MLS's representatives in 2020 Concacaf Champions League have been decided.
The LA Galaxy's elimination from the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs on Thursday night means the Seattle Sounders will join LAFC (Supporters' Shield winners), New York City FC (best-placed team in the conference opposite the Shield winners), Atlanta United (U.S. Open Cup) and Montreal Impact (Canadian Championship) in representing the league in North America's premier club competition next year.
Although Seattle are one of four teams still in contention to win MLS Cup, which decides the last of the United States' four CCL berths, the other three teams in contention have either already qualified (LAFC and Atlanta) or cannot qualify (Toronto FC; Canadian MLS teams only qualify through the Canadian Championship). That means the spot originally allocated to the MLS Cup winner goes to the next-highest ranked US-based team in the Supporters' Shield standings, in this case Seattle.
Which teams outside of MLS will play in the 2020 Champions League? From Liga MX, Club América, Tigres UANL, Cruz Azul and Club Leon have qualified, while the teams from Central America are Costa Rica's Saprissa and San Carlos, Honduran outfits Olimpia and Motagua, El Salvador's Alianza and Guatemalan side Comunicaciones. The Caribbean representative will be Jamaica's Portmore United.
2020 Concacaf Champions League berths
- U.S. Open Cup winner: Atlanta United
- Canadian Championship winner: Montreal Impact
- Supporters' Shield winner: LAFC
- Eastern Conference regular-season winner: NYCFC
- MLS Cup champion or non-qualified team with best regular-season record: Seattle
