The announcement shocked everyone: the Leagues Cup would change its format and as of 2023 would become the only tournament in the world to pit two entire leagues from two different countries against each other, in this case, Mexico’s Liga MX and the MLS of the United States.
A total of 47 teams will be involved, all competing in both Liga MX and MLS, which will face each other in a competition system that will generate 77 matches in total. The new version of the Leagues Cup will be played entirely in 15 venues in the United States. All this information was revealed by the president of Liga MX, Mikel Arriola to Hi Sports TV.
While this sounds like a saturation of activity for teams from both leagues, and an extension of the absence of Liga MX squads in the mythical Copa Libertadores, there is a very powerful reason why, at least on the Mexican side, the new version of the Leagues Cup has been considered attractive.
What motivates Liga MX to play a 77-game Leagues Cup against MLS?
One of the reasons, of a powerful nature, was revealed by Azteca Deportes insider David Medrano. A market study conducted by Liga MX found a number that totally justifies that league’s teams face a 77-game tournament against MLS, in the United States, in the middle of the preseason: Liga MX fans living in that country.
According to the information published byMedrano, the Liga MX study showed that between Mexico and the United States there are 158 million Mexican soccer fans, of which 60 million are in the United States. What is interesting is that of that total number of Liga MX fans in the United States, only 32 percent are of Hispanic origin.
Thus, Mexican soccer would have approximately 40 million fans that are not of Spanish-speaking origin or with origins in those lands that live in the United States. A powerful economic reason to bring all Liga MX teams together to play a large number of matches in front of their idolizing fans. A rounded business, without a doubt.