Leagues Cup is back in 2025 featuring 18 teams from Major League Soccer and every side from Mexico’s Liga MX making up 36 total sides. While the tournament boasts some new features, one thing remains the same this summer: there will be no ties at any stage of the competition.
Whether you are an MLS fan, Premier League viewer or solely tune in for the big international tournaments, fans are familiar with ties, or draws, resulting in a point for both teams that played. But, they don’t exist in Leagues Cup. Instead, partially because of the format, ties are done away with for a unique format.
A full breakdown of the points system and how ties play into it:
- Three points are awarded to a winner if one leads at the end of regulation
- If two teams are tied at the end of regulation, both teams are awarded a point
- If there is a tie at the end of regulation, a penalty shootout will be held
- The winning team of the penalty shootout receives an additional point
Breaking it down even further:
- Team wins in regulation: 3 points
- Team draws and wins penalty shootout: 2 points
- Team draws and loses penalty shootout: 1 point
- Team loses in regulation: 0 points
The format intends to create more excitement for viewers given international tournaments such as the FIFA Club World Cup and World Cup let games during a group stage end in a draw. There’s more on the line in Leagues Cup and also a consolation point available that could be the difference maker between any of the four Liga MX or MLS sides qualifying for the bracket.
Click here for more information on the full Leagues Cup 2025 format including all teams competing, how Phase One works and more.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why There Are No Ties in Leagues Cup 2025.
