2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League
Encyclopedia
The 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League will be the 5th edition of the CONCACAF Champions League
under its current format. The tournament is expected to begin in July 2012 and finish in April 2013. The winner will qualify as the CONCACAF
representative at the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup
.
, Central American, and Caribbean
zones. Nine of the teams come from North America, twelve from Central America, and three from the Caribbean.
Teams may be disqualified and replaced by a team from a different country if the club doesn't have an available stadium
that meets CONCACAF regulations for safety. If a club's own stadium fails to meet the set standards then it may find a suitable replacement stadium within its own country. However, if it is still determined that the club cannot provide the adequate facilities then it runs the risk of being replaced.
participating in the Champions League. Mexico and the United States are allocated four spots, the most of any CONCACAF nation, while Canada is granted one spot in the tournament.
In Mexico, the winners of the Mexican Primera División Apertura and Clausura tournaments earn direct berths into Group Stage of the Champions League, while the tournament runners-up earn berths into the Preliminary Round.
For the United States, three of its four spots are allocated through the Major League Soccer
regular season and playoffs, while the fourth spot is allocated to whoever wins the domestic championship, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
. The U.S. Open Cup winner, along with the MLS Cup
runner-up earn berths into the Preliminary Round of the tournament. The winner of the Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup
, are given byes into Group Stage.
The winner of Canada's domestic cup competition, the Nutrilite Canadian Championship
earns the lone Canadian berth into the tournament, entering in the Preliminary Round.
For the Central American representatives that qualify via split seasons
, in nations that play a playoff to determine a national champion, the winner gains the nation's top spot. In nations that don't utilize such methods, total points over both seasons, followed by other tiebreakers, determine which team gains the nation's top spot. The top teams from the leagues of Costa Rica, Honduras
, Guatemala and Panama enter the Group Stage, while their second teams enter the Preliminary Round. The two teams from the league of El Salvador and the sole representatives from the leagues of Nicaragua and Belize
enter the Preliminary Round.
, a subcontinental tournament for clubs from nations of the Caribbean Football Union
. In order for a Caribbean club to qualify for the CFU Club Championship, they would need to finish as the champion (or in some cases, runner-up) in their respective nation's top league in the previous season.
If any Caribbean club is precluded, it is supplanted by the fourth place finisher from the CFU Club Championship.
Notes
Teams from the same association (excluding "wildcard" teams which replace a team from another association) may not be drawn with each other in the Preliminary Round and Group Stage, but may be drawn with each other in the Championship Round, where the only restriction is that in the quarterfinals, a group winner has to be drawn with the runner-up of another group and also host the second leg.
For the two-legged ties of the Preliminary Round and Championship Round, the away goals rule
is used, but not after a tie enters extra time, and so a tie is decided by penalty shootout if the aggregate score is level after extra time.
Category:CONCACAF Champions League
CONCACAF Champions League
The CONCACAF Champions League is the annual international club football championship for teams from the CONCACAF region ....
under its current format. The tournament is expected to begin in July 2012 and finish in April 2013. The winner will qualify as the CONCACAF
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
representative at the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup
2013 FIFA Club World Cup
The 2013 FIFA Club World Cup is a football tournament planned for December 2013. It will be the 10th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup.-Host bids:...
.
Qualification
Twenty-four teams participate in the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League from the North AmericanNorth American Football Union
The North American Football Union, often referred to by the acronym NAFU, is a regional grouping under CONCACAF of national football organizations in the North American Zone.-Members:...
, Central American, and Caribbean
Caribbean Football Union
The Caribbean Football Union, often referred to by the acronym CFU, is the nominal governing body for Caribbean football. It represents 25 FIFA member nations, as well as 5 territories that are not affiliated to FIFA. Its member associations compete in the CONCACAF region...
zones. Nine of the teams come from North America, twelve from Central America, and three from the Caribbean.
Teams may be disqualified and replaced by a team from a different country if the club doesn't have an available stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
that meets CONCACAF regulations for safety. If a club's own stadium fails to meet the set standards then it may find a suitable replacement stadium within its own country. However, if it is still determined that the club cannot provide the adequate facilities then it runs the risk of being replaced.
North America
A total of nine clubs from the North American Football UnionNorth American Football Union
The North American Football Union, often referred to by the acronym NAFU, is a regional grouping under CONCACAF of national football organizations in the North American Zone.-Members:...
participating in the Champions League. Mexico and the United States are allocated four spots, the most of any CONCACAF nation, while Canada is granted one spot in the tournament.
In Mexico, the winners of the Mexican Primera División Apertura and Clausura tournaments earn direct berths into Group Stage of the Champions League, while the tournament runners-up earn berths into the Preliminary Round.
For the United States, three of its four spots are allocated through the Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
regular season and playoffs, while the fourth spot is allocated to whoever wins the domestic championship, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
. The U.S. Open Cup winner, along with the MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
runner-up earn berths into the Preliminary Round of the tournament. The winner of the Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
, are given byes into Group Stage.
The winner of Canada's domestic cup competition, the Nutrilite Canadian Championship
Canadian Championship
The Canadian Championship—known as the Nutrilite Canadian Championship for sponsorship reasons—is an annual soccer tournament contested by premier Canadian professional teams...
earns the lone Canadian berth into the tournament, entering in the Preliminary Round.
Central America
Twelve clubs from the Central American Football Union qualify to the Champions League. If one or more clubs is precluded, it is supplanted by a club from another Central American federation. The reallocation would be based on results from previous Champions League tournaments.For the Central American representatives that qualify via split seasons
Apertura and Clausura
The Apertura and Clausura tournaments are a relatively recent innovation for many Latin American football leagues in which the traditional European football season from August to May is divided in two sections per season, each with its own champion. Apertura and Clausura are the Spanish words for...
, in nations that play a playoff to determine a national champion, the winner gains the nation's top spot. In nations that don't utilize such methods, total points over both seasons, followed by other tiebreakers, determine which team gains the nation's top spot. The top teams from the leagues of Costa Rica, Honduras
Liga Nacional de Futbol de Honduras
Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional de Honduras is the first and highest division of football in Honduras. The league season is divided into Opening and Closing . One team is relegated to the Liga de Ascenso and one team is promoted from Liga de Ascenso...
, Guatemala and Panama enter the Group Stage, while their second teams enter the Preliminary Round. The two teams from the league of El Salvador and the sole representatives from the leagues of Nicaragua and Belize
Belize Premier Football League
The Belize Premier Football League is the premier division of football in Belize sanctioned by the Football Federation of Belize...
enter the Preliminary Round.
Caribbean
Three berths in the Champions League's Preliminary Round are allocated to the top three finishers of the CFU Club ChampionshipCFU Club Championship
The CFU Club Championship or CFU Club Champions' Cup is the annual international football competition held amongst association football clubs from the Caribbean Islands for clubs that are members of the Caribbean Football Union...
, a subcontinental tournament for clubs from nations of the Caribbean Football Union
Caribbean Football Union
The Caribbean Football Union, often referred to by the acronym CFU, is the nominal governing body for Caribbean football. It represents 25 FIFA member nations, as well as 5 territories that are not affiliated to FIFA. Its member associations compete in the CONCACAF region...
. In order for a Caribbean club to qualify for the CFU Club Championship, they would need to finish as the champion (or in some cases, runner-up) in their respective nation's top league in the previous season.
If any Caribbean club is precluded, it is supplanted by the fourth place finisher from the CFU Club Championship.
Teams
Teams in bold qualify directly for the Group Stage.| Association | Club | Qualifying method | App | Last App | Previous Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Mexico4 berths |
2011 Apertura champion | ||||
| 2012 Clausura champion | |||||
| 2011 Apertura runner-up | |||||
| 2012 Clausura runner-up | |||||
 United StatesUnited States Soccer Federation The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal... 4 berths |
Los Angeles Galaxy Los Angeles Galaxy The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second... |
2011 MLS Supporters' Shield champion 2011 MLS Cup champion |
3rd | 2011–12 | QF (in progress) |
| Seattle Sounders Seattle Sounders FC Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in... |
2011 MLS Supporters' Shield runner-up Note USA 2011 U.S. Open Cup 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup The 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 98th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early October. Seattle Sounders FC, who entered the competition as the two-time defending champions, successfully defended their title again. They became the third team in... champion |
3rd | 2011–12 | QF (in progress) | |
| Houston Dynamo Houston Dynamo The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic... |
2011 MLS Cup runner-up | 3rd | 2009–10 | QF | |
| Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won... |
2011 MLS Supporters' Shield third place Note USA | 2nd | 2010–11 | RU | |
 Costa Rica2 berths |
2011 Invierno champion | ||||
| 2012 Verano champion | |||||
 Honduras2 berths |
2011 Apertura champion | ||||
| 2012 Clausura champion | |||||
 Guatemala2 berths |
2011 Apertura champion | ||||
| 2012 Clausura champion | |||||
 Panama2 berths |
2011 Apertura champion | ||||
| 2012 Clausura champion | |||||
 El Salvador2 berths |
2011 Apertura champion | ||||
| 2012 Clausura champion | |||||
 Nicaragua1 berth |
Champion with better aggregate record in 2011–12 season 2011–12 Primera División de Nicaragua The 2011–12 season in Primera División de Nicaragua will be divided into two tournaments and will determine the 59th and 60th champions in the history of the league. It will also provide two berths for the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League... |
||||
 BelizeFootball Federation of Belize The Football Federation of Belize , formerly known as the Belize National Football Association and founded in 1980, is the governing body of football in Belize. It has been a member of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , CONCACAF and Union Centroamericana de Fútbol in 1986.-... 1 berth |
2011–12 Belize Premier Football League champion | ||||
 CanadaCanadian Soccer Association The Canadian Soccer Association is the governing body of soccer in Canada. It is a national organization that oversees the Canadian men's and women's national teams for international play, as well as the respective junior sides... 1 berth |
2012 Canadian Championship 2012 Canadian Championship The 2012 Canadian Championship is a soccer tournament hosted and organized by the Canadian Soccer Association that is expected to take place in the cities of Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver in 2012. As in the previous tournament, participating teams will include FC Edmonton, Montreal... champion |
||||
| CFU Caribbean Football Union The Caribbean Football Union, often referred to by the acronym CFU, is the nominal governing body for Caribbean football. It represents 25 FIFA member nations, as well as 5 territories that are not affiliated to FIFA. Its member associations compete in the CONCACAF region... (Caribbean) 3 berths |
2012 CFU Club Championship champion | ||||
| 2012 CFU Club Championship runner-up | |||||
| 2012 CFU Club Championship third place |
Notes
- Number of appearances, last appearance and previous best count only those in the Champions LeagueCONCACAF Champions LeagueThe CONCACAF Champions League is the annual international club football championship for teams from the CONCACAF region ....
era starting from 2008–09 (not counting those in the era of the Champions' Cup from 1962 to 2008). - Key for previous best: PR-Preliminary Round, GS-Group Stage, QF-Quarterfinals, SF-Semifinals, RU-Runner-up, CH-Champion (number of titles)
- United States (USA): Since the Los Angeles GalaxyLos Angeles GalaxyThe Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
won both the 2011 MLS Supporters' Shield and the 2011 MLS Cup, the Seattle SoundersSeattle Sounders FCSeattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
, the 2011 MLS Supporters' Shield runner-up, qualified directly for the Group Stage, and as they also won the 2011 U.S. Open Cup2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open CupThe 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 98th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early October. Seattle Sounders FC, who entered the competition as the two-time defending champions, successfully defended their title again. They became the third team in...
, a place in the Preliminary Round became available and went to Real Salt LakeReal Salt LakeReal Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
, the 2011 MLS Supporters' Shield third place.
Format
Assuming the same format as the previous editions, the tournament is divided into three phases:- In the Preliminary Round, 16 teams are drawn into eight two-legged home-and-away ties, with each tie containing one team from Pot A and one team from Pot B. The eight winners qualify for the Group Stage to join the eight teams which directly enter the Group Stage.
- In the Group Stage, 16 teams are drawn into four groups of four playing in a round-robin home-and-away formatRound-robin tournamentA round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
, with each group containing two direct entries (one team from Pot A and one team from Pot B) and two Preliminary Round winners. The top two teams from each group advance to the Quarterfinals of the Championship Round. - In the Championship Round, the eight teams play in a knockout tournamentSingle-elimination tournamentA single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
, with each tie played in two-legged home-and-away format.
Teams from the same association (excluding "wildcard" teams which replace a team from another association) may not be drawn with each other in the Preliminary Round and Group Stage, but may be drawn with each other in the Championship Round, where the only restriction is that in the quarterfinals, a group winner has to be drawn with the runner-up of another group and also host the second leg.
For the two-legged ties of the Preliminary Round and Championship Round, the away goals rule
Away goals rule
The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal...
is used, but not after a tie enters extra time, and so a tie is decided by penalty shootout if the aggregate score is level after extra time.
| Group Stage | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pot A | Mexico 1 |
Mexico 2 |
Los Angeles Galaxy Los Angeles Galaxy The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second... |
Seattle Sounders Seattle Sounders FC Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in... |
| Pot B | Costa Rica 1 |
Honduras 1 |
Guatemala 1 |
Panama 1 |
| Preliminary Round | ||||
| Pot A | Mexico 3 |
Mexico 4 |
Houston Dynamo Houston Dynamo The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic... |
Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won... |
| Costa Rica 2 |
Honduras 2 |
El Salvador 1 |
Canada 1 |
|
| Pot B | Guatemala 2 |
Panama 2 |
El Salvador 2 |
Nicaragua 1 |
| Belize 1 |
Caribbean 1 | Caribbean 2 | Caribbean 3 | |
External links
- CONCACAF Champions League official website
Category:CONCACAF Champions League