Sounders host Puebla in Leagues Cup quarterfinals

Seattle earns a home quarterfinal as Puebla clinches fourth seed after a decisive week

Sounders host Puebla in Leagues Cup quarterfinals

The Seattle Sounders will host Club Puebla in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals on August 19 or 20. Puebla climbed to No. 4 in Liga MX after beating New York City 3-0 and CF Montreal 2-1, sandwiching a 3-1 loss to Columbus Crew. Juárez’s fate was sealed when New York Red Bulls won in a shootout, eliminating Juárez and allowing Puebla to claim the spot.

If Seattle advances, they would face the winner of Pachuca versus LA Galaxy. Seattle would host Pachuca, if that pairing occurs, while a Galaxy matchup would require travel because Galaxy hold hosting rights through MLS Cup last season. The final would be played by the team on the opposite side of the bracket, meaning the path to the title could hinge on hosting rights rather than pure on-field form.

The Leagues Cup format keeps reshaping schedules by mixing MLS and Liga MX teams in knockout rounds. Hosting rights and bracket position add strategic weight to every result, turning late-season momentum into a potential venue advantage. That mix of travel, altitude and crowd energy can tilt outcomes as much as tactics.

For Seattle, a home quarterfinal is a chance to leverage local support and test itself against a Liga MX side in a high-stakes setting. For Puebla, traveling to Seattle tests a team used to Mexican league rhythms against a different climate and fan environment. The setup underscores how cross-border competitions now matter beyond simple bragging rights, shaping how clubs plan player rotation, training and travel budgets in a busy summer calendar.

Highlights

The cup format keeps the season fresh and the brackets live for more drama ahead