Underneath the bright lights at BMO Stadium, Los Angeles Football Club and Cruz Azul arrive at the first leg of their quarterfinals matchup in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup on Tuesday night.
LAFC have stormed into 2026 unbeaten in 10 matches under new head coach Marc Dos Santos. Their recent 6-0 rout out of the international break over Orlando City SC is indicative of how dominant this team is.
However, Cruz Azul is not Orlando. The Liga MX points leaders from last season are battle-tested and unbothered by chaos. The seven-time champions destroyed Vancouver FC by a score of 8-0 in round one. The same team that ended LAFC’s season in the MLS Cup playoffs last November. They currently are in second place in the Clasura table and have their sights set on a CCC trophy.
Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup of two league titans:
How to watch
In the United States, the first leg will be broadcast live on FS2, while Spanish-language coverage will run on TUDN. South of the border, viewers in Mexico can catch the action on Fox One.
Where to stream
If you’re not planted in front of a TV, the stream becomes your lifeline. FS2’s digital platforms and authenticated apps will carry the English broadcast, while TUDN’s streaming services provide Spanish coverage.
When will the match take place and what time is kickoff
Kickoff is set for Tuesday, April 7, at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET).
Where will the match take place
The first leg of the two-leg matchup takes place at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles where LAFC remains undefeated on the season. LAFC will need to score and early and often to have a big lead heading into hostile territory in Mexico for leg two.
When is the 2nd leg scheduled to take place
After the first leg in Los Angeles on Tuesday, the story stretches south of the border where the two teams will meet again on April 14 at Estadio Cuauhtémoc, in Pueblo, Mexico, where altitude, noise, and expectation will flip the script.
The stadium is located about 80 miles away from Mexico City where Cruz Azul used to play their home matches at the renowned Estadio Azteca. But due to renovations at the Azteca for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, they had to move their home matches to Pueblo for the 2026 season.
What is at stake for both teams
The winner advances to the semifinals where they will either face the LA Galaxy or Toluca. There’s four teams left from both the MLS and Liga MX so bragging rights from each country are at stake as well.
However, the real prize for the winner of this tournament lies beyond: an automatic entry into the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup, which paid each team $10 million just for participating in 2025, and also the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
Despite a dominant start, LAFC is ranked fourth in the latest Concacaf Club Rankings and Cruz Azul is ranked number one. For LAFC to have an early chance at proving their the best team in North America, they will need to slay one of the “Grandes.”
Tuesday’s quarterfinal isn’t just a match. It’s leverage, pride, and a ticket to something bigger than either crest.
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