Monterrey, Nashville clash in must-win Leagues Cup battle

CF Monterrey and Nashville SC have all to play for in Wednesday's Leagues Cup Phase One finale between regional heavyweights at GEODIS Park.

How to watch & stream

• Apple TV
• FS1, UniMás

When

• Wednesday, Aug. 12 | 8 pm ET/5 pm PT

Where

• GEODIS Park | Nashville, Tennessee

In Phase One, each team plays three matches against opponents from the opposite league. The top four clubs from each league-specific table advance to the quarterfinals.

The tournament champion will be crowned on Sept. 6. Additionally, the top three finishers qualify for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.

Leagues Cup tickets

Standings

• 7th in LIGA MX Leagues Cup table
• 3 points (1W-1L-0D)

Last match

Following their 2-1 loss to Orlando City, Rayados put themselves back into contention by rallying for a 2-1 comeback victory over Inter Miami CF. 

Rodrigo De Paul gave the Herons an early lead at Nu Stadium, only for Monterrey to flip the script with the help of two MLS alums.

Former Chicago Fire FC striker Hugo Cuypers equalized shortly after halftime, before ex-LAFC and Columbus Crew standout Diego Rossi struck for the 90th-minute winner.

Players to watch

• Diego Rossi: The Uruguay international has 2g/1a in five games since joining Monterrey from the Crew last month in a reported $8 million deal.
• Hugo Cuypers: The Belgian striker has two goals in his first four appearances for Rayados, moving south of the border after departing the Fire midseason. 
• Lucas Ocampos: Monterrey's A-list attack also features Ocampos, a former Argentine international who is LIGA MX's current top scorer with three goals in four Apertura matches. 
• Jesús Corona: Monterrey product "Tecatito" serves as captain in his second stint with the club following a decade-long stint in Europe.

Need to know

Monterrey, whose fourth-place finish in Leagues Cup 2023 remains the benchmark performance for LIGA MX sides in the tournament, have an outside chance of reaching this year's knockout stages. 

Coached by former San Jose Earthquakes manager Matías Almeyda, Rayados will need to pad their goal differential and hope for other favorable results during the final matchday of Phase One to become one of LIGA MX's four quarterfinalists.

Standings

• 9th in MLS Leagues Cup table
• 3 points (1W-1L-0D)

Last match

Nashville fell 1-0 to Club León in their Phase One opener, but quickly turned the page with an impressive 4-1 dismantling of Atlético de San Luis.

Cristian Espinoza returned from injury in style, scoring a brace in his first appearance since late May. DP striker Sam Surridge and US youth international Reed Baker-Whiting also contributed goals in the get-right performance. 

Players to watch

• Hany Mukhtar: The 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP has a joint club-best 11 goal contributions (6g/5a) in league play this season. 
• Sam Surridge: Nashville's top MLS scorer (11 goals) opened his Leagues Cup 2026 account vs. Atlético de San Luis. 
• Cristian Espinoza: The Argentine playmaker had an immediate impact in his return from injury, helping Nashville snap a three-game winless streak across all competitions. 
• Brian Schwake: The 24-year-old goalkeeper has earned an MLS All-Star nod while generating plenty of USMNT buzz amid a breakout season.

Need to know

Like Monterrey, Nashville need to win on Wednesday and then wait for other results to determine their Leagues Cup future. 

With only four quarterfinal spots available per each 18-team league-specific table (MLS & LIGA MX), the odds are somewhat stacked against B.J. Callaghan's side. 

However, as the current MLS Supporters' Shield leaders, Nashville will want to deliver a statement performance against one of the continent's top clubs in front of their hometown fans at GEODIS Park.