Vancouver Whitecaps v Cruz Azul – Concacaf Champions Cup final – live updates | Concacaf Champions Cup

31 min: The Whitecaps have yet to register a shot. They are getting completely dominated. If anything, it seems like Cruz Azul should be up by more.

28 min: Lorenzo Faravelli gets the ball off Andres Cubas about 30 yards from goal, moves in, and rifles a wicked shot that kisses the inside of the post and settles in the back of the net. Wow. What a finish.

22 min: Vancouver isn’t unused to dealing with big absences, but it’s clear they miss the influence of Sebastian Berhalter in this one. The midfielder is suspended for yellow card accumulation for this one, and his role as a connector in the attacking third is something Vancouver could desperately use right now.

20 min: The Whitecaps continue to struggle to find a way into this game. They’ve done well enough to hold off Cruz Azul’s pressure since the opener, but have yet to generate anything dangerous themselves.

11 min: Man that is just a brutal goal for Vancouver to give up. They’ve struggled to get a rhythm to start this game, and the giveaway that led to the goal is a perfect example of what that looks like. Credit to Cruz Azul for pouncing on the moment.

8 min: GOAL CRUZ AZUL! A terrible, nearly unforced giveaway from the Whitecaps in their own defensive third, and Ignacio Rivero takes advantage, finishing well past the goalkeeper.

5 min: Nearly a dicey moment there as Tristan Blackmon, the Whitecaps’ best defender, takes a bit too long to get back on the field after running out a clearance and Cruz Azul push for the opener. The attack couldn’t connect, though, and we remain scoreless.

3 min: The opening moments have been cagey, to say the least. Vancouver is happy to sit back with Cruz Azul in possession in their own defensive third, and vice-versa. This will certainly change, and a lot, in the next 20-30 minutes or so.

The game is on in Mexcico City.

You have dwindling minutes to read Eoin O’Callaghan’s excellent story about how the Vancouver Whitecaps got to this point, and what they’re playing for in the biggest match in club history.

There is a large tarp on the field assuring us that yes, this is indeed the final. There’s also a large aggro-crag looking thing in the middle that I think is supposed to represent a crown. There are also a lot of pyrotechnics.

It’s a final!

Why is this game being played at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario?

The 75-year-old venue isn’t the most modern football ground in Mexico, nor is it Cruz Azul’s regular home. So why is the final being played there?

Because Estadio Azteca, Cruz Azul’s usual home (along with that of intra-city rivals Club América) is closed for renovations before it hosts the 2026 World Cup next year.

This venue is no slouch when it comes to history. It played host to the 1968 Olympic Games, where US athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos performed the Black power salute on the medal stand.

How did they get here?

For the Whitecaps, the journey to the Concacaf Champions Cup started with the hiring of Jesper Sørensen in the offseason. The head coach has turned a team that looked full of potential last year into a force in 2025.

The Whitecaps took care of Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica in the first round, then scored their first big shock with a two-legged win over Monterrey in the next round.

The Whitecaps then took down Pumas in the quarter-finals and finally took down Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in the semi-finals, looking every bit the better side in both legs of that tie.

For Cruz Azul, much was expected going into this season. They delivered with an easy first-round win over Haitian side Real Hope, then a 4-1 aggregate win over Seattle Sounders in the next round. In the quarter-finals, Cruz Azul topped Club América over two legs, before doing the same to fellow Mexican power Tigres in the semifinal.

Goalkeeper: Kevin Mier

Defenders: Willer Ditta, Erik Lira, Gonzalo Piovi, Jorge Sánchez, José Rivero

Midfielders: Lorenzo Faravelli, Carlos Rodríguez

Wingers: Carlos Rotondi, Mateusz Bogusz

Striker: Ángel Sepúlveda

Goalkeeper: Yohei Takaoka

Defenders: Édier Ocampo, Ranko Veselinović, Tristan Blackmon, Sam Adekugbe

Midfielders: Pedro Vite, Andrés Cubas, Jean-Claude Ngando, Ali Ahmed

Forwards: Brian White, Jayden Nelson

How to watch the Champions Cup final

The game kicks off at 9pm ET and can be seen in the US on FS1 in English, or on TUDN if you prefer Spanish commentary.

In Mexico, it’s available on TUDN and on Tubi.

In Canada, you can watch it on FuboTV or OneSoccer.

Happy viewing!

The stage is set

The Estadio Olimpico Universitario in Mexico City is set to be full of raucous Cruz Azul fans, making for a difficult environment for the Whitecaps.