The five MLS teams participating in the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League will learn their Round of 16 opponents on Monday night, when the confederation holds the draw for the reformatted tournament.
The Colorado Rapids (2016 Supporters’ Shield runner-up, qualified due to FC Dallas winning the Shield and the US Open Cup), FC Dallas (2016 US Open Cup winner), New York Red Bulls (2016 Eastern Conference regular season winner), Seattle Sounders (2016 MLS Cup winner) and Toronto FC (2016 Canadian Championship winner) will all be drawn into a Round of 16 matchup, with play kicking off in February.
Dallas, New York, Seattle and Toronto were all drawn into Pot 1, while the Rapids were drawn into Pot 2. Colorado can’t be drawn against another American team in the Round of 16, but they could matchup with TFC.
A full explainer of the draw, which will be televised on Univision Deportes Network at 7 pm ET on Monday and will determine the bracket for the entirety of the tournament, can be found here.
The two eight-team pots are listed below. Colorado are assured a difficult Round of 16 opponent, as they’ll play Toronto or Mexican power Chivas Guadalajara, Club America, Tigres UANL or Tijuana. The path should be a little easier for TFC, Dallas, New York and Seattle, who – apart from Toronto, who could face Colorado – will play a team from Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, El Salvador or the Dominican Republic in the Round of 16.
Pot 1:
- Club America (MEX)
- Chivas Guadalajara (MEX)
- FC Dallas
- New York Red Bulls
- Seattle Sounders
- Tigres UANL (MEX)
- Club Tijuana (MEX)
- Toronto FC
Pot 2:
- Cibao FC (DOM)
- Colorado Rapids
- CS Herediano (CRC)
- FC Motagua (HON)
- Club Deportivo Olimpia (HON)
- Santa Tecla FC (SLV)
- Deportivo Saprissa (CRC)
- Tauro FC (PAN)
