Liga MX and MLS announce Campeones Cup as part of a new strategic partnership

Major League Soccer and Liga MX announced a strategic partnership on Tuesday with the goal of working together to in order to enhance the both league’s standing on the world fútbol stage. Liga MX President Enrique Bonilla called the partnership a “win-win” for both leagues. “We’re going to get stronger and stronger and have the chance to compete with other continents, not just within CONCACAF.”

The partnership will kick off with the annual Campeones Cup that will feature the the champions of MLS against the winner of Liga MX’s Campeon de Campeones. The inaugural match of the cup will take place on September 19th, 2018 in Toronto between reigning MLS champions TorontoFC and either Tigres UANL or the winners of the 2018 Liga MX Clausura tournament.

MLS commissioner Don Garber described the Campeones Cup match as a “continental Super Bowl” in an interview with ESPN FC. He went on to say, “It’s an opportunity for their champion to play our champion in a way that can generate attention for both leagues.”

Along with the announcement of the Campeones Cup, both Liga MX and MLS announced the they will be working towards an All-Star match featuring the best players from each league. MLS has hosted an annual All-Star game for quite some time, but this will be a brand new experience for Liga MX.

Liga MX president Enrique Bonilla hinted that the Campeones Cup and All-Star match is just the start of the strategic partnership between North America’s biggest fútbol leagues. “There are a lot of plans on the table that we are working together on, but we have to go step-by-step and walk firmly before running,” he said.

As part of the partnership between the two leagues, Liga MX U-20 sides will also feature as the annual All-Star Week opponent of the MLS Homegrown squad.

What do you think of the strategic partnership between Liga MX and MLS?