The Lightning Success of the Leagues Cup Could Harm MLS

The Leagues Cup arrived like a whirlwind, sweeping across the North American soccer calendar. But was this really beneficial for Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs? When the tournament's first edition was announced back in 2019, the Leagues Cup was met with skepticism. But by 2023, the story had changed, and the Leagues Cup had transformed into a spectacle, involving every MLS and Liga MX club in a competition that promised much more than just summer entertainment.

However, beneath all the fireworks, there are questions that deserve deeper analysis. Did the Leagues Cup really bring tangible benefits to MLS clubs, or was it just a temporary spark, like fireworks that light up the sky for a few seconds before fading into darkness? Take Inter Miami as an example—just recently, they were languishing at the bottom of the league, but after lifting the Leagues Cup trophy in 2023 under the leadership of Lionel Messi, was it beginner’s luck or a sign that MLS is evolving?

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Messi’s arrival undoubtedly supercharged the competition. The Argentine, with his on-field magic, drew eyes from around the globe, turning the tournament into something more than just a competition between teams from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. But here’s where the problem lies. Did the Leagues Cup, with all its massive marketing centered around Messi, genuinely benefit MLS clubs? Or was the competition just a smokescreen, hiding the league’s true intentions?

The MLS’s biggest mistake was putting money ahead of tradition. The U.S. Open Cup, the oldest tournament in the United States, was pushed to the sidelines. And as if that wasn’t enough, MLS tried to pull its clubs from this historic competition, citing "schedule congestion." Let’s be real—how can a league that creates a new World Cup-style competition simultaneously complain about a packed schedule? It sounds like a lame excuse to justify what is, in reality, an attempt to funnel all attention and revenue to the Leagues Cup.

Yes, the Leagues Cup brought financial and visibility benefits to MLS clubs. Yes, it pitted North American teams against Mexican giants, offering a rare chance to test themselves against their southern neighbors. And yes, the competition introduced an innovative format that drew fans and elevated competitiveness. But at what cost? The truth is, by promoting the Leagues Cup as the main event on the calendar, MLS risks losing fans who value tradition and, beyond that, could harm the entire soccer ecosystem in the United States by not participating in a tournament that promotes the inclusion of clubs at all levels, from amateur to professional.

The irony is palpable. While MLS tries to position itself as a serious, competitive league, it seems more focused on cashing in on summer tournaments than on preserving history and developing soccer in the United States as a whole. And that’s a strategic mistake that could prove costly in the long run. The U.S. Open Cup has been relegated to the background, while the Leagues Cup is promoted as the crown jewel of the calendar.

For some clubs, like Inter Miami, the Leagues Cup was a lifeline, a springboard to glory at a time when all seemed lost. For others, it was a distraction—a competition that added little in terms of sports development and much in terms of stress and physical strain. And for MLS as a whole, the Leagues Cup represented a golden opportunity to make money and attract global attention, but it also revealed a lack of commitment to developing soccer in the United States, which isn't limited to just a major league.

While the Leagues Cup promises growth, visibility, and financial success, it also hinders the development of soccer in the United States and stifles the oldest soccer competition in the country. The challenge now is to find a balance between the new and the old, between money and tradition, so that MLS can grow sustainably without losing its identity in the process. I believe the Leagues Cup was beneficial in some aspects, but it also brought to light issues that MLS needs to address if it wants to become a globally respected league.