Concacaf Champions League reaches last 8 with US challenge gathering pace

April 19 – Concacaf’s 2021 Champions League has rapidly progressed to the quarter final stage with the confederation releasing April and May dates for the four home-and-away matchups.

The Round of 16 matches culminated at the end last week in Monterrey, Mexico, with CF Monterrey (MEX) joining Atlanta United FC (USA), Club America (MEX), Columbus Crew SC (USA), Cruz Azul (MEX), Philadelphia Union (USA), Portland Timbers (USA) and Toronto FC (CAN).

For the first time the presence of MLS clubs (four from the US and one from Canada) will outnumber those from LigaMX as they wrestle to break the Mexican grip on the trophy. Under the current Champions League era that began in 2008, no club outside Mexico has won the confederation leading club competition.

The winner of the 2021 Concacaf Champions League will qualify for the Club World Cup in Japan later this year. The 2020 competition was Tigres UANL became the first team from the Concacaf region to reach a Club World Cup final in the rearranged 2020 finals played in Qatar earlier this year.

The quarterfinals will be played as follows:

Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Atlanta United FC (USA) vs Philadelphia Union (USA)
Toronto FC (CAN) vs Cruz Azul (MEX)
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Columbus Crew SC (USA) vs CF Monterrey (MEX)
Portland Timbers (USA) vs Club America (MEX)
Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Philadelphia Union (USA) vs Atlanta United FC (USA)
Cruz Azul (MEX) vs Toronto FC (CAN)
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
CF Monterrey (MEX) vs Columbus Crew SC (USA)
Club America (MEX) vs Portland Timbers (USA)
Semifinals: August 10-12 (first leg) and September 14-16 (second leg)
Final: October 26-28 (single leg)

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