Tension over Leagues Cup fuels anger among MLS fans

After a contentious decision that saw MLS clubs forsake the historic U.S. Open Cup tournament to give more energy to the Leagues Cup, many American fans aren't ready to buy in.

In early 2024, MLS clubs announced their intention to skip the U. S. Open Cup — played annually since 1914 — due to "schedule congestion." The Leagues Cup began in 2019.

The U. S. Open Cup features teams from every division of the American soccer pyramid, from MLS to the second division to semi-pro and amateur teams. It's a focal point of the American soccer calendar and brings the sporting community together each year to play as a unit. The tournament helps keep smaller American teams financially afloat.

MLS, though, makes plenty of money on its own — and even more from the Leagues Cup, the Apple TV-sponsored event that's off limits to the lower divisions of American soccer.

When faced with dropping the historic U. S. Open Cup or the Leagues Cup, the MLS went with the shiny, new apple.

But by deprioritizing the U. S. Open Cup, MLS cut off its relations with the wider American soccer community and alienated its key fan bases.
Supporters groups from Austin FC, Chicago Fire, FC Dallas, Minnesota United, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City, Philadelphia Union and St. Louis City have publicly denounced the Leagues Cup and canceled their presence at the tournament's matches. 

It may be a hammer blow for the Leagues Cup, which relies on gate entry and stadium atmosphere to create the spectacle it desires.

The concerns of "schedule congestion" are legitimate. Many MLS players, including Messi, are nursing injuries suffered from playing too many games in too little time. But it's easy to see why fan groups believe the Leagues Cup is the problem. 

This boycott is a sign of the tenuous relationship between MLS clubs and their longtime fans as the league gains popularity around the world. Money-making exercises such as Leagues Cup are sweet, but they sour quickly when they happen at the expense of American soccer heritage.

The Leagues Cup opens with LAFC-Club Tijuana, Austin FC-Pumas UNAM and Atlanta United-D. C. United matches.