MIAMI, Florida – The first season of Major League Soccer (MLS) was played in 1996 and since then teams from the North American league have become mainstays in Concacaf Champions Cup play.
Just two years after the league’s inception, DC United became the first team from the United States to win the Champions Cup in 1998, a feat that was equaled by the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2000 and then 22 years later in 2022 by the Seattle Sounders.
With the growth of football in the North American region, there has also been an upward trend of MLS teams squaring off in the Champions Cup.
Look no further than Round One of the 2024 Champions Cup, as there will be a duel between MLS sides St. Louis City SC and the Houston Dynamo for the right to face another MLS team, the Columbus Crew, in the Round of 16.
👉 @HoustonDynamo 🆚 @stlCITYsc
— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) December 19, 2023
Which team will come out on top in this MLS matchup? 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/MwhENdEPdm
The very first MLS vs. MLS match-up in the Champions Cup came in the 1997 edition when the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated DC United 1-0 in the semifinals. Two years later in 1999, DC United played to a 2-2 draw with the Chicago Fire in the Third-Place Match.
On their way to the 2000 Champions Cup title, the Galaxy had to overcome DC United, 4-2, in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in the semifinals.
Fans of the league would have to wait a full decade before enjoying the next all-MLS Champions Cup battle. In their run to the Final of the 2010-11 tournament, Real Salt Lake earned a 4-1 win and drew 1-1 with Toronto FC in the group stage, prior to a 0-0 draw and 4-1 victory against Columbus in the quarterfinals.
Toronto FC split a pair of matches with FC Dallas in the 2011-12 group stage, losing 1-0 at home but triumphing 3-0 away from home. The Canadians then got a 2-2 draw and a 2-1 win against the Los Angeles Galaxy in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals.
CF Montreal faced MLS opponents in back-to-back group stage campaigns, winning 1-0 over the San Jose Earthquakes at home but losing 3-0 in San Jose in 2013-14. One year later in 2014-15 on their way to the Final, Montreal picked up a 1-0 win and 1-1 draw against the New York Red Bulls.
The Vancouver Whitecaps were then involved in all-MLS affairs in back-to-back Champions Cup seasons, beginning with a 1-1 draw and 3-0 loss to Seattle in the 2015-16 group stage. In 2016-17, Vancouver downed Sporting Kansas City 3-0 and 2-1 in the group stage before earning a 1-1 draw and 2-0 win against the Red Bulls in the quarterfinals.
The introduction of the Round of 16 format in 2018 saw Toronto FC encounter the Colorado Rapids in the Round of 16, with Toronto FC winning 2-0 and drawing 0-0.
Another all-MLS quarterfinal was on display in the 2021 tournament in which the Philadelphia Union impressively won 3-0 at Atlanta United before a 1-1 draw at home.
Just the second ever MLS vs. MLS semifinal took place in 2022 between Seattle and New York City FC, with the Sounders emerging with a 3-1 victory and a 1-1 draw to reach that year’s Final.
In the 2023 Champions Cup, there were a pair of all-MLS encounters, beginning with Los Angeles FC winning a pair of 3-0 matches against Vancouver in the quarterfinals. LAFC then took on Philadelphia in the semifinals and collected a 1-1 draw before winning 3-0 at home.
Now, for the fourth consecutive season there will be an all-MLS affair with St. Louis City and Houston in Round One, adding yet another chapter to a growing history.
