MLS in 2023 Concacaf Champions League: How to watch, what to know

Up through 2022, Concacaf Champions League was the tournament MLS fans loved to hate because bitter disappointment was an annual rite of passage.

That changed last May when Seattle Sounders FC became the first MLS team to win a CCL title in the tournament’s modern era, earning both continental bragging rights and a FIFA Club World Cup spot.

Can an MLS club make it back-to-back champions via 2023's edition?

There are five teams – Austin FC, LAFC, Orlando City SC, Philadelphia Union and Vancouver Whitecaps FC – who begin that quest this week with Round of 16 first-leg encounters. And, unlike in previous years, they’ll have an entire preseason and two regular-season matchdays under their belt before their first CCL match.

2023 Concacaf Champions League Bracket

CCL watch info

• Games are not viewable on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV 
• USA in English: FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2, FOX Soccer Plus 
• USA in Spanish: Univision, TUDN, ViX
• Canada: One Soccer, YouTube

Qualified teams

Tournament schedule

• Round of 16: March 7-9 (first legs) and March 14-16 (second legs)
• Quarterfinals: April 4-6 (first legs) and April 11-13 (second legs)
• Semifinals: April 25-27 (first legs) and May 2-4 (second legs)
• Final: May 31 (first leg) and June 4 (second leg)

2023 Concacaf Champions League Schedule

CCL expands next year

This is the final 16-team CCL before the competition expands to 27 teams in 2024, including three qualifiers from the new and expanded Leagues Cup that begins July 21. All 47 teams from MLS and Liga MX are competing in Leagues Cup this summer, pausing league competition until a winner is crowned August 19.

Round of 16 opponent

• Violette AC (Haiti)

The rundown

Austin FC make their CCL debut after being, in 2022, the highest-ranked US team not already qualified. The Verde & Black are coming off a much-needed last-minute 1-0 win over CF Montréal on Saturday, though have some injury troubles at center back. Perhaps 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP runner-up Sebastián Driussi can help render those issues moot with an attacking punch? 

Violette AC qualified after winning the 2022 Flow Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship. Le Vieux Tigre, one of Haiti’s most successful clubs, defeated Cibao FC via a penalty shootout in the final. While it's their first modern-day CCL run, they have some international history in the region after winning the Concacaf Champions Cup in 1984.

Tune-in info

Round of 16 opponent

• Alajuelense (Costa Rica)

The rundown

The defending MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield champions enter CCL for the second time, looking to get their hands on a trophy they came oh-so-close to winning in 2020. That's when they eliminated a trio of Mexican teams (Club Leon, Cruz Azul and Club America) before falling to Tigres in the final. The Black & Gold are looking solid after opening their 2023 MLS season with a 3-2 win over the Portland Timbers on Saturday.

LAFC face a strong Alajuelense side that currently leads the Costa Rican Primera Division Clausura tournament through 11 matches and is coming off a 4-0 routing of Guadalupe FC on Friday. The Costa Ricans, led by forward Johan Venegas, are expecting a complete sellout at the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto when the MLS champions come to visit. They've qualified for the CCL 26 times.

Tune-in info

Round of 16 opponent

• Tigres UANL (Mexico)

The rundown

Orlando City make their CCL debut by visiting Mexican powerhouse and 2020 winners Tigres, surely the toughest test for an MLS side in the Round of 16. The Lions, who qualified after winning the 2022 US Open Cup, are undefeated in MLS play after two games, beating the New York Red Bulls 1-0 on Matchday 1 and playing FC Cincinnati to a scoreless draw last Saturday.

Tigres, currently sitting in second place in Liga MX's Clausura tournament, are coming off a 1-0 win over Necaxa last Friday. Star striker Andre-Pierre Gignac has been sidelined with a leg injury, but this is arguably North America's top team even without the Frenchman. Other dangerous pieces in attack include Mexican national teamers Diego Lainez and Sebastián Córdova.   

Tune-in info

Round of 16 opponent

• Alianza FC (El Salvador)

The rundown

Philadelphia Union return to CCL by visiting El Salvador's Alianza FC, having made the 2021 semifinals as first-time participants. They defeated Costa Rican powerhouse Saprissa (5-0 on aggregate) and Atlanta United (4-1 on aggregate) before falling to Mexican giants Club America (4-0 on aggregate).

The Union head to Central America looking to shake off a shocking 2-0 loss at Inter Miami CF over the weekend. Jim Curtin's group, MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield runners-up in 2022, meet an Alianza FC side that currently sits atop their domestic league after defeating FAS 2-0 on Saturday.

Tune-in info

Round of 16 opponent

• Real España (Honduras)

The rundown

Vancouver Whitecaps FC are making their third CCL appearance after winning the 2022 Canadian Championship. It's been a rough start to 2023 for Vanni Sartini's men, who opened with back-to-back MLS losses against Real Salt Lake and the San Jose Earthquakes.

The good news? They'll welcome a struggling Real España side that has only won once in their last six outings and is coming off a 3-0 loss against Motagua on Saturday.

Tune-in info