As Inter Miami’s South American pre-season tour continues with the next matchup in Medellin against Atletico Nacional, the on-field action has almost become secondary. The real conversation surrounds the transfer window — and whether CONMEBOL is genuinely exploring a pathway for MLS and Liga MX clubs to re-enter the Copa Libertadores, and possibly the Copa Sudamericana.
Separating Copa Libertadores Rumors from Facts
Speculation intensified after Inter Miami president Jorge Mas publicly expressed interest in seeing his club compete in the Libertadores. CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez responded shortly after, offering a measured reply:
“It’s a topic that should be discussed within CONCACAF. It has been done in the past, but we are very respectful of the other confederations. But yes, it is an honor that teams from other confederations have the Libertadores as a reference for international and world competition.”
That response underscores the current reality. Any participation by CONCACAF clubs in CONMEBOL competitions — likely no earlier than 2027 — would require formal approval from CONCACAF itself, and approval from FIFA.
It has been nearly a decade since Liga MX last competed in the Libertadores. Even then, Mexico never sent its strongest clubs, as the CONCACAF Champions League (now Champions Cup) remained the priority. That balancing act ultimately diluted Liga MX’s Libertadores presence and made the arrangement unsustainable with the additional travel and costs.
For a return to happen, CONCACAF and CONMEBOL would need a comprehensive agreement covering revenue sharing — including broadcast rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales — along with qualification criteria and scheduling logistics. A neutral-site final in North America would almost certainly be part of the deal, with Miami a leading candidate after hosting the Copa América final at Hard Rock Stadium in 2024. Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, New York/New Jersey and Boston would all be notable locations that would love to host a Libertadores match.
The Value of the CONCACAF Champions Cup
The CONCACAF Champions Cup has served as the gateway for clubs like Seattle Sounders and Monterrey Rayados to reach the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, hosted in the United States in 2025. That tournament proved a valuable showcase, pitting CONCACAF and CONMEBOL sides against Europe’s elite. Brazilian clubs in particular impressed, while Monterrey delivered a memorable clash with River Plate.
Still, within CONCACAF itself, the Champions Cup often feels predictable. Given the budget gap between MLS, Liga MX, and the rest of the region, the later rounds of the tournament usually devolve into MLS vs. Liga MX matchups. The early rounds, barring a rare upset, can feel like formalities.
The final stages tend to be framed as a referendum on league supremacy — or domestic bragging rights. Even Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami have yet to lift the trophy, losing to Monterrey in Mexico in 2024 and then exiting against MLS rivals Vancouver Whitecaps in 2025. The result is a competition that is competitive, but inconsistently compelling, with uneven attendance, modest television ratings, and limited global reach.
Brazil’s Grip on the Libertadores
Brazil’s Serie A has increasingly turned the Copa Libertadores into its own playground. Traditional giants like River Plate, Boca Juniors, Peñarol, and Atlético Nacional have faded in recent years, while Brazilian clubs dominate financially and competitively.
The 2016 final — between Atlético Nacional and Independiente del Valle — was the last Libertadores final without a Brazilian or Argentine team. Since then, four Brazilian clubs have split the last six titles, with Flamengo and Palmeiras leading the way. Four of those finals were all-Brazilian affairs.
Brazil’s ability to repatriate talent from Europe and outspend continental rivals has blunted some of the Libertadores’ competitive intrigue. Restricting the competition to South America has also limited CONMEBOL’s commercial growth, particularly in broadcast and sponsorship revenue.
Expanding northward would address both issues: increasing competition for Brazilian clubs while opening the door to lucrative markets in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
From Friendlies to Meaningful Competition
South American clubs already understand the financial upside of the U.S. market. High-profile friendlies featuring teams like Barcelona SC and Millonarios are held regularly across the country. Even with limited promotion — and often with rotated squads — attendance is frequently strong. Copa America’s decision to include CONCACAF teams like Mexico and Canada in the tournament has been well received, even if these teams have yet to breakthrough in a major way.
Those exhibitions hint at what a meaningful competition could offer. Competitive stakes, rather than preseason branding exercises, would only amplify interest.
CONCACAF’s Best Could Win the Libertadores
Recent intercontinental results suggest the gap between CONCACAF and CONMEBOL is narrower than often assumed. At the 2025 Club World Cup, Inter Miami drew Palmeiras 2–2 in Miami, Seattle lost narrowly to Botafogo, LAFC held Flamengo, and Monterrey earned a scoreless draw against River Plate. In other tournaments, Pachuca dismantled Botafogo in 2024, Flamengo edged Cruz Azul in 2025, and Tigres famously defeated Palmeiras in 2020.
While South American teams still hold the edge, blowouts have been rare. Tactically and financially, MLS and Liga MX have closed ground. The challenge of hostile atmospheres and travel cuts both ways — diaspora crowds and modern squad depth mitigate many of those disadvantages.
Inter Miami’s roster, in particular, resembles a CONMEBOL side parachuted into MLS. With Germán Berterame arriving, veterans like Luis Suárez, and young South American talents like Telasco Segovia, the squad would not look out of place in continental competition.
While Brazilian sides would remain heavily favored to win the tournament, and other nations might rue missing out on Libertadores opportunities if entry tickets are provided to MLS and Liga MX sides, the Libertadores has been lopsided with fading fan interest in some countries for years. Universitario are three-time repeat champions in Peru, and yet they had little hope of advancing against a Brazilian side in the Libertadores.
Beyond Miami, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia account for the largest foreign contingents in MLS. Liga MX has similarly become a destination league, with Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, and Ecuador supplying much of its foreign talent — including players like Helinho at Toluca and Ángel Correa at Tigres.
Compared to a decade ago, MLS and Liga MX are better prepared — competitively and commercially — to take part in the Libertadores. Their inclusion would boost interest not only in finals, but throughout the group stage. A Messi-led Inter Miami against Boca Juniors at La Bombonera, or Cruz Azul goalkeeper Kevin Mier returning to face Atlético Nacional, sells itself. MLS is more mature now, while Liga MX, which always had large club fanbases, is now a major spender in the transfer market.
Modern football is undeniably driven by money. Still, a Libertadores that finds room for North American clubs would do more than inflate balance sheets. It would deepen competition, elevate the tournament’s relevance, and meaningfully unite the Latin American footballing world — assuming the federations can finally agree to get out of their own way.
Main Photo Credit: Imago Images XINHUA PHOTOS OF THE DAY
