Houston Dynamo FC Set to Clash with Tigres UANL in Leagues Cup 2025 Opener
The Houston Dynamo FC will kick off their Leagues Cup 2025 campaign against Liga MX powerhouse Tigres UANL on Tuesday, July 29, at Shell Energy Stadium, with kickoff slated for 8:00 p.m. CT. Fans eager to witness the action can secure their tickets HERE.
The Leagues Cup, an officially sanctioned competition by Concacaf, is entering its third edition with a revamped format designed to elevate the interleague rivalry between Major League Soccer (MLS) and Liga MX clubs. This year’s tournament will feature 36 clubs – 18 from each league – competing across two phases: Phase One and the Knockout Rounds.
During Phase One, each team will face three opponents from the opposing league in a round-robin style competition. Results will contribute to league-specific standings, with the top four teams from both MLS and Liga MX advancing to the quarterfinals. A unique element of Phase One is the elimination of draws; all matches ending in a tie will proceed directly to a penalty shootout. Point allocation is as follows: one point is awarded for a regulation draw, while a penalty shootout victory earns two points.
This tournament holds significant weight, as it will determine three qualifiers for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, with the ultimate winner representing the region in FIFA international club competitions.
The Dynamo are no strangers to the Leagues Cup, having reached the knockout stage in the 2024 edition. They topped their group, defeating Real Salt Lake and Atlas FC, before a narrow defeat on penalties to Deportivo Toluca FC at Shell Energy Stadium. Standout moments from that campaign included the debut of winger Lawrence Ennali and the first career goal for forward Ezequiel Ponce. In the inaugural 2023 tournament, Houston advanced to the Round of 16, overcoming Club Pachuca and Santos Laguna on home turf.
Historically, the Dynamo boast a strong record against Liga MX teams at Shell Energy Stadium, with an overall regulation record of 11-5-4. Tuesday’s match will be the third encounter between Houston and Tigres, their last meeting occurring in the 2019 Concacaf Champions League Quarterfinals – a match Houston advanced from after defeating CD Guastatoya 3-1 on aggregate, thanks to a late brace from former Dynamo player Mauro Manotas.
Currently, Tigres, representing Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León and based in Monterrey, holds the third position in the Liga MX Apertura 2025 standings after two matches. They began their season with a 1-0 win over FC Juárez and followed it up with a 4-3 victory against Toluca. Last season, Tigres finished fourth in the Liga MX Clausura 2025 standings.
The Dynamo’s recent MLS schedule has faced disruption. Their match against the LA Galaxy, originally scheduled for last Saturday, was postponed due to inclement weather and resulting pitch conditions. The rescheduled match will now take place on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 7:30 p.m. CT at Shell Energy Stadium. Prior to the postponement, Houston secured a valuable point in a 1-1 draw against the top-seeded Philadelphia Union, with midfielder Jack McGlynn scoring his third goal of the regular season. This match also marked McGlynn’s first appearance against his former team following a significant cash-for-player trade from Philadelphia to Houston.
Recently, the club saw representation at the MLS All-Star Week in Austin, Texas. Dynamo Academy and Dynamo 2 defender Daniel Barrett captained the West team in the MLS NEXT All-Star Game, while Dynamo 2 goalkeeper Pedro Cruz claimed the 2025 Goalie Wars title during the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge.
Looking ahead in Phase One, the Dynamo will host Liga MX sides Mazatlán F.C. on Friday, Aug. 1, and C.F. Pachuca on Tuesday, Aug. 5, with both matches kicking off at 7:30 p.m. CT at Shell Energy Stadium. Tickets for these games are also available HERE.
