Happy Draw Day!
Vancouver Whitecaps FC will learn their group stage opponents for the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League tonight when the official draw takes place in Miami Beach, Florida. The draw will streamed live in the window at the top of this page.
Follow Whitecaps FC on Twitter and stay tuned to whitecapsfc.com for complete coverage.
THE FIELD
See below for the list of teams in this year’s tournament.
The ‘Caps will be drawn into a group with one team from Pot 1 and one team from Pot 3, meaning they are guaranteed to face either a Mexican club or a fellow Major League Soccer side.
POT 1: Police United FC (BLZ), Central F.C. (TRI), W Connection F.C. (TRI), Don Bosco FC (HAI), Real Estelí F.C. (NCA), C.D. Plaza Amador (PAN), Alianza F.C. (SLV), C.D. Dragón (SLV)
POT 2:Vancouver Whitecaps FC (CAN), Club Sport Herediano (CRC), Deportivo Saprissa (CRC), Antigua FC (GUA), C.S.D. Comunicaciones or C.D. Suchitepéquez (GUA), C.D. Honduras Progreso (HON), Club Deportivo Olimpia (HON), Deportivo Árabe Unido (PAN)
POT 3: Pumas UNAM (MEX), Tigres UANL (MEX), CF Monterrey (MEX), CF Pachuca (MEX), Sporting Kansas City (USA), New York Red Bulls (USA), FC Dallas (USA), Portland Timbers (USA)
FORMAT
Teams will play each opponent in their group twice, once at home and once away, from August to October 2016. The top team in each group will advance to the knockout stages.
HISTORY
The ‘Caps participated in the CONCACAF Champions League for the first time last season.
They were drawn into a group with longtime Cascadia rivals Seattle Sounders FC and Honduran side C.D. Olimpia. Whitecaps FC failed to advance to the knockout stages after posting a 1W-2L-1D record in the group stage.
Mexican powerhouse Club America are two-time defending CONCACAF champions, but they did not qualify for this year’s edition of the tournament so there will be a new champion.
WHAT IS THE CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ANYWAY?
The CONCACAF Champions League is a 24-team competition between the top clubs from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Whitecaps FC earned Canada’s lone entry in the tournament by winning the Voyageurs Cup in last year’s Amway Canadian Championship.
The winner of the CCL qualifies for the annual FIFA Club World Cup, where they compete against the top teams from Asia, Africa, South America, Oceana, and Europe.
Barcelona are the reigning Club World Cup champions.
Be a part of the best sporting atmosphere in Vancouver! Whitecaps FC offer a flexible range of ticket products, including Half-Season Packs, 5-Packs, a Youth Soccer Half-Season Ticket, and single match tickets. For more information, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
