Red Bulls participating in 2020 Leagues Cup

For the last two seasons, the New York Red Bulls were able to qualify for the big tournament within our region of CONCACAF as they were able to participate in the Champions League. But this time around, the club is going to take on teams that are only going to be fighting for the Southern border as the Red Bulls will participate in the edition of the LEagues Cup/

The inaugural tournament that began in 2019 had eight teams (four in each nation), but now for the 2020 season and possibly beyond, it’s been expanded to sixteen teams. Joining the Red Bulls will be the Portland Timbers, Minnesota United FC, D.C. United, LA Galaxy, Toronto FC, Real Salt Lake, and the Philadelphia Union.

These games will begin towards the end of July through September with the final on Wednesday, the 16th. At the moment the clubs that have qualified for the Leagues Cup from Liga MX are Monterrey and Cruz Azul, the rest of the field will be filled, during the Clausura season of 2020.

“We look forward to entering another continental competition and facing off against some of the best teams from Liga MX,” said Sporting Director Denis Hamlett. “We want to win every trophy we can, and this tournament gives us an opportunity to really test ourselves within CONCACAF.”

This entire venture with Liga MX is big for MLS as well. “Our close collaboration with Liga MX continues to grow, and the expanded Leagues Cup will take it to a new level,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “When we started our partnership with Liga MX two years ago, we knew that we had the opportunity to create something unique and special for soccer fans. Leagues Cup is a perfect example of how we are working together to grow the sport in North America.”

During the last two seasons in the CONCACAF Champions League, the Red Bulls faced Cub Tijuana and Chivas of Guadalajara in 2018 and Santos Laguna in 2019. They swept Tijuana in the Quarterfinals with a two-goal clean sheet in Mexico and three goals to one win at Red Bull Arena, but losing to Guadalajara to a one-goal aggregate defeat

In 2019 the Red Bulls lost at home to Santos Laguna two goals to nil, but came back to tie the aggregate and the away goals in the second leg, but sadly getting blitzed late in the second half by allowing four to end that journey.

Here are the dates scheduled for the 2020 Leagues cup that will begin at Red Bull Arena.

Round of 16: Jul 21st -22nd
Quarterfinals: August 4th - 5th
Semi-Finals: August 25th-26th
Final: September 16th

Can the Red Bulls find a way to make a long run into a possible Leagues Cup trophy win? We will find out once we reach the month of July, but until we get there, let’s hope they have a solid season to reach that plateau.