Colorado Rapids welcomes Los Angeles FC | OneFootball

MIAMI – The 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup continues on Tuesday with two first leg encounters between United States clubs in Round One.

Sporting Kansas City will host Inter Miami CF at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas, followed by the Colorado Rapids hosting Los Angeles FC at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado.

Sporting Kansas City vs. Inter Miami CF

Sporting Kansas City hosts Inter Miami CF at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas, for the first meeting between the sides in Champions Cup action and third in their history. Inter Miami leads the all-time series, claiming wins in the two previous encounters.

Sporting KC is making its seventh appearance in the Champions Cup and the first since reaching the semifinals in 2019. Sporting qualified for the 2025 edition as a finalist in the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

SKC will look to extend its positive home record, winning six of the last eight CCC home games. Attacker Wiliam Agada and midfielder Erick Thommy, who have previously scored against Inter Miami, will be essential players in the series for the Kansas side.

Inter Miami records its second appearance in the CCC after qualifying as the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield winners. The Herons reached the quarterfinals in 2024, the team’s debut campaign.

Global icons Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, who scored two goals and provided two assists each in the 2024 edition, will be among the Inter Miami players to watch.

Colorado Rapids vs. Los Angeles FC

The Colorado Rapids host Los Angeles FC at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in in Commerce City, Colorado for the first-ever meeting between the sides in the Champions Cup and the 14th overall. LAFC leads the all-time series with eight wins to four and one draw.

The Rapids secured their berth in the 2025 edition of the CCC after finishing third in the 2024 Leagues Cup. The Colorado side will make its fifth appearance in competition history and has reached the Round of 16 twice (2018 and 2022).

U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper Zack Steffen and forward Djordje Mihailovic will be key players for the rapids alongside Brazilian man Rafael Navarro.

LAFC qualified for the competition as finalists of the 2024 Leagues Cup and will make its third appearance in tournament history. The California club will seek redemption after finishing as runner-up in its two previous appearances, in 2020 and 2023.

Forward Denis Bouanga, who finished as top scorer of the 2023 edition with seven goals, and legendary striker Olivier Giroud, who will debut in the competition, will be crucial for LAFC’s hopes in the 2025 campaign. LAFC has won seven of its last 12 CCC matches, repeating the 3-0 scoreline in five of those wins.