FRISCO, Texas (March 5, 2026) — FC Dallas learned its path for the 2026 edition of the Leagues Cup, with the club set to face three Liga MX opponents in Phase One of the international competition.
The Hoops will open the tournament on Aug. 5 against Querétaro FC, before taking on Mexican powerhouse Club Deportivo Guadalajara on Aug. 8. Dallas will conclude its Phase One schedule on Aug. 12 with a road match in Mexico against Toluca FC at historic Estadio Nemesio Diez. Kickoff times and venue details for the opening matches will be announced at a later date.
The 2026 tournament, presented by Coors Light, will once again showcase the growing partnership between Major League Soccer and Liga MX, bringing together clubs from both leagues in a fully interleague competition.
For Dallas, the group stage presents a mix of unfamiliar challenges and historic rivalries. The matches against Toluca and Querétaro will mark the first time the club has faced either opponent in official competition. Meanwhile, the matchup with Chivas de Guadalajara will represent only the second official meeting between the two sides.
The first came nearly two decades ago in the SuperLiga group stage on July 24, 2007, when Dallas hosted Chivas in Frisco. That contest ended in a 1–1 draw, with Arturo Alvarez finding the net for the Hoops.
The encounter with Toluca may prove particularly intriguing given the club’s recent success in Mexican soccer. Toluca became just the fifth team in Liga MX’s modern era to capture both the Apertura and Clausura titles in the same calendar year, joining an elite list that includes Club León, Club América, Atlas and Club Universidad Nacional as bicampeones.
Querétaro also enters the tournament with recent Leagues Cup pedigree. The club made a memorable run during the 2023 edition of the competition, advancing to the quarterfinals and finishing as Liga MX’s deepest representative in that tournament.
The structure of the Leagues Cup continues to evolve as the tournament grows in scale and significance. Clubs are divided evenly into Eastern and Western regions, each containing 18 teams. Within those regions, teams are sorted into tiers based on Leagues Cup rankings, which are determined by MLS clubs’ final standings in the 2025 Supporters’ Shield race and Liga MX clubs’ cumulative performance in the Apertura and Clausura seasons.
Phase One will feature interleague matchups, ensuring MLS clubs face Liga MX opposition throughout the early stage of the tournament. Following Phase One, the top four teams from each league will advance to the quarterfinal round scheduled for Aug. 25–27. The semifinals will take place Sept. 1–2 before the tournament concludes with the final and third-place match on Sept. 6.
Beyond the trophy itself, the stakes remain high. The top three finishers in the Leagues Cup will qualify for the Concacaf Champions Cup, with the champion also earning an opportunity to represent the region in future FIFA international club competitions.
Dallas enters the 2026 tournament with a 2-2-2 all-time Leagues Cup record. The club’s most memorable run came in the inaugural 2023 competition, where it advanced to the Round of 16 in dramatic fashion. After defeating Club Necaxa and Mazatlán FC in the group stage, Dallas faced Inter Miami CF in a wild knockout match that ended 4–4 before Miami prevailed in a penalty shootout.
Leagues Cup matches will once again be available globally on Apple TV, with fans in more than 100 countries able to watch the competition through the MLS Season Pass platform. Select games will also air on linear broadcast partners including TelevisaUnivision, FOX Sports, TSN and RDS.
For FC Dallas supporters, the 2026 tournament presents another opportunity to measure the club against some of Mexico’s most established teams while continuing to build its presence in an increasingly competitive North American soccer landscape.
