2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Preview: FC Cincinnati, Nashville SC headline debutants

Goodbye Concacaf Champions League. Hello Concacaf Champions Cup!

The 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup (CCC) has been expanded from the previous 16 teams to feature 27 clubs from throughout North America, Central America, and the Caribbean in a five-round knockout tournament to be played from February to June. All ties will be decided across two legs, home and away, except for the single-leg Final on June 2nd.

As a result of the expanded structure, Major League Soccer qualified 10 entrants in this year’s competition. In theory, due to increasing from 25% of participants to 37%, MLS has its best statistical chance ever to lift the CCC trophy. 

Beginning with the Round of 32, SBI has you covered with a preview of where every MLS team stands heading into the Concacaf Champions Cup:

Deportivo Saprissa vs. Philadelphia Union

Leg 1 – Tuesday, February 20, 10 p.m. ET

The Philadelphia Union have been one of the winningest teams in MLS over the last half-decade but haven’t seen their success translate into trophies as often as they’d like. The 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup represents an opportunity to put to bed the ghosts of the 2022 MLS Cup and 2023 Leagues Cup late-stage losses. In truth, confidence in the squad’s chances should ooze out of the Union as they begin their 2024 campaign following a semifinal appearance in this competition last season.

Last year also saw the Union finish fourth in the Eastern Conference before falling in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs. It was a respectable season for the Union but not a remarkable one. Crucially, Kai Wagner and Alejandro Bedoya both returned to the club as free agents and will be key pieces in the Union’s CCC run.

Their opponents, Deportivo Saprissa, won the Costa Rican Primera Division’s Apertura season and currently sit second in the Clasura after six matches. With the likes of Luis Diaz, Ulises Segura, and Joseph Mora on Saprissa’s payroll, MLS fans will find several familiar faces in this contest.

The Union will be favorites to advanced, but Saprissa are no pushovers.

New England Revolution vs. CA Independiente de La Chorrrera

Leg 1 – Wednesday, February 21, 8 p.m. ET

Living up to their name, 2024 brings a new season, a new coach, and a new competition for the New England Revolution. Despite missing out on the tournament last year, the Revs return to the Concacaf tournament for the fifth time, with two-time MLS Cup-winning head coach Caleb Porter at the helm following the departure of Bruce Arena. 

In the transfer market, the Revs have retooled their defense by adding MLS veterans Nick Lima and Jonathan Mensah in front of new shot-stopper Henrich Ravas. The club did lose productive striker Gustavo Bou but it was a result of their own decision to permanently sign left winger Tomas Chancalay on a designated player (DP) contract. Amid all these changes, one constant remains; the success of the Revolution hinges on the ability of Captain Carles Gil.

New England went out in the first round of the playoffs last season following a fifth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. They will be eager to get back up on the horse in knockout play but should not take the three-time reigning Panamanian champions lightly.

St. Louis City SC vs. Houston Dynamo

Leg 1 – Tuesday, February 20, 8 p.m. ET

Two of the top four teams in the Western Conference last season will come together in the only MLS clash of the CCC Round of 32. St. Louis City famously set expansion records by becoming the only team to win the first five games of their MLS life and amassing the second-highest points total ever for an expansion side (56). Houston – though considerably further under the radar – had an equally impressive season with a fourth place Western Conference finish to complement their U.S. Open Cup title. 

The Dynamo will be looking to build on that trophy cabinet as St. Louis chases its first piece of silverware in club history.

Unfortunately, Houston will be without their superstar Hector Herrera in midfield due to injury which will diminish the Texans’ threat. The Dynamo remain a possession-dominant side while Bradley Carnell’s team enjoys running their legs off on the press and punishing opponents in transition. Whichever can enforce their philosophies more effectively will earn a date with the defending MLS Cup champions (Columbus Crew) in the Round of 16.

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Tigres UANL

Leg 1 – Wednesday, February 7, 10 p.m. ET

Just as intriguing as the only all-MLS matchup is the only MLS vs. Liga MX battle of the Round of 32 between two of last season’s CCL quarterfinalists. Both sides were knocked out in 2023 by their respective league’s CCL finalist but not before showing their tournament capabilities. 

This season provides a chance at redemption for Tigres as they chase a second CCC title. On the other hand, the Vancouver Whitecaps are just happy to see LAFC (the team who knocked them out of CCL and the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2023) fail to qualify.

The ‘Caps have done some transfer business this offseason by bringing in MLS veterans Damir Kreilach and Fafa Picault alongside defensive additions Bjørn Inge Utvik and Belal Halbouni. However, without adequate supporting cast for Ryan Gauld and Brian White, Vancouver still finds itself as the only MLS underdog in the Round of 32 (apart from the all-MLS matchup).

Oddsmakers see them as the least likely MLS team to lift the CCC trophy but Vanni Sartini loves to prove doubters wrong, so he’ll be looking to do it once again in 2024. Luckily he’ll be able to pace the touchline for CCC as opposed to the first six games of the MLS season for which he is suspended.

Orlando City SC vs. Cavalry FC

Leg 1 – Wednesday, February 21, 10 p.m. ET

The 2022 U.S. Open Cup saw Orlando City lift their first major trophy in club history. The 2023 MLS season saw them accumulate the highest point total in club history (63). What will the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup hold for the Lions?

The Lions exited in the first round of the CCL last season, doing one better in the MLS Cup Playoffs before falling to the eventual champions. Despite the record-breaking regular season, Orlando wants more.

Happy with their squads (as Orlando rightly could’ve been), most CCC clubs did only minor transfer business this winter. Orlando City added MLS legend Nicolas Lodeiro, permanently signed winger Ivan Angulo, extended defensive rock Robin Jansson, and is reportedly giving him a new partner in Slovenian international David Brekalo.

That’s not it. 

Orlando is also reportedly signing Colombian striker Luis Muriel from Atalanta in Italy’s Serie A. Originally meant to be a replacement for Duncan McGuire, the Lions may have both on their CCC roster after the 23-year-old sensation’s transfer to Blackburn Rovers fell through due to a clerical error.

Boasting a stacked roster led by a top manager with a freshly inked contract extension, Orlando City could make a deep CCC run this season. Reigning Canadian Premier League shield winners Cavalry FC will be their first hurdle, but the club’s goals lie well beyond the Round of 32.

FC Cincinnati vs. Cavalier SC

Leg 1 – Thursday, February 22, 9 p.m. ET

What better way to welcome the reigning Supporters’ Shield champions to their first CCC than with a beautiful trip to Jamaica?

In just two seasons, Head Coach Pat Noonan and General Manager Chris Albright have transformed FC Cincinnati from the worst team in MLS in 2021 to the best team in 2023. It’s no wonder they earned Coach and Executive of the Year honors respectively in the process. No longer in need of a rebuild, Albright instead had to replace losses ahead of 2024. On the surface, he still has some work to do. 

Standout center-back Yerson Mosquera completed his loan and has been the only major loss adequately replaced with USMNT international Miles Robinson who signed as a free agent from Atlanta United. Brandon Vazquez was sold to CF Monterrey and was replaced by Corey Baird who will be expected to share the striker duties with Sergio Santos alongside Aaron Boupendza.

Colombian international wing-back Santiago Arias has also left as a free agent without replacement. Additionally, Ray Gaddis and Junior Moreno remain free agents leaving Alvas Powell as the only man to fill that right wing-back position vacated by Arias.

Cincinnati should have no problem getting past Carribean Cup runners-up Cavalier SC with their current squad but as the competition progresses the light may shine on their offseason losses if more moves aren’t made. Nonetheless, Cincinnati will be one of Major League Soccer’s best chances at finding a second-ever champion of this competition led by reigning MLS MVP Luciano Acosta.

Nashville SC vs. Moca FC

Leg 1 – Thursday, February 22, 7 p.m. ET

Despite regressing in league play over the past three seasons (third to fifth to seventh) Nashville SC remains a threat in tournaments due to their defensive style of play which is generally beneficial in knockout competitions. After all, Gary Smith’s squad earned qualification to the CCC as Leagues Cup runners-up, not by conceding the fewest goals in MLS (which they did).

Having 2022 MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar in your squad doesn’t hurt either. A player like that can lead a team on a tournament run single handedly when in form.

Luckily for the Coyotes, they have one the easiest Round of 32 opponents in the tournament against third-place Caribbean Cup finishers Moca FC, according to oddsmakers. Moca also finished third in the Dominican Republic’s first division last season. Unfortunately for Nashville, should they advance, it will lead to a meeting with Inter Miami in the Round of 16 – the team that knocked them out of the U.S. Open Cup in 2023 and also beat them in the Leagues Cup Final.