Favoritos das apostas da 1ª rodada da Copa da Liga

This week marks the start of the third edition of the Leagues Cup, running from July 29 to August 1, and it comes with some changes compared to previous tournaments.

For 2025, only 36 teams will participate: 18 from MLS and 18 from Liga MX. This means all top-division Mexican clubs will participate, along with the 18 MLS teams that qualified for last season’s playoffs. The only absence will be the Vancouver Whitecaps, who are playing in the Canadian Championship. San Diego FC will take its place.

There will no longer be group stages. Instead, each team will play three matches against clubs from the opposite league—for example, an MLS club will face three Liga MX teams. At the end, the top four teams from each league will advance to the quarterfinals, where single-elimination matches will be played.

The first two editions, considered friendlies, were won by Cruz Azul (2019) and Club León (2021). The next two, deemed official competitions, were won by Inter Miami (2023) and Columbus Crew (2024). In these official editions, American teams dominated the podium, with Monterrey being the only Mexican side to reach the semifinals in 2023, though they lost the third-place match.

No Troca de Gambila, você pode explorar todas as previsões para a MLS, as apostas finais para esta rodada e as probabilidades para cada partida.

Taça das Ligas - 1ª jornada: Toluca vs. Columbus Crew

Toluca is coming off a thrilling 4–3 home loss to Tigres. However, just a week earlier, the reigning Mexican champions had claimed the Campeón de Campeones Trophy with a 3–1 win over América. Before the defeat against the Monterrey side, the ‘Diablos Rojos’ had won three straight matches this season.

Meanwhile, theColumbus Crew also suffered a home loss, falling 3–1 to Orlando City, and have now lost two of their last three games. They currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference with 12 wins, eight draws, and five losses. The team recently strengthened its attack by signing Palestinian striker Wessam Abou Ali, top scorer for Al Ahly and scorer of a hat-trick against Porto in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Toluca vs. Columbus Crew Betting Pick: Draw

Taça das Ligas - 1ª jornada: Inter Miami vs. Atlas

Inter Miami already knows what it’s like to win this tournament and is aiming to become the first team to win it twice. They’re coming off a scoreless draw against Cincinnati in a match where they were without Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba—both suspended for skipping the All-Star Game—as well as their two main goalkeepers, who are injured. The team has just added Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul to strengthen their midfield.

Atlas has been on a downward trend in Liga MX. They started with a 3–2 away win over Puebla, followed by a 3–3 home draw with Cruz Azul and a 3–1 loss at Monterrey. In just three matches, they’ve scored seven goals and conceded eight—very high numbers for such a short span. Interestingly, no player has scored more than once.

Inter Miami vs. Atlas Betting Pick: Inter Miami

Taça das Ligas - 1ª jornada: América vs. Salt Lake

América has been taking a lot of hits lately. They lost the Clausura MX final to Toluca, then the FIFA Club World Cup playoff against Los Angeles FC, and just a week ago, the Campeón de Campeones final—again to the ‘Diablos Rojos’. It’s been a tough stretch for the ‘Águilas’, though they’ve had a decent start in the league with a 3–1 home win over Tijuana and back-to-back 1–1 away draws against Juárez and Necaxa.

Real Salt Lake, meanwhile, has surged in MLS since early June, climbing to eighth place in the Western Conference and currently holding a Play-In spot. They’re coming off a 2–1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes and have won four of their last five matches, losing only once in their previous seven, five of which were victories.

América vs. Salt Lake Betting Pick: Draw

Taça das Ligas - 1ª jornada: Cruz Azul x Seattle Sounders

After two straight draws to open the Liga MX Apertura—including a scoreless home game against Mazatlán—Cruz Azul earned its first win with a dominant 4–1 victory over León, scoring all four goals in the final 30 minutes. New signings José Paradela and Jeremy Márquez have made an impact, with Paradela tallying three assists and Márquez scoring once. Giorgos Giakoumakis remains out of the squad and is expected to leave soon, while Luka Jovic appears close to joining.

The Seattle Sounders had a disappointing FIFA Club World Cup, losing all three matches. However, since returning to MLS, they’ve gone unbeaten with three wins and three draws, alternating results and currently sitting fourth in the Western Conference. Key players like Jordan Morris, Stefan Frei, and Paul Arriola are out due to injury.

These two teams met earlier this year in the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16, ending in a scoreless draw in the U.S. before Cruz Azul won 4–1 in Mexico.

Cruz Azul vs. Seattle Sounders Betting Pick: Cruz Azul