Key events
GOAL! Cruz Azul 1-o Vancouver Whitecaps
8 min: GOAL CRUZ AZUL! A terrible, nearly unforced giveaway from the Whitecaps in their own defensive third, and Ignacio Rivero takes advantage, finishing well past the goalkeeper.
5 min: Nearly a dicey moment there as Tristan Blackmon, the Whitecaps’ best defender, takes a bit too long to get back on the field after running out a clearance and Cruz Azul push for the opener. The attack couldn’t connect, though, and we remain scoreless.
3 min: The opening moments have been cagey, to say the least. Vancouver is happy to sit back with Cruz Azul in possession in their own defensive third, and vice-versa. This will certainly change, and a lot, in the next 20-30 minutes or so.
We are underway!
The game is on in Mexcico City.
You have dwindling minutes to read Eoin O’Callaghan’s excellent story about how the Vancouver Whitecaps got to this point, and what they’re playing for in the biggest match in club history.
The teams are out on the field
There is a large tarp on the field assuring us that yes, this is indeed the final. There’s also a large aggro-crag looking thing in the middle that I think is supposed to represent a crown. There are also a lot of pyrotechnics.
It’s a final!
Why is this game being played at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario?
The 75-year-old venue isn’t the most modern football ground in Mexico, nor is it Cruz Azul’s regular home. So why is the final being played there?
Because Estadio Azteca, Cruz Azul’s usual home (along with that of intra-city rivals Club América) is closed for renovations before it hosts the 2026 World Cup next year.
This venue is no slouch when it comes to history. It played host to the 1968 Olympic Games, where US athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos performed the Black power salute on the medal stand.
How did they get here?
For the Whitecaps, the journey to the Concacaf Champions Cup started with the hiring of Jesper Sørensen in the offseason. The head coach has turned a team that looked full of potential last year into a force in 2025.
The Whitecaps took care of Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica in the first round, then scored their first big shock with a two-legged win over Monterrey in the next round.
The Whitecaps then took down Pumas in the quarter-finals and finally took down Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in the semi-finals, looking every bit the better side in both legs of that tie.
For Cruz Azul, much was expected going into this season. They delivered with an easy first-round win over Haitian side Real Hope, then a 4-1 aggregate win over Seattle Sounders in the next round. In the quarter-finals, Cruz Azul topped Club América over two legs, before doing the same to fellow Mexican power Tigres in the semifinal.
The Cruz Azul starting XI
Goalkeeper: Kevin Mier
Defenders: Willer Ditta, Erik Lira, Gonzalo Piovi, Jorge Sánchez, José Rivero
Midfielders: Lorenzo Faravelli, Carlos Rodríguez
Wingers: Carlos Rotondi, Mateusz Bogusz
Striker: Ángel Sepúlveda
The Whitecaps starting XI
Goalkeeper: Yohei Takaoka
Defenders: Édier Ocampo, Ranko Veselinović, Tristan Blackmon, Sam Adekugbe
Midfielders: Pedro Vite, Andrés Cubas, Jean-Claude Ngando, Ali Ahmed
Forwards: Brian White, Jayden Nelson
How to watch the Champions Cup final
The game kicks off at 9pm ET and can be seen in the US on FS1 in English, or on TUDN if you prefer Spanish commentary.
In Mexico, it’s available on TUDN and on Tubi.
In Canada, you can watch it on FuboTV or OneSoccer.
Happy viewing!
The stage is set
The Estadio Olimpico Universitario in Mexico City is set to be full of raucous Cruz Azul fans, making for a difficult environment for the Whitecaps.