The San Jose Earthquakes begin Leagues Cup action Saturday against LIGA MX's Chivas de Guadalajara, a cross-border match held at NFL venue Levi's Stadium.
How to watch & stream
- Apple TV - MLS Season Pass
- FS1, Univision
When
- Saturday, July 27 | 10 pm ET/7 pm PT
Where
- Levi's Stadium | Santa Clara, California
Chivas and San Jose are in Group West 2 alongside the LA Galaxy. The top two finishers reach the knockout phase, which starts Aug. 7 with the Round of 32.
This World Cup-style tournament features 47 clubs – 18 from LIGA MX and 29 from MLS – pausing their domestic season for the month-long competition. The winner is crowned champion, and the top three finishers qualify for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Chivas are among LIGA MX's most storied and popular clubs, with 12 league titles to their name. They've also won two Concacaf Champions Cups, most recently in 2018.
Saturday's match marks a homecoming for former San Jose homegrown standout Cade Cowell, who was transferred to Chivas in January for a club-record fee. The 20-year-old made 114 all-competition appearances for the Quakes from 2019-23, establishing himself as one of MLS's best young players before his LIGA MX move.
Chivas also roster Mexico all-time leading scorer Javier "Chicharito" Hernández, who rejoined his boyhood club this winter after parting ways with the LA Galaxy. He finished his four-year Galaxy stay with 38g/6a in 74 games.
The 2024 MLS season has gotten away from San Jose, who are last in the overall league with just 14 points from 25 matches (4W-19L-2D record). But the slate is wiped clean as they pivot to Leagues Cup, providing a chance to compete for a trophy.
They'll do so under interim coach Ian Russell, who replaced Luchi Gonzalez following the latter's midseason exit. Despite poor results, the Quakes have some high-level weapons in attack, including winger Cristian Espinoza, No. 10 Hernán López and striker Jeremy Ebobisse.
The defense has often been San Jose's pain point. Their 61 goals conceded is the most in MLS by a wide margin.
MATCH | WHEN | WATCH |
|---|---|---|
Houston Dynamo FC vs. Atlas FC | Saturday, July 27 - 8 pm ET | Apple TV - FreeUnivision |
New England Revolution vs. Mazatlán FC | Saturday, July 27 - 8 pm ET | |
New York Red Bulls vs. Toronto FC | Saturday, July 27 - 8 pm ET | |
Philadelphia Union vs. Charlotte FC | Saturday, July 27 - 8 pm ET | |
Club Puebla vs. Inter Miami CF | Saturday, July 27 - 8 pm ET | |
St. Louis CITY SC vs. FC Dallas | Saturday, July 27 - 9 pm ET | |
Chivas Guadalajara vs. San Jose Earthquakes | Saturday, July 27 - 10 pm ET | Apple TV - FreeUnivision, FS1 |
Three other MLS vs. LIGA MX matches await on Saturday night:
Houston vs. Atlas: Héctor Herrera and the Dynamo have some final-third help with new striker Ezequiel Ponce and new winger Lawrence Ennali.
New England vs. Mazatlán: The Revs host a LIGA MX side that features former Orlando attacker Josué Colmán and ex-Inter Miami defender Ventura Alvarado.
Inter Miami CF vs. Puebla: Without Lionel Messi (ankle), the Herons commence their Leagues Cup title defense against Puebla.
