Leagues Cup outright preview: Tournament winner and suggested bets
As Alexi Lalas would say: Good morning, sunshine. What are we shouting about today? Lionel Messi's stock among fans plummeted when he missed the All-Star game recently, perhaps.
Football's greatest decided against going from the circus of the Club World Cup to participating in carnival games at the All-Star event.
Now, from one fixture pile-up disguised as progress to another, the Leagues Cup is back to give us 36 more reasons to question the state of North American football.
This bloated mash-up of MLS and Liga MX kicks off this week and runs through August.
All 18 Liga MX clubs are in, while only 18 from MLS made the cut. But most importantly, Inter Miami will be on your TV screens.
Now, as the bottom half of MLS sensibly focuses on the league, the rest are back to clog up the calendar with a cross-border kickabout no one asked for.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s betting writer George Dempsey dives into some outright predictions for the tournament.
Tournament winner
Inter Miami are favourites again, and it’s easy to see why. Messi lifted the trophy in 2023, and now he’s brought Rodrigo De Paul along for the ride.
Throw in Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and a midfield packed with energy, and 9/1 looks fair on paper.
Still, three games in a week is a big ask when every Mexican side treats you like a scalp.
They’ll be targeted, and rightly so.
Cincinnati at 11/1 feels like a better shout. There are injury doubts, but they’ve looked extremely well-balanced this season.
Evander’s free-scoring form is a threat to anyone, and while he’s setting records up front, the defence has held firm at the back.
Their toughest test comes early against Monterrey, but being mid-season and playing at home gives them a real edge.
Club America are a similar price at 12/1 and arrive with a chip on their shoulder after missing out on a fourth straight domestic title.
If any Mexican side is going to knock MLS clubs off on their own turf, it could be them.
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They’ve also got a point to prove after LAFC edged them in the Club World Cup play-in.
That said, they might be a step behind physically. A long summer break means they’ve only played four games, and rust could show.
Toluca, by contrast, are flying under the radar. They beat America to lift the Campeon de Campeones, and they’re already off to a strong start in league play.
Alexis Vega and Paulinho give them quality up front, while Antonio Mohamed has them playing sharp, aggressive football.
LAFC and San Diego are 13/1 shots. LAFC have the pedigree but have lacked consistency.
San Diego look fun, but they’re too raw to trust just yet.
If you’re chasing a bigger price, Monterrey at 21/1 might be the answer. They’re not what they were, but they’re still dangerous.
They went toe-to-toe with Miami in last year’s Champions League, winning 5–2 on aggregate, so the quality is still there.
Even so, it’s Toluca who tick the most boxes right now. They’re attacking, disciplined, in form, and the sharpest of the Mexican sides.
They won’t fear Cincinnati or Miami, but if the former keep their rhythm and Evander stays fit, there’s every chance they make the final too.
Suggested bet: FC Cincinnati at 11/1
Suggested bet: Toluca at 11/1
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