2020 CONCACAF Champions League Draw Preview

New York City FC will kick off their maiden Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League campaign on Monday, December 9 when the competition draw takes place in Mexico City, Mexico.

NYCFC qualified for the Champions League after clinching the top spot in the 2019 Major League Soccer Eastern Conference - and will be one of five MLS teams entered into the 2020 competition alongside MLS Cup winners Seattle Sounders, Supporters’ Shield winners LAFC, U.S. Open Cup champions Atlanta United, and Canadian Championship winners Montreal Impact.

What is the CONCACAF Champions League?

The CONCACAF Champions League is an international club competition featuring the top clubs from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean which qualified by winning domestic league and cup competitions in their respective countries.

The 16 teams are arranged in head-to-head matchups in a bracket-style tournament in which the winner will automatically qualify for the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar.

When is the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League draw?

The draw is Monday, December 9 at 6pm EST and will be televised on TUDN in the United States and TSN in Canada.

Any accompanying live stream will be shared on NYCFC.com.

What Pot is NYCFC in?

All five MLS teams have been seeded into Pot 1 alongside three of the Liga MX qualifiers. The second pot includes one more Liga MX team and qualifiers from Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Jamaica.

The clubs in Pot 1 will host the second matchup of the two-legged Round of 16 clashes. Additionally, the teams drawn into positions 1, 3, 5 and 7 will be the hosts of the quarterfinal second-leg matches.

POT 1

Atlanta United (MLS)

Club América (MEX)

Cruz Azul (MEX)

LAFC (MLS)

Montreal Impact (MLS)

NYCFC (MLS)

Seattle Sounders (MLS)

Tigres UANL (MEX)

POT 2

AD San Carlos (CRC)

Alianza FC (SLV)

Comunicaciones (GUA)

Club Leon (MEX)

Motagua (HON)

Olimpia (HON)

Portmore United (JAM)

Deportivo Saprissa (CRC)

Who are NYCFC's Possible Opponents?

Club Leon (Mexico)  
Location: Leon, Mexico
Stadium: Estadio Leon (Capacity: 31,297)
Qualification method: 2018-2019 Clausura Runners-Up (Playoffs); finished 1st in league
Current League Place: 2019-2020 Apertura 2nd Place League Finish (lost in Quarterfinal of Playoffs to Morelia 5-4 on aggregate)

7-time Liga MX champions; 6 time Liga MX runners up

5-time Copa MX champions; 5 time Copa MX runners up

Top Scorers: Jose Macias, Ismael Sosa, Angel Mena

Former Club of Maxi Moralez

Only Mexican Club we’re able to draw in the Round of 16 

Deportivo Saprissa (Costa Rica)
Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
Stadium: Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Amya (Capacity: 23,112)
Qualification method: 2019 Concacaf League Champions
Current League Place: 2nd place

25-time Costa Rican champion

9 time (Winter or Spring Champion)

3 time Concacaf Champions Cup Winner

Top Scorers: Johan Venegas (CRC national team and former Impact/Minnesota United player), David Ramirez

Top player Randall Leal recently signed for Nashville SC after helping them win Concacaf League

A.D. San Carlos (Costa Rica)
Location: Ciudad Quesada, Costa Rica
Stadium: Estadio Carlos Ugalde Alvarez (Capacity: 5,600)
Qualification method: 2019 Concacaf League best ranked losing quarterfinalist
Current League Place: 4th place  

2018/19 Costa Rican champions (Spring)

Promoted to 1st Division in 2017/2018 

First Appearance in Concacaf Champions League

Top Scorers: Jairo Arrieta, Marcos Mena, Rachid Chirino

Former CRC national team player Patrick Pemberton (GK) plays for them on loan from Alajuelense

Alianza F.C. (El Salvador)
Location: San Salvador, El Salvador
Stadium: Estadio Cuscatlan (Capacity: 53,400)
Qualification method: 2019 Concacaf League semifinalist 
Current League Place: 2019 Apertura 1st Place Finish (11 points clear of 2nd)

Became first Salvadorian team to become “The Invincibles” in 2017

One of the most successful teams in El Salvador

Played in the 2019 Champions League (Lost 1-0 on aggregate to eventual champion C.F. Monterrey)

Roster made up of quite a few El Salvador national team players (7 of 23 on 2019 Gold Cup Roster)

Top scorers: Raul Penaranda, Marvin

Comunicaciones F.C. (Guatemala)  
Location: Guatemala City, Guatemala
Stadium: Estadio Nacional Doroteo Guamuch Flores (Capacity: 26,000)
Qualification method: 2019 Concacaf League 2nd best ranked losing quarterfinalist
Current League Place: 4th (4 points off 1st place)

30-time Guatemala national champion

6th appearance in CCL

Small presence on Guatemala national team

C.D. Olimpia (Honduras)
Location: Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Stadium: Estadio Tiburcio Carias Andino (Capacity: 35,000)
Qualification method: 2019 Concacaf League semifinalist 
Current League Place: 2019-20 Apertura 1st Place 

30-time Honduras national champion (none since 2015)

Have played in the Champions League 11 times (most of any team qualified for 2020)

Quarterfinal appearance in 2014/2015

Michaell Chirinos was on loan at Vancouver Whitecaps in 2019—may return to Olimpia for CCL (TBD).

Had 6 players on most recent Honduras national team; four other players with recent call ups to national team in recent months

Top Scorers: Jorge Benguche, Jerry Bengtson

F.C. Motagua (Honduras)
Location: Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Stadium: Estadio Nacional (Capacity: 35,000)
Qualification method: 2019 Concacaf League Runners-Up
Current League Place: 2019-20 Apertura 3rd Place 

17-time Honduras national champion

Last league title 2018-19 Apertura

Won playoff double in 2018-19

7 players on most recent Honduras national team; 2 others with recent call ups to national team in recent months 

Top scorers: Roberto Moreira

Portmore United F.C. (Jamaica)
Location: Portmore, Jamaica
Stadium: Ferdi Neita Sports Complex (Capacity: 3,000)
Qualification method: 2019 Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship champions
Current League Place: 9th (15 points off 1st) 

Won the 2018-19 National Premier League title and playoffs

7-time Jamaica national champions

Corey Burke played on loan there in 2019; former club of Alvas Powell

Two international midfielders: Andre Lewis, Lamar Walker

Top scorers: Rondee Smith