Club América will face Columbus Crew on Wednesday in the Leagues Cup 2026 quarterfinals at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, with kickoff set for 7:45 pm Pacific time. The winner moves on to the semifinals, and the match also carries added weight because Leagues Cup 2026 offers qualification places for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.
This is not the first time these clubs have run into each other on a big stage. Columbus Crew beat Club América 4-1 in the final group-stage match of Leagues Cup 2023, but América got the upper hand in 2024 by eliminating Columbus in a penalty shootout in the Concacaf Champions Cup final. That history gives this quarterfinal a familiar edge, even with a new tournament and a different setting.
How the teams are entering the match
Club América arrives as the Liga MX Apertura leader and unbeaten in eight straight games across all competitions. That run has given the club momentum, but Henry Martín made it clear that nothing from the previous match matters much once this one starts. As he put it, this team is one of high demand, and the next game is always the one that counts.
Columbus Crew comes in unbeaten in the current Leagues Cup, but its MLS form has been less steady, with three straight losses. Still, coach Laurent Courtois called the chance to play this kind of match a luxury, which fits the stakes of a knockout game in the United States rather than at América’s home stadium.
What América expects
Martín said América wants to advance and prove it is superior on the field, not just on paper. He also pointed to the strong support the team has from its fans in the city, while stressing that the crowd only truly matters if the players respond with a good performance on the field.
That message lines up with what head coach Guillermo Almada said ahead of the match. He noted that Columbus has very good players and that if a team believes it has an advantage, it has to show it on the field. In a quarterfinal like this, that is usually the only place it can be settled.
What comes next
Tuesday’s other quarterfinal winners were Monterrey and León, who advanced by eliminating Chicago and Real Salt Lake. Toluca was scheduled to play Thursday morning. By the time the night is over in Carson, one more team will be through to the semifinals and one more will be left to wait for the next tournament test.
