New Format CCL 2023/2024

[Ansem]

CONCACAF Champions League is revamping, expanding format from 2023 on. Will start with 3 regional groups (50 teams in total)

North America group stage will feature 20 teams from Canada, U.S. and Mexico with 8 advancing to knockout round of 16.

• Another 3 will qualify a play-in round.
• 3 Domestic cup berth
• 1 League Cup Berth

Central America group stage will feature 20 teams sending 4 to knockout round.

Caribbean group stage will feature 10 teams, sending one to the knockout round.

 

 

Edited February 4, 2021 by Ansem

[narduch]

So what does that mean for Canada? 2 direct spots from the 20?

I guess this also means the death of Concacaf League?

Not a lot of detail on this yet.

[narduch]

I hate it.

Must have been created by the same people who brought us the WCQ format that had to be axed due to covid.

[dnina10]

11 minutes ago, narduch said:

I hate it.

Must have been created by the same people who brought us the WCQ format that had to be axed due to covid.

Couldn't agree more. I don't have a problem with the regionalized format, but having odd numbered groups just isn't right. That's a ticket for match fixing. Four team groups, everyone meets each other home and away. Poor thinking from CONCACAF here

Plus, the number of spots awarded to each region is badly skewed. Too many spots for North America. They should have a maximum of 8 spots. Central America should have 5-6 spots, and the Caribbean 2-3.

I'm disappointed in CONCACAF. I expected better than this

[Ansem]

22 minutes ago, narduch said:

I hate it.

Must have been created by the same people who brought us the WCQ format that had to be axed due to covid.

This as done to cater to MLS and Liga MX so they play more games against one another.

Will be interesting to see how they split the remaining 16 berth between the 3 leagues

[Ansem]

32 minutes ago, narduch said:

So what does that mean for Canada? 2 direct spots from the 20?

I guess this also means the death of Concacaf League?

Not a lot of detail on this yet.

1 V cup

Potentially at 2-3 through CPL

Yep...Concacaf league dies

Edited February 4, 2021 by Ansem

[Ansem]

8 minutes ago, dnina10 said:

Couldn't agree more. I don't have a problem with the regionalized format, but having odd numbered groups just isn't right. That's a ticket for match fixing. Four team groups, everyone meets each other home and away. Poor thinking from CONCACAF here

Plus, the number of spots awarded to each region is badly skewed. Too many spots for North America. They should have a maximum of 8 spots. Central America should have 5-6 spots, and the Caribbean 2-3.

I'm disappointed in CONCACAF. I expected better than this

This should kill the idea of a "Super League" - that was one of the goal and they event gave more relevance to their league cup by adding a qualifiers to it

[Ansem]

https://www.espn.com/soccer/concacaf-champions-league/story/4307071/concacaf-champions-league-to-expand-format-in-2023

At least three of the 20 clubs from North America will hail from Canada, with two teams coming from the Canadian Premier League and another from the Canadian Championship. The three Canadian teams currently playing in MLS could also qualify through MLS competitions.

This ends the debate about how many berth would go to the V Cup. It would be 1 with the balance to CPL

[Ansem]

North America

USA & Mexico - 17 berths

• No USL
• League Cup (1 berth)
• Copa MX (1 Berth)
• US Open (1 Berth)
• Canadian clubs in MLS would be able to qualify via MLS according to ESPN https://www.espn.com/soccer/concacaf-champions-league/story/4307071/concacaf-champions-league-to-expand-format-in-2023

 

Canada - 3 berths

• 1 Berth via the Canadian Championship
• 2 Berths via the Canadian Premier League
• CONCACAF sending a message --> League is more important than 3 clubs playing in the US

 

 

Central America

20 clubs from Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama will qualify for the competition through performance in domestic leagues and a new Central American cup competition.

Caribbean

10 clubs from the Caribbean will qualify, eight of which directly through professional leagues in the Caribbean region and two through a new Caribbean cup which will include representation from across the Caribbean.

 

 

 

 

[narduch]

I bet in the end the Canadian MLS teams still can't qualify through MLS.

[Watchmen]

1 hour ago, Ansem said:

https://www.espn.com/soccer/concacaf-champions-league/story/4307071/concacaf-champions-league-to-expand-format-in-2023

At least three of the 20 clubs from North America will hail from Canada, with two teams coming from the Canadian Premier League and another from the Canadian Championship. The three Canadian teams currently playing in MLS could also qualify through MLS competitions.

This ends the debate about how many berth would go to the V Cup. It would be 1 with the balance to CPL

Actually, the debate started as "Canada will not get 4 berths, and if they do it will be in a manner that favours the Canadian MLS teams". I merely speculated that this would involve two berths to the Cup (which then spiraled off in to a massive debate), but they've found another way to do it.

It's good that the CPL gets a guaranteed 2 spots with the possibility of a third. It's good that all the Canadian MLS teams will be able to qualify via the MLS. Canada getting anywhere from 3 to (a very unlikely) 6 spots is great.

[Ansem]

25 minutes ago, narduch said:

I bet in the end the Canadian MLS teams still can't qualify through MLS.

Yeah, that's why I edited my text. They could through "League Cup" but I doubt USSF accommodates them.

I'd say the 3 clubs have been sent a message like Tristan D'Amours said in his tweet "You aren't special"

[Ansem]

14 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

Actually, the debate started as "Canada will not get 4 berths, and if they do it will be in a manner that favours the Canadian MLS teams". I merely speculated that this would involve two berths to the Cup (which then spiraled off in to a massive debate), but they've found another way to do it.

It's good that the CPL gets a guaranteed 2 spots with the possibility of a third. It's good that all the Canadian MLS teams will be able to qualify via the MLS. Canada getting anywhere from 3 to (a very unlikely) 6 spots is great.

Actually, I think it would be via the League Cup, not sure the USSF would move to help the 3 Canadian Clubs by allowing them to qualify via the MLS Season.

Edited February 4, 2021 by Ansem

[dnina10]

13 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

Actually, the debate started as "Canada will not get 4 berths, and if they do it will be in a manner that favours the Canadian MLS teams". I merely speculated that this would involve two berths to the Cup (which then spiraled off in to a massive debate), but they've found another way to do it.

It's good that the CPL gets a guaranteed 2 spots with the possibility of a third. It's good that all the Canadian MLS teams will be able to qualify via the MLS. Canada getting anywhere from 3 to (a very unlikely) 6 spots is great.

This is where you and I disagree. If those three Canadian teams want to qualify for the CCL, they should only have two ways in:

- Winning the Canadian Championship, and/or

- Winning the CCL

There is absolutely no way those three teams should be taking American spots away from them, unless they intend to move there and become a part of USSF (something I sincerely hope doesn't happen)

[Raven]

Perhaps that is why the have organized this into regions. The US, Mexico & Canada spots can be interchangeable.

League Cup spot could be any teams from MLS (US and Canada) and Mexico

MLS  - USA and Canada could have spots.

 

[CanadianSoccerFan]

I find it interesting how CONCACAF is reverting to the regionalism that preceded the first Champions League in 2008, not to mention the movement away from the "One CONCACAF" vision that Vic joined on.  

I think it's an admission that the three regions have different needs and priorities that are better addressed separately.  

[nfitz]

2 hours ago, Ansem said:

I'd say the 3 clubs have been sent a message like Tristan D'Amours said in his tweet "You aren't special"

Doesn't it? Previously only one Canadian MLS team could get to Champions League in any given year (notwithstanding the Covid is Back Cup).

Now if all three teams have a decent year, they could all qualify. And with up to 10 MLS teams making the Champions League, instead of 5, then we might well see 2 teams on a semi-regular basis - same as CPL.

[Ansem]

Canadian teams will qualify for CCL via the MLS Season - That's more like it

 

 

And interview

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by Ansem

[SthMelbRed]

1 minute ago, Ansem said:

Canadian teams will qualify for CCL via the MLS Season - That's more like it

 

 

So, rather than CONCACAF granting spots to the national federations, who can distribute them according to their own wishes, the confederation is now assigning potential spots to leagues, thereby bypassing the federations. Interesting development.

[dnina10]

10 minutes ago, SthMelbRed said:

So, rather than CONCACAF granting spots to the national federations, who can distribute them according to their own wishes, the confederation is now assigning potential spots to leagues, thereby bypassing the federations. Interesting development.

And a stupid one too

[Trois Reds]

8 minutes ago, Ansem said:

Canadian teams will qualify for CCL via the MLS Season - That's more like it

 

 

And interview

 

That makes sense.  Now the Canadian MLS teams have more than one way to qualify:

Mexican teams qualify through Liga MX, Copa MX, Leagues Cup.

American teams qualify through MLS, US Open Cup, Leagues Cup.

Canadian MLS teams qualify through MLS, Voyageurs Cup, Leagues Cup.

Canadian CPL teams qualify through CPL and Voyageurs Cup.

I like the idea in principal.  Also, it's free exposure for both the CPL and their players, as they will be playing against the two best CONCACAF leagues. Any who do well, will be looked at by more than just the three Canadian MLS teams. I see that this can be a win-win for Canada overall.

[Ansem]

New CCL Explained

 

[Watchmen]

2 hours ago, Trois Reds said:

That makes sense.  Now the Canadian MLS teams have more than one way to qualify:

Mexican teams qualify through Liga MX, Copa MX, Leagues Cup.

American teams qualify through MLS, US Open Cup, Leagues Cup.

Canadian MLS teams qualify through MLS, Voyageurs Cup, Leagues Cup.

Canadian CPL teams qualify through CPL and Voyageurs Cup.

I like the idea in principal.  Also, it's free exposure for both the CPL and their players, as they will be playing against the two best CONCACAF leagues. Any who do well, will be looked at by more than just the three Canadian MLS teams. I see that this can be a win-win for Canada overall.

I actually think CONCACAF recognizing the Leagues Cup is an interesting aspect of it, as it's not something they control and sort of legitimizes a rival competition even while trying to ensure it's still below the Champions League.

[Kent]

Positives
- return of the group stage

Negatives
- broken up into sub-regions going away from the "one CONCACAF" vision
- huge number of teams getting in. I haven't caught up to everything but it sounds like the top 8 MLS teams will make it to the group stage, plus the Voyageurs Cup winner and US Open Cup winner, so possibly 10 MLS teams. 
- result of those first 2 points, lots of games exclusively between 3 countries in our bracket of the group stage, then even after the group stage more than half of the final 16 teams are from those same 3 countries
- it's harder for CPL teams to find their level. With the current system they can test themselves against the CONCACAF League competition and try to work up to CCL
- 5 team groups. Better to have an even number of teams in groups.
- still not using coefficients to determine how many spots each nation gets.

Neutral
- Canadian MLS teams getting to qualify via MLS results. I used to really want that, but I'm not as interested in it anymore. It might make the Voyageurs Cup less meaningful to MLS teams.

I'm sure I've missed some other points, but this is what jumps to mind for me.

[Kent]

7 hours ago, Ansem said:

This should kill the idea of a "Super League" - that was one of the goal and they event gave more relevance to their league cup by adding a qualifiers to it

This basically is giving them their super league. A 20 team competition with approximately 18 of the teams being from MLS or Liga MX (or as low as 16 if USL or lower wins US Open Cup and CPL or lower wins Voyageurs Cup). That's their super league. Plus one of those spots is given to the Leagues Cup winner. So they have an 18+2 team Super League competition as well as a however many teams they want in Leagues Cup or whatever it's called. So now they have 2 Super League competitions.

I'm already getting MLS vs Liga MX fatigue just from thinking about it. Say hello to 3,000 "This could be the year that MLS beats Liga MX" articles.