MLS teams currently cannot qualify for the European Champions League. They are not members of UEFA, the European governing body of football, so there is no mechanism for them to compete in that club tournament. But—and this is important—they do have their own continental competition under CONCACAF where top MLS clubs battle it out. Below, JeansPitch will explore what exactly this means, how MLS teams currently qualify for international tournaments, and whether anything could change in the future.
What “Champions League” Means in Different Contexts
Before diving deeper, it’s crucial to clarify what “Champions League” people mean, because there’s more than one.
- UEFA Champions League (Europe’s version): The top club competition for European teams. Open only to clubs from countries whose football associations are part of UEFA.
- CONCACAF Champions Cup/Champions League (North and Central America & Caribbean): The analogous top-tier club competition for clubs.
So when people ask “can MLS qualify for Champions League,” oftentimes they are confusing the CONCACAF version with the UEFA version. The answer depends on which one they mean.
Why MLS Cannot Enter the UEFA Champions League
Here are the key reasons, with some soccer‐governance clarity behind them:
Confederation membership
- MLS clubs are under the USA Soccer Federation and Canada Soccer, which are members of CONCACAF. UEFA’s competitions are exclusively for member associations of UEFA. Since the U.S. and Canada are not UEFA members, their clubs are ineligible to compete in the UEFA Champions League.
- Separate organizational structure
- UEFA and CONCACAF are separate regional confederations recognized by FIFA. Each has its own qualifying tournaments, rules, and calendars. There is currently no pathway for a CONCACAF club to move into a UEFA competition under existing rules.
- Geographical and historical precedent
- All clubs appearing in the UEFA Champions League have come, membership rules—something that is highly unlikely without a radical restructuring of how global football is organized.
What MLS Clubs Can Qualify For
While they can’t enter Europe’s top competition, MLS clubs have several international tournaments where they compete at a continental level.
CONCACAF Champions Cup (formerly CONCACAF Champions League)
- This is the primary international club competition for teams.
- MLS teams regularly qualify for this competition based on their performance in MLS regular season, playoffs, domestic cups (like the U.S. Open Cup), and sometimes.
- The Champions Cup has been restructured and expanded recently—more spots, more routes to qualify. For example, MLS teams might qualify by winning the Leagues Cup, having high regular-season points, or by winning the MLS Cup.
Leagues Cup & Domestic Cups
- The Leagues Cup, a competition between MLS and Liga MX teams.
- Domestic performance in the U.S. Open Cup or the MLS regular season also still matter for securing continental berths.
How MLS Teams Qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup
JeansPitch breaks down the current pathways for MLS clubs:
- Winning the MLS Cup (the playoff champion) grants a berth.
- Winning the Supporters’ Shield often provides access.
- Top overall points in the regular season can also get you in, even if you don’t win a cup or playoffs.
- Performance in the Leagues Cup or domestic cup tournaments can also earn qualification spots.
Because of expanded competition formats, MLS has more guaranteed places in the Champions Cup than in past years. Multiple teams each season qualify.
Could That Change? Future Possibilities
People sometimes wonder: What if an MLS club wanted to join UEFA or play against European teams regularly?
Here are some thoughts:
- For MLS teams to enter UEFA competitions, they would need membership in a UEFA national association, or the region would need to be redefined. That’s a non‐starter under current FIFA and confederation structures.
- There have been occasional proposals or fan speculation about “intercontinental super leagues” or expanded global club competitions (e.g. Club World Cup expansions), but nothing so far gives MLS clubs access to the UEFA Champions League.
- The more realistic change is further expansion or reformatting of CONCACAF tournaments, increasing prize money, improving exposure—making the regional Champions Cup more competitive and prestigious, so that playing in it is more like what fans imagine when they dream of “Champions League”‐level competition.
Common Misconceptions and FAQs
Here are some quick answers to common misunderstandings around this topic:
- “But MLS teams already play in a ‘Champions League’” – Yes, but that’s the CONCACAF Champions Cup (formerly called the CONCACAF Champions League until recently). It is not the same as the European UEFA Champions League.
- “If an MLS team wins the CONCACAF Champions Cup, can they then play in UEFA tournaments?” – No. Winning CONCACAF competitions doesn’t grant eligibility in UEFA tournaments.
- “Could rules change in the future?” – Possibly, but any change that allows CONCACAF clubs into UEFA competitions would require major shifts in confederation rules, geography, and FIFA’s regulatory environment. There’s currently no indication of such a change.
Conclusion
Can MLS qualify for Champions League? In short: no, not the European version. MLS clubs are part of CONCACAF, not UEFA, so they don’t have access to the UEFA Champions League. However, they compete regularly in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and other international tournaments, which are their equivalent continental competitions.
If you’re an MLS fan, the takeaway should be: value what’s real. Focus on MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield, Leagues Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup—those are your paths to international glory. JeansPitch encourages you to follow those competitions closely; if things ever change, we’ll be here to tell you how, when, and why. Want me to pull up the most recent CONCACAF Champions Cup rules so you know exactly how your club could qualify this season?
