Portland Timbers League's Cup Draw Includes Club León From Liga MX And Colorado Rapids

Tigres defender Jordan Sierra, center, and Portland Timbers midfielders Evander, left, and midfielder Diego Chará, right, vie for the ball during the first half of a Leagues Cup soccer match in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, July 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)

750 The Game Staff

This summer, the Portland Timbers will participate in the second annual League’s Cup tournament pitting all 18 teams from Liga MX against the 29 teams from Major League Soccer in a battle of the two preeminent soccer leagues in North America.

The group draw was revealed Wednesday. The Timbers are in the West Region, Group 5, alongside Club León from Liga MX and fellow MLS Western Conference foe Colorado Rapids.

In the inaugural event last summer the Timbers were in a group with the San Jose Earthquakes and Tigres UNAM and hosted a pair of group stage games at Providence Park. Portland defeated San Jose 2-0 and despite a 2-1 loss to Tigres, the Timbers finished in the top two of the group and advanced to the knockout Round of 32 where they lost 1-0 to CF Monterrey at Providence Park.

Dates and venues for this year’s tournament will be announced at a later date, but the Timbers know their opponents and position on the bracket. If the Timbers advance out of Group 5, they will be partnered with a Group 6 opponent, a group that includes Seattle Sounders, Minnesota United, and Club Necaxa.

The League’s Cup 2024 will take place between July 26th and August 25th while domestic leagues are put on pause.

The Timbers are in the midst of preseason under new head coach Phil Neville with the regular season opener set for Sat. Feb. 24th at Providence Park against the Colorado Rapids.

You can listen to every Timbers match right here on 750 The Game and streaming for free at 750TheGame.com.