Messi makes South America and North Central America want to create… a new league

Lionel Messi's arrival at Inter Miami has caused a real revolution in MLS and many people dream of being able to take advantage of the presence of the best player in the world across the entire continent of the Americas. Among them is Alejandro Dominguez, president of Conmebol (South American Football Confederation).

Since it is not possible to modify the regulations of the Copa Libertadores (the number one club tournament in South America, equivalent to the Champions League), at least in the short and medium term, the only solution is to create a new tournament. linking South American football with Concacaf (North Central America and the Caribbean). That's why both federations negotiated for a while.

The goal of the parties is to create confrontations between the champions of Concachampions (Leon of Mexico), Leagues Cup (Messi's Inter Miami will play the final against Nashville SC), Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, expected to be determined next November.

When will the new tournament take place?

Conmebol and Concacaf will host a centralized club tournament in the style of "Final Four" with the participation of the top teams from the two confederations. These four teams (2 from each confederation) are identified through Conmebol and Concacaf's existing club-level leagues, with the goal of the first edition of the league starting in 2024.

When MLS Hosts Conmebol Tournaments

The first time this happened was the 2001 Merconorte Cup (which ended) which Colombia's Millonarios won. The tournament featured the MetroStars and Kansas City, who were eliminated in the group stage. Both placed third, while only the top team qualified for the qualifying round.

Then came the 2005 and 2007 Copa Sudamericana, DC United attended as a guest for winning the MLS Cup and the Supporters Shield. The American team reached the round of 16 and were eliminated by Universidad Catolica and Chivas respectively.