Montreal drew Liga MX power Santos Laguna for the most high-profile Round of 16 pairing in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League, as the four MLS teams from the United States randomly drew first-round matches with clubs from Central America.
The two-legged first-round pairings will take place in the last two weeks of February, with quarterfinals scheduled in the windows of March 8-10 and March 15-17, semifinals April 5-7 and April 12-14 and the final April 26-28 and May 3-5.
The four MLS teams from the United States qualified for the Champions League by winning the MLS Cup (NYCFC), finishing first in each conference (New England in the East, Colorado in the West) and finishing with the next best overall record (Seattle).
The winning club receives one of the eight spots in the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup. Since the champions' competition was reformatted in 2008, clubs from Liga MX have won every final, including last 2021 when Monterrey defeated Club América in an all-Liga MX final. The event has been held in several forms since 1962, with only two teams from the United States emerging as champions: DC United in 1998 and the LA Galaxy in 2000.
2022 CONCACAF Champions League Bracket
The 2022 CONCACAF Champions League bracket. Photo: @BrianStraus | Twitter
The two-leg Round of 16 matchups:
CF Montréal (MLS/Canada) vs. Club Santos Laguna (Liga MX)
Club León (Liga MX) vs. Club Deportivo Guastatoya (Guatemala)
Colorado Rapids (MLS) vs. Comunicaciones FC (Guatemala)
Cruz Azul (Liga MX) vs. Hamilton Forge FC (Canada)
New England Revolution (MLS) vs. Cavaly AS (Haiti)
New York City FC (MLS) vs. Santos de Guápiles (Costa Rica)
Pumas UNAM (Liga MX) vs. Deportivo Saprissa (Costa Rica)
Seattle Sounders (MLS) vs. FC Motagua (Honduras)
The 2022 CCL Round of 16 matchups. Photo: @TheChampions | Twitter
