Real Salt Lake To Host Liga MX Atlas FC In Leagues Cup Showcase
Jun 30, 2022, 11:04 AM | Updated: Oct 4, 2022, 1:39 pm
Everton Luiz #25 of Real Salt Lake drives past Javier Aquino #20 of UANL Tigres during a quarterfinals match as part of the Leagues Cup 2019 at Rio Tinto Stadium on July 24, 2019 in Sandy, Utah. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Real Salt Lake will host Liga MX side Atlas FC for the first time in club history on September 22nd in a Leagues Cup feature showcase, the league announced this morning.
This year’s Leagues Cup Showcase will serve as a preview to the highly anticipated 2023 Leagues Cup, the annual month-long official tournament between MLS and Liga MX. All 47 MLS and Liga MX clubs will participate next summer, with the tournament champion earning automatic qualification for the Concacaf Champions League (CCL) Round of 16. In addition, clubs finishing second and third in Leagues Cup starting in 2023 will qualify for the Opening Round of the CCL.
“Real Salt Lake is proud of our vast history of competing against international opponents, whether that be in CONCACAF Champions League, international friendlies or the 2019 Leagues Cup,” said RSL President John Kimball, nearing his 22nd full month at the Club’s business helm. “Welcoming Atlas FC in September to Utah for the 42nd RSL game against 30 different international opponents from 16 various countries will no doubt serve as a fantastic reward for our incredible supporters, who have long proven to value international pathways to prestigious regional hardware. We cannot wait to host this year’s Leagues Cup Showcase, and we look forward to providing Atlas a sense of the best Utah has to offer.”
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Atlas FC is the current LIGA MX Campeón de Campeones – the overall Mexican league champion.
The rumors are true. We're taking on @AtlasFC in a Leagues Cup Showcase. https://t.co/BYT2uLH326
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) June 30, 2022
“We are very happy to be able to participate in Leagues Cup Showcase. The United States has always been a very important market to us, and we are pleased to join this great effort led by MLS and LIGA MX,” said Atlas FC Executive President José Riestra. “It is a privilege to be able to play in Salt Lake City against a team that has marked an era in MLS and hopefully we can continue to join forces to be able to satisfy our fans in the United States. It is a pleasure and an honor for Atlas to be able to participate in this match, which I am sure will be a success.”
In addition to the RSL vs. Atlas fixture, FC Cincinnati will play Chivas, while Nashville SC will host Club América. These three matches join the previously announced August 3rd doubleheader in Los Angeles featuring LA Galaxy vs. Chivas and LAFC vs. Club América.
Kickoff for RSL and Atlas FC is yet to be announced while tickets will be available to purchase at a later date. However, RSL season ticket holders will have priority access to presale tickets. If interested in tickets, click here.
