Overview
- Round one opened on Feb. 3 as five clubs — Inter Miami, Toluca, Seattle Sounders, Mount Pleasant FC and LD Alajuelense — awaited the round of 16.
- The field features 27 teams with two-leg knockout ties through the semifinals before a single-match final on May 30.
- The champion secures places in the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup, with Cruz Azul entering as the defending titleholder.
- MLS teams begin play before their Feb. 21 league start and Canadian Premier League clubs do not kick off until April, creating potential readiness gaps versus in-season opponents.
- Inter Miami have added Germán Berterame from Monterrey to join Lionel Messi ahead of their round-of-16 entry.