MIAMI — The 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup kicks off on Tuesday when Haitian side Real Hope FA hosts six-time winners Cruz Azul in the first leg of their Round One series at Estadio Cibao FC in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
The matchup will present the first-ever meeting between the sides. Real Hope will debut in the competition and become the sixth Haitian representative in the competition’s history.Real Hope qualified for the Champions Cup by securing third place in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup. Angelo Exilus, the team’s top scorer in the 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup with six goals, will be one of the players to watch in the 2025 edition.
A historic moment for Real Hope as they make their Champions Cup debut! 🇭🇹
— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) January 28, 2025
✨ Kicking off in Round One vs. Cruz Azul! pic.twitter.com/O0iECpf22R
Mexican club Cruz Azul was the first club to achieve three consecutive titles in the tournament’s history and has won six times (1969, 1970, 1971, 1996, 1997, and 2014), sitting at second all-time with 2024 champions CF Pachuca.
La Maquina return to the competition for its 18th appearance, and first since 2022, after reaching the final of the Liga MX Clausura 2024 season. Ángel Sepulveda, who scored 10 goals during the regular season and Liguilla in the Apertura 2024, will be an important player for the Cruzazulinos.
¡El 6 veces campeón está de regreso este 2025! 🚂🔵
— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) January 20, 2025
Cruz Azul debutará contra Real Hope 🇭🇹 pic.twitter.com/Y2BDntsiBo
