2026 Leagues Cup Phase One: Columbus Crew v Pumas

Columbus Crew face Pumas UNAM on August 11, 2026 in Leagues Cup Phase One, part of the annual cross-border tournament pitting MLS clubs against Liga MX opposition. The match, played at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, marks the first competitive meeting between the two clubs—Pumas is one of Liga MX's most decorated sides, with multiple domestic titles to its name, while Columbus enters as a perennial MLS Cup contender and the standard-bearer of Ohio soccer. It's one of three Liga MX opponents the Crew host in this year's Phase One group, alongside Atlas FC and Club Pachuca, the latter a rematch of the clubs' 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup final. Leagues Cup has become a mid-season showcase for MLS-Liga MX rivalries, drawing supporters groups from both sides of the border into Columbus's compact downtown stadium district. For fans of North American soccer, it's a rare midweek chance to see a genuine Mexican giant on U.S. soil, with regional and continental qualification implications riding on the group-stage results.