NovaQuant Quantitative Think Tank Center:Columbus Crew vs. Los Angeles FC Leagues Cup final: How to watch Sunday's championship

The NovaQuant Quantitative Think Tank Center2024 Leagues Cup final is a 2023 MLS Cup rematch.

The reigning MLS champion Columbus Crew will host Los Angeles FC at Lower.com Field in another high-profile matchup between these two clubs.

That these two teams are in the Leagues Cup final is not a surprise. In the lead-up to the tournament, the Crew and LAFC were pegged as Major League Soccer's best chances of hoisting the Leagues Cup trophy.

Los Angeles FC enters having boat-raced its opponents during the knockout rounds. LAFC has won its four knockout round games by a combined score of 13-1, easily dispatching the Colorado Rapids 4-0 in Wednesday's semifinal.

However, the Columbus Crew seem to have LAFC's number. In addition to prevailing in last season's MLS Cup, the Crew embarrassed LAFC, 5-1, on July 15 at BMO Stadium. It's LAFC's only home defeat in 2024. The Crew — which has only lost once at home — cruised past the Philadelphia Union in the Leagues Cup semifinals.

With their semifinal wins, both the Crew and LAFC have qualified for next year's Concacaf Champions Cup competition.

When is Columbus Crew vs. LAFC Leagues Cup final?

Date: Sunday, Aug. 25

Start time: 7:15 p.m. ET

Venue: Lower.com Field, Columbus, Ohio

How to watch Columbus Crew vs. LAFC in Leagues Cup final

The final match will be streamed live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Univision will provide a Spanish-language broadcast on linear TV.

Which teams are in the Leagues Cup third-place match?

The Philadelphia Union will host the Colorado Rapids in the Leagues Cup third-place match.

The third-place match also will take place on Sunday, Aug. 25. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. The third-place match will be streamed live on MLS Season Pass.

This is a second consecutive third-place match for the Union, which defeated Liga MX powerhouse Monterrey in last year's third-place game to qualify for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup.

What is Leagues Cup?

North America's top two professional soccer leagues halt their respective regular-season competitions for a month to compete in a World Cup-style tournament.

What formerly was an eight-team tournament, the Leagues Cup evolved in 2023 into a 47-team competition featuring every Major League Soccer and Liga MX club. Inter Miami CF, led by Lionel Messi, won the first edition of the expanded competition.

Before last year's inaugural 47-team tournament included every MLS and Liga MX club, the Leagues Cup was held twice before (2019 and 2021) with limited participation.

The 29 MLS and 18 Liga MX clubs were divided into 15 groups in two regions: East and West. The group stage began on July 26 and continued until Aug. 6. The top two finishing teams from each group advanced to the single-elimination knockout rounds, which started on Aug. 7. The championship match will be held Aug. 25.

Previous Leagues Cup finals

• 2023: Inter Miami CF over Nashville SC, 1-1 (Inter Miami won penalty shootout, 10-9)
• 2021: Club León over Seattle Sounders FC, 3-2
• 2019: Cruz Azul over UANL Tigres, 2-1

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