Can Inter Miami Overcome Strong Competition in Quest for Club World Cup Spot?

Inter Miami Makes Champions Cup Debut

Now that the regular seasons are complete, the bracket for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup has been announced.

Five teams — including Inter Miami — don’t enter the tournament until the round of 16. Inter Miami earned the distinction by winning the 2023 Leagues Cup.

Mexican champion Pachuca, MLS Cup winner Columbus Crew, Caribbean Cup winner Robinhood and Central American Cup winner Alajuelense will not come in until the round of 16.

The remaining teams were drawn into a bracket-style format with three seeded teams — Club America, Monterrey and UANL — and the remaining teams were put into pots and drawn based on ranking points.

Out of the five teams entering in the round of 16, Inter Miami had the third-highest ranking points behind Pachuca and Columbus Crew, meaning the Herons are the third seed in the tournament.

Inter Miami is one of seven teams in Concacaf making their debut in the 2024 Champions Cup competition.

Aside from Inter Miami, Major League Soccer has eight other teams that have qualified for the tournament:

• Nashville SC — runners-up in the 2023 Leagues Cup.

• Philadelphia Union — third place in the 2023 Leagues Cup.

• Columbus Crew — MLS Cup champion.

• FC Cincinnati — 2023 MLS Supporters’ Shield winner.

• St. Louis City SC — 2023 MLS Western Conference regular season winner.

• Houston Dynamo FC — 2023 U.S. Open Cup champion.

• Orlando City and New England Revolution — Next two best clubs in the Supporters’ Shield standings.

Liga MX in Mexico has the next-highest number of entrants with six: Pachuca, UANL, Toluca, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Club America.