The LA Galaxy will learn their opponents for the Group Stage of the 2015-16 CONCACAF Champions League on Monday when CONCACAF holds their annual draw for the regional club competition in Miami.
The defending MLS Cup champions will be joined four other clubs from Major League Soccer in the competition as Seattle Sounders FC, Real Salt Lake, D.C. United, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC earned entry into the competition a year ago. 19 other participants from North America, Central America and the Caribbean will join the contingent from MLS.
On Monday, the 24 teams will be drawn into eight groups of three, with each club playing four games during the group stage which runs from August to October. The top team in each group advances to the tournament’s Knockout Stages early next year.
The 24 teams are split into three pots based on their country of origin as well as the manner of their qualification for the tournament. A team from each pot is then placed into a group until all eight groups are full.
There are a couple of wrinkles to this process, however, as clubs from the United States cannot be drawn into groups with Mexican sides. In addition, teams from the same federation can also not be placed in groups alongside one another.
The pots for the 2015-16 CONCACAF Champions League are below:
Pot A
- LA Galaxy (USA)
- Seattle Sounders (USA)
- Club América (MEX)
- Santos Laguna (MEX)
- Deportivo Saprissa (CRC)
- Olimpia (HON)
- Comunicaciones (GUA)
- Arabe Unido (PAN)
Pot B
- D.C. United (USA)
- Real Salt Lake (USA)
- Vancouver Whitecaps (CAN)
- UANL Tigres (MEX)
- Queretaro (MEX)
- Herediano (CRC)
- Motagua (HON)
- Isidro Metapan (SLV)
Pot C
- Municipal (GUA)
- Santa Tecla (SLV)
- San Francisco (PAN)
- Walter Ferreti (NCA)
- Verdes (BLZ)
- Central (TRI)
- W Connection (TRI)
- Montego Bay United (JAM)
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com.
