CONCACAF Champions Cup: First Round Preview

The first round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup kicks off, where 22 teams will compete in home-and-away matches for a spot in the Round of 16.

Some of the most notable matchups include clashes between American teams. However, this first week will see the Mexican clubs in action.

Pumas will face the Canadian champions, Cavalry, while Cruz Azul will take on the Haitian champions, Real Hope.

In another Canada vs. Mexico matchup, Forge will visit Monterrey, while Tigres will travel to Nicaragua to play against Real Estelí.

The last series will feature the Caribbean Cup runners-up, Cibao from the Dominican Republic, hosting Chivas de Guadalajara.

Concacaf Champions Cup First Round: Real Hope vs. Cruz Azul

Real Hope qualified for this tournament after finishing third in the 2024 CONCACAF Caribbean Cup, losing to Cibao in the semifinals but defeating Moca FC in the decisive match to secure their first-ever appearance in the competition. Before that, they had won the league title in their home country.

Cruz Azul is the clear favorite in this series and a strong contender for the tournament title, which they have won six times. They will likely travel with several backup players but remain heavy favorites nonetheless. They arrive with two consecutive victories and are unbeaten in their last three matches. Argentine Luka Romero has already scored his first goal, while Mateusz Bogusz is still awaiting his debut.

Real Hope vs. Cruz Azul Betting Pick: Cruz Azul

Concacaf Champions Cup First Round: Forge vs. Monterrey

Forge enters this tournament after finishing as the best team in the regular season of the Canadian Premier League, though they lost the final to Cavalry by a score of 2-1. This will be their third appearance in the competition, having lost all four of their previous matches—each against Mexican teams (Guadalajara and Cruz Azul).

Monterrey is one of the strongest teams in the Mexican league and has won this tournament five times, emerging victorious every time they reached the final. They started poorly in the Mexican league, recording three draws and one loss before finally securing their first win this past weekend with a 1-0 victory over Necaxa.

Forge vs. Monterrey Betting Pick: Monterrey

Concacaf Champions Cup First Round: Real Estelí vs. Tigres

Real Estelí hasn’t had the best time lately. On December 4, they lost the final of the CONCACAF Central American Cup 3-2 to Alajuelense. Then, on December 21, they fell in the Nicaraguan league final, losing 4-3 to Diriangén FC after conceding a penalty in the 90+8 minute. In 2025, they have recorded three wins and two losses. They currently sit at the top of the local league standings.

Tigres, the champions of 2020, recently suffered their first loss of the year, losing 1-0 to Toluca this past weekend, which left them in third place in the Mexican league. Their attack has been strong, scoring 10 goals in five matches, with Juan Brunetta netting three of them. Speaking of goals, French striker André-Pierre Gignac is the fourth all-time top scorer in the tournament with 20 goals—just four behind the all-time leader, Mexican forward Javier Orozco.

Real Estelí vs. Tigres Betting Pick: Tigres

Concacaf Champions Cup First Round: Cavalry vs. Pumas

Cavalry is the reigning Canadian league champion and will participate in this tournament for the second consecutive year. Last year, theywere eliminated by Orlando City with an aggregate score of 6-1. They recently won the final against Forge 3-1, with German forward Tobias Warschewski as their standout player. Warschewski was the top scorer of the 2024 Canadian Premier League (14 goals) and the MVP of the last final. He is currently on a five-game scoring streak, during which he has netted seven goals and provided one assist.

Pumas is coming off an impressive 3-2 away victory against Atlético San Luis, securing their second win of the season. The team lost César Huerta, who transferred to Belgian football but added Panamanian star Adalberto Carrasquilla, the 2024 CONCACAF Player of the Year and the Golden Ball winner of the Gold Cup. Pumas won this tournament three times in the 80s.

Cavalry vs. Pumas City Betting Pick: Pumas