It’s good to be friends.
Major League Soccer and Liga MX are coming close together, with the top flights of Mexico and the USA/Canada announcing a strategic partnership on Tuesday.
The deal will see the Campeones Cup created, with a match each September between the reigning MLS Cup champs and the Liga MX champs, while the MLS All-Stars will also play against the Liga MX All-Stars.
Per the announcement, the leagues will also share “platforms for business practices and social responsibility across North American borders.”
MLS Commissioner Dan Garber had the following to say about building a closer link with Liga MX.
“Major League Soccer is proud to come together with Liga MX for this unprecedented partnership,” Garber said. “Together, we have a vision to elevate the popularity of our game to even higher levels in North America. We are excited to have the MLS champion take on Liga MX’s top club in the Campeones Cup this year and build further programs in the years to come.”
The first-ever Campeones Cup will be held on September 19, 2018 at BMO Field in Toronto, with 2017 MLS Cup champs Toronto FC to play against the winner of the Campeon de Campeones match in July which will see the winner of Liga MX’s two seasons (Apertura and Clausure) square off.
This announcement is all linked in with the joint-bid for the 2026 World Cup between the USA, Mexico and Canada, and it also comes at an intriguing time as three of the four MLS teams facing Liga MX opponents in CONCACAF Champions League play are leading in the first leg of their quarterfinals.
