in a tie with League Cup's unique format. In the event a group stage match is tied at the end of 90 minutes, both teams receive one (1) point. The winner of the ensuing penalty shootout receives an additional point.
Austin FC had a historic 2022 season, finishing in second place in the MLS Western Conference and tying the league record for the largest points improvement by a second-year expansion team (+25). Austin also became only the third MLS team to advance through its first two rounds of postseason play in club history, defeating Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas to reach the Western Conference Final.
• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...
Major League Soccer Stories from January 20, 2023
- Inter Miami CF Set to Face Vasco da Gama in First Friendly of 2023 - Inter Miami CF
- Sounders FC and Providence Agree to Unprecedented Community-Focused Partnership - Seattle Sounders FC
- FC Cincinnati Sign Paul Walters as a Homegrown PlayerÃÂ - FC Cincinnati
- Groups Announced for Leagues Cup 2023 - Seattle Sounders FC
- Inter Miami CF to Face Atlanta United and Cruz Azul in Leagues Cup 2023 - Inter Miami CF
- Leagues Cup: Whitecaps FC Grouped with LIGA MX Side Club León and MLS Western Conference Rival LA Galaxy - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Groups Announced for Leagues Cup 2023 - New England Revolution
- FC Cincinnati Draw Chivas Guadalajara, Sporting Kansas City in Leagues Cup 2023 - FC Cincinnati
- Toronto FC Announce Group for Leagues Cup 2023 - Toronto FC
- Austin FC to Face Mazatlán FC, FC Juárez in Leagues Cup 2023 Group Stage - Austin FC
- Earthquakes Placed into Group B for Leagues Cup 2023 - San Jose Earthquakes
- Columbus Crew to Host Storied Mexican Side Club América and MLS Expansion Team St. Louis CITY SC in Leagues Cup 2023 - Columbus Crew SC
- CF Montréal to Face Pumas UNAM and D.C. United in Leagues Cup this Summer - Club de Foot Montreal
- Leagues Cup: New York City Football Club Drawn Alongside Atlas F.C. and Toronto FC - New York City FC
- Nashville Soccer Club Placed in Group 4 of the Central Region in Leagues Cup 2023 - Nashville SC
- Timbers to Compete against Tigres UANL and San Jose Earthquakes in Group Stage of Leagues Cup 2023 - Portland Timbers
- Atlanta United to Play Cruz Azul, Inter Miami CF in Leagues Cup 2023 - Atlanta United FC
- New York Red Bulls Drawn into Group with Atletico San Luis and New England Revolution for 2023 Leagues Cup - New York Red Bulls
- Chicago Fire FC to Face Puebla, Minnesota United FC in Group Stage of Leagues Cup 2023 - Chicago Fire FC
- LA Galaxy Announce Leagues Cup 2023 Opponents - LA Galaxy
- Philadelphia Union Announce Group for Leagues Cup 2023 - Philadelphia Union
- D.C. United's Group Announced for Leagues Cup 2023 - D.C. United
- Sporting to Play Chivas Guadalajara and FC Cincinnati in Leagues Cup - Sporting Kansas City
- Orlando City SC to Host Santos Laguna & Houston Dynamo FC in Leagues Cup 2023 - Orlando City SC
- Colorado Rapids to Face Toluca and Nashville SC in Leagues Cup 2023 Group Stage - Colorado Rapids
- Real Salt Lake Joins North American Powers Monterrey FC and Seattle Sounders as Leagues Cup 2023 Groups Unveiled - Real Salt Lake
- FC Dallas to Face Necaxa and Charlotte FC in Leagues Cup 2023 Group Stage - FC Dallas
- St. Louis CITY SC Group Announced for Leagues Cup 2023 - St. Louis City SC
- Minnesota United to Face Club Puebla and Chicago Fire FC in Leagues Cup 2023 Group Stage Play - Minnesota United FC
- Houston Dynamo FC to Face Santos Laguna and Orlando City SC in the Leagues Cup 2023 - Houston Dynamo FC
- Inter Miami CF Completes Permanent Transfer of Forward Leonardo Campana - Inter Miami CF
- Sporting KC Waives Uri Rosell - Sporting Kansas City
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
