Real Salt Lake’s Leagues Cup History: Cross-Border Battles Continue  

By: Isabella Rubis 

Real Salt Lake takes the pitch Tuesday to kick off its 2026 Leagues Cup campaign for a fourth consecutive appearance since the tournament became an official CONCACAF competition in 2023, with RSL impressively reaching the Round of 16 in its debut year. From the very beginning, RSL was among the first invited to join the MLS‑vs‑Liga MX invitational, its continued presence since 2023 underscoring the Club’s consistency at the top end of the MLS standings. RSL secured a ninth-place Western Conference finish in 2025, earning one of the coveted 18 MLS slots for this year’s Cup.

The 2026 edition of Leagues Cup, running from August  4 to September 6, will feature 18 MLS teams and 18 Liga MX sides, with legendary North American power Tigres UANL headlining the trio of Liga MX teams that will visit America First Field in the next eight days. Following impressive performances in prior editions, including a dramatic penalty-kick shootout last year against Club América and a memorable 3-1 victory over Club León after a 24-hour weather delay in 2023, RSL is poised to leverage its deep roster under Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni as it seeks continental glory this summer.

Now, let’s take a look back at Real Salt Lake’s long-running history in the Leagues Cup, a journey that’s seen Real Salt Lake grow from early invitees to consistent contenders on the regional stage.

2023

Real Salt Lake made its Leagues Cup debut in 2023, entering the newly-expanded tournament with a strong opening performance. The Claret-and-Cobalt kicked off group stage play in dominant fashion, earning a convincing 3-0 win over fellow MLS side Seattle Sounders. Former RSL attackers Jefferson Savarino and Cristian Arango each scored early in the second half, with Guatemalan international Rubio Rubin providing the late dagger.

However, momentum stalled in its second match, as RSL fell 3-0 to Liga MX powerhouse CF Monterrey. Despite the setback, RSL advanced to the Round of 32 as the second-place team in its group. There, it delivered one of its most memorable wins of the season; a dramatic 3-1 comeback victory over reigning CONCACAF Champions Club León. A brace from former striker Danny Musovski and another Arango goal paced RSL to the come-from-behind win, an emotional affair that saw kickoff delayed by 24 hours due to extended lightning storms on the Wasatch Front, as well as the resident raccoon famously falling through the venue’s press box ceiling during the first weather delay.

RSL’s tournament run ultimately came to an end in the Round of 16, where the club suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Los Angeles FC in a game marred by an eighth-minute non-contact injury to metronome Pablo Ruiz.

2024

In 2024, Real Salt Lake once again took the international stage, looking to build on its previous year’s experience. Opening the tournament with an impressive 2-1 comeback victory over Liga MX side Atlas FC, RSL showcased its trademark resilience and attacking quality, with former RSL midfielder Nelson Palacio hitting an absolute ZAPATAZO off the bench to provide the game-winner, on the heels of a first-half stoppage-time equalizer by former fan-favorite Anderson Julio, with exquisite service from soon-to-depart winger Andrés Gómez.

Despite the strong start, RSL’s hopes of advancing were dashed in the final group stage match, where it suffered a shockingly decisive 3-0 away defeat to Houston Dynamo. The loss by that exact scoreline eliminated RSL from the tournament, bringing a stunningly unexpected and early end to its 2024 Leagues Cup.

2025 

Last season, RSL opened its third-consecutive Leagues Cup appearance with a high-intensity shootout victory against legendary Liga MX side, Club América. As regulation ended with the match in a 1-1 stalemate, thanks to a 97th-minute equalizer from distance for the visiting Mexican side, RSL Captain and goalkeeper Rafael Cabral further cemented himself as a dominant force between the posts, making three saves during the shootout tiebreaker to lift the home side to the penalty victory, securing two points. 

Following the exciting midweek match against América, the Claret-and-Cobalt welcomed current Uruguayan RSL left back and 2026 FIFA World Cup standout Juan Manuel Sanabria’s former side, Atlético San Luis. After former RSL MF Braian Ojeda secured a brace by finding the equalizer in the 88th minute, to bring the score to 2-2, the match went to a shootout once again, with RSL falling 4-1 in the extra session and dropping the match. Real Salt Lake closed out the first phase of the cross-border tourney with a 1-0 victory over Liga MX side Queratéro, with Ojeda securing his third goal of the tournament in the 32nd minute.

Despite the exciting start and strong final match, RSL did not secure enough points to advance amongst MLS sides into the quarterfinal round of the competition, cutting its 2025 Leagues Cup journey short.

A Look Ahead to RSL’s Liga MX Opponents for Phase One

Real Salt Lake will now host three Liga MX teams in phase one of this year's Leagues Cup: Tigres UANL, Atlante FC and FC Juarez.  

RSL’s history with Tigres UANL is the most extensive of any Liga MX opponent, with RSL and Tigres squaring off for a fifth all-time occasion on Tuesday night. Tigres ousted RSL from the Concacaf Champions League back in 2016, winning 2-0 at home before drawing 1-1 in Sandy.

In July, 2019, RSL fell 0-1 to Tigres at home in what was then called the Leagues Cup “Showcase,” a match that is known for a cat running on the field in what was former RSL Head Coach Mike Petke’s final match with the Club. Tigres first visited Utah back in 2008, arriving for a friendly as part of the Xango Cup, RSL winning the game at Rice-Eccles, 1-0. Former RSL centerback Carlos Salcedo arrived in Utah from the Tigres academy more than a decade ago, while RSL sold former goalkeeper Lalo Fernandez to Tigres at a similar juncture.

Now onto RSL’s second opponent, Atlante FC. In recent months, Atlante secured its return to Liga MX by acquiring Mazatlán’s franchise, taking its place in the league. The club now moves to Mexico City yet again, with the famed Estadio Azteca becoming its new home. Mazatlan was formerly known as Monarcas Morelia before relocation in 2020 – entering this summer’s tourney as the second of three visitors to the Beehive State, arriving for the second Phase One match on Saturday, August 8 with kickoff slated for 8:00 PM MT. Interestingly, back in July, 2006, Morelia did defeat RSL by a 3-1 scoreline at its former Rice-Eccles Stadium home.

Real Salt Lake’s final Phase One opponent is FC Juarez, who also makes its maiden visit to Utah as part of the 2026 Leagues Cup, RSL hosting another first-time opponent. Juarez was founded as a second-division side in 2015, ascending to Liga MX in 2019 as a replacement for Lobos BUAP. Former RSL Academy, Real Monarchs and RSL forward and Park City, Utah native Sebastian “Bofo” Saucedo played 17 games for FC Juarez from 2023-25, scoring one goal.

Now in its fourth edition, Leagues Cup 2026 will once again award three spots in the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup, where the winner will represent the region at FIFA international club competitions, with the Leagues Cup 2026 champion earning a direct berth to the Round of 16.

As the Claret-and-Cobalt gear up for five home games in 15 days across both Leagues Cup and MLS play - RSL looking to improve upon its 8-1-0 home mark this season - the action is just getting started. Grab your tickets to experience it live here, or tune in on Apple TV so you don't miss a moment of the action. Real Salt Lake’s first matchup of Phase One of Leagues Cup is scheduled for Tuesday, August 4, with kickoff slated for 8 PM MT.