COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Columbus Crew’s loss against the Portland Timbers on Saturday was the team’s final MLS match for a month. However, the Black & Gold will be suiting up on Sunday to begin play in a new competition.

MLS is pausing for the next month as all 29 clubs in the league as well as every team in Mexico’s top division, Liga MX, will play in the first expanded Leagues Cup tournament. The competition was introduced in 2019 with just four clubs from each league competing over two months.

After the 2020 edition was canceled because of the pandemic, the small tournament returned in 2021 under and 2022. Now, the Leagues Cup is fully formed and can best be described as a World Cup-style competition.

Here is everything you need to know about the Crew’s group, the tournament format, and what’s at stake for the winners of this new North American competition.

Crew in so-called “Group of Death”

With 45 teams drawn into 15 groups of three, a lot of options are available for the toughest group and as this MLS season has progressed, the Crew’s group has turned into the “Group of Death.”

When discussing groups for a knockout soccer tournament, fans around the globe will dub one group as the “Group of Death.” The term is given to the group that consists of multiple teams in the tournament that can be considered favorites. An example would be the United States’ group during the 2014 World Cup that included Germany, Portugal, and Ghana.

All the teams were separated by geographical region into Central, East, West, and South groups. The Black & Gold are in Central group 1 with current Western Conference leaders St. Louis CITY SC and the most decorated club in Mexican history Club America.

St. Louis’ incredible start to its inaugural MLS season, Club America’s second place finish in the 2022-23 cumulative Liga MX table and the Crew’s solid play in 2023 should make for a tight group. With just two teams moving on, one of these contenders won’t see the knockout stage.

The Crew will host both its group matches against St. Louis CITY SC on Sunday and vs. Club America on July 31. One win is likely enough to get the Crew to the knockout round.

Leagues Cup format

Group stage play will begin on Friday and continue through July 31, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the knockout round. Most of the groups consist of two MLS teams with one team in Liga MX. All matches will be played at MLS stadiums in the United States and Canada.

To determine the standings, teams get points based on results with three points for a win and zero for a loss. A special inclusion in the tournament is no ties being allowed in group games. If a match ends in a tie after regulation, each team will receive one point before a penalty shootout. The winner of the penalty shootout will receive a bonus point.

One group in particular that will have a lot of intrigue is South group 3 with Cruz Azul, Atlanta United, and Inter Miami. Miami will have Lionel Messi available to play and could make a run in the competition with the Argentine superstar headlining its attack.

After the group stage, the teams will be placed in a 32-team single elimination bracket based on its geographical region. If the Crew advance, they could play either Minnesota United, the Chicago Fire, or Puebla in the round of 32.

Two teams, Los Angeles FC and Pachuca, earned byes to the knockout round as the 2022 champions in MLS and Liga MX. Knockout matches will begin on Aug. 2 and conclude with the final on Aug. 19.

The knockout portion is likely to include plenty of drama as single-elimination knockout soccer tends to bring at all levels. If a match ends in a tie after regulation, two 15-minute halves of extra time will be played. If the score is still tied, the match will be determined via a penalty shootout. To view the bracket, click here.

What’s at stake

Creating a tournament can always beckon the question of what’s at stake for the teams. Outside of prize money based on team performance, the top three teams will clinch automatic spots in next year’s CONCACAF Champions Cup.

The Champions Cup, the new name for the Champions League, is the premier club competition for teams across the region. This includes club teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. The winner of the Leagues Cup will be one of five clubs earning a bye and entering the knockout phase of the Champions Cup. With MLS and Liga MX’s dominance in the region, the three clubs advancing from the Leagues Cup will be among the favorites in next year’s Champions Cup.

The winner of the 2024 Champions Cup will qualify for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, the first edition of the tournament that will include 32 teams. The tournament will take place in the United States and will feature multiple clubs from around the globe, including 12 from Europe.