On Monday, Concacaf will host its annual draw for the Round of 16 of the 2020 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League. Here’s everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: The draw will take place on Monday, December 9 at the University of the Cloister of Sor Juana in Mexico City, Mexico at 6 p.m. PT.
WHERE TO WATCH: The event will be televised on TUDN and there will be a live-stream available.
ALL-TIME RECORD: The Sounders are 16-15-5 all-time in the Concacaf Champions League.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: The Sounders qualified for the 2020 edition of CCL by winning the 2019 MLS Cup, defeating Toronto FC 3-1 at CenturyLink Field on November 10.
PREVIOUS INCLUSION: Seattle last competed in CCL during the 2018 season, falling to the eventual champions, Chivas de Guadalajara, 3-1 in the quarterfinal round.
TWO STARS: While this is the sixth occasion in which the Sounders have competed for the regional trophy, 2020 marks just the second time that Seattle has qualified by winning MLS Cup.
BEST OF THE REST: Four other MLS sides also secured passage into the 2020 CCL by winning the Canadian Championship (Montreal Impact), U.S. Open Cup (Atlanta United), the 2019 Supporters’ Shield (LAFC) and by finishing the atop the Eastern Conference at the end of the regular season (New York City FC).
PERENNIAL CONTENDERS: Four teams from Liga MX, the league which typically dominates this competition, will be vying for regional supremacy. The finalists of the 2018 Apertura Liguilla, Club América and Cruz Azul, are joined by the finalists of the 2019 Clausura Liguilla, Club León and Tigres UANL.
CENTRAL AMERICAN COMPETITION: Four more teams – Deportivo Saprissa (CRC), FC Motagua (HON), Allianza FC (SLV) and CD Olimpia (HON) – progressed to the CCL Round of 16 by finishing in the top four of the 2019 Scotiabank Concacaf League. AD San Carlos (CRC) and Comunicaciones FC (GUA) also qualified through this competition, while Portmore United (JAM) rounds out the competition as the winners of the 2019 Flow Concacaf Caribbean Championship.
LIKELY OPPONENTS: Drawn into Pot 1, the Sounders will face one of AD San Carlos, Deportivo Saprissa, Alianza FC, Comunicaciones FC, CD Olimpia, FC Motagua, Portmore United FC or Club Léon in the Round of 16. All teams in Pot 1 will host the return leg of their respective series.
GLOBAL SCALE: No MLS team has ever won CCL, a longstanding trend the Sounders hope to reverse in 2020. If they manage to win the regional competition, they’ll advance to the FIFA Club World Cup, where they’ll go head-to-head with some of the top clubs from around the world.
