I'm not totally clear yet on the qualification rules .. but I wonder whether Toronto can actually qualify if they finish in the top 4 of the MLS and not simply by virtue of the fact that they win the Canada Cup
Nope.
My understanding is that CCL spots are given on national association basis.
So US MLS teams finishing top 4 gets USSA's CCL slots, but CSA only has one CCL to give away.
Then again, Cardiff which is in similar situation as Toronto is in (playing in a league not in own nation) has special dispensation to play in UEFA cup next year if they win the FA cup final, so Toronto getting one of USSA's CCL slot is not totally farfetched
dEsidEL
now I wonder what happens if we win the Supporter's Shield or MLS Cup this year? :D
quote:
05/14/2008 4:13PM
CONCACAF Champions League format unveiled MLS squads will play in tourney for spot in Club World Cup
By Dylan Butler / MLSnet.com
While the UEFA Champions League final is still a week away, Major League Soccer fans can begin daydreaming about their own team's Champions League glory, as CONCACAF unveiled on Wednesday the qualification format for the inaugural 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League.
The CONCACAF Champions League will be comprised of 24 teams from each of the governing body's regions. Four Major League Soccer teams, four from Mexico, two from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama and one each from Canada, Belize and Nicaragua will join three Caribbean teams in the draw, which will be announced June 11.
Major League Soccer's representatives are based on last year's results. As MLS Cup champions, the Houston Dynamo are the top United States qualifier. Next is the MLS regular season champions, which was D.C. United, followed by the MLS Cup runner-up -- the New England Revolution -- as well as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup champion.
Since the Revs captured the U.S. Open Cup last year, the first title in club history, and already qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League as MLS Cup runners-up, the team with the second highest regular-season point total, Chivas USA, is the fourth qualifier.
There could still be a fifth MLS team in the tournament proper -- Toronto FC. The Reds will take on Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps -- both USL First Division (second tier) teams -- in a round-robin qualifying tournament beginning later this month.
Houston and D.C. most recently competed in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, both teams losing in the semifinals. Those two MLS teams, along with six others, will be seeded directly in the Group Stage, while the remaining 16 will be paired in home-and-away match-ups in the Preliminary Stage beginning August 26-28 and concluding Sept. 2-4.
The Group Stage will feature four groups of four teams each that will compete in a round-robin system during six match dates from September 16 to October 30. The top two clubs from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, with home and away legs played in February 2009.
The aggregate winners will meet in the semifinals, with home-and-away matches to be played in March and April. The CONCACAF Champions League final will also be a home-and-away aggregate series, which will be played in late April 2009.
The CONCACAF Champions League winner will represent the region in the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup.
2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League field
USA (4 teams): Houston Dynamo (2007 Major League Soccer champion); D.C. United (2007 Major League Soccer regular-season winner); New England Revolution (2007 MLS Cup runner-up); Chivas USA (2007 MLS regular season runner-up)
MEXICO (4 teams): Atlante FC (2007 Torneo Apertura champion); Pumas UNAM (2007 Torneo Apertura Runner-up); 2 teams to be determined (2008 Torneo Clausura champion and runner-up)
COSTA RICA (2 teams): Deportivo Saprissa (Torneo Invierno winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Verano winner, or second place team in Torneo Verano if same champion for both Invierno and Verano)
EL SALVADOR (2 teams): CD Luis Angel Firpo (Liga Mayor Apertura winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Clausura winner, or second place team in Torneo Clausura if same champion for both Apertura and Clausura)
GUATEMALA (2 teams): Deportivo Jalapa (Torneo Apertura winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Clausura winner, or second place team in Torneo Clausura if same champion for both Apertura and Clausura)
HONDURAS (2 teams): CD Marathon (Torneo Apertura 2007 winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Clausura winner, or second place team in Torneo Clausura if same champion for both Apertura and Clausura)
PANAMA (2 teams): San Francisco FC (ANAPROF Apertura winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Clausura winner, or second place team in Torneo Clausura if same champion for both Apertura and Clausura)
BELIZE (1 team): Hankook Verdes (2007-08 BPFL/RFG Insurance Cup Champions)
NICARAGUA (1 team): to be determined; winner of playoff between Apertura winner (Real Estelν FC) and winner of Clausura.
CANADA (1 team): Winner of three-way qualifying series between Toronto FC, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps.
CARIBBEAN (3 teams): Harbour View FC (Jamaica); Joe Public FC (Trinidad & Tobago); winner of playoff between Puerto Rico Islanders and San Juan Jabloteh (Trinidad & Tobago)
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
Schelotto is officially the guy I hate the most in MLS. (Even higher than Ruiz, that oxygen thief)
Just absolutely brutal synchronized swimming act. Dove like it was the Olympic finals or somethiing.
And the little head had the gall to whine about not getting calls to the refs.
The ref didn`t fall for his antics (Stott, he`s probably the best ref in MLS) and booked in late in the game because he got sick and tired of Schelotto`s antics, but by god.
The boos he got when he was subbed was just hilarious.
dEsidEL
quote:
Toronto FC confirms Mexican, Argentine friendlies
May 22, 2008
MORGAN CAMPBELL
SPORTS REPORTER
Toronto FC finalized the rest of its summer plans today when in confirmed the Mexican club Pachuca and Argentine power Independiente will both visit BMO Field for friendlies in July.
Pachuca finished third in Mexico's top league this year, ending their season with a 2-1 win over San Luis two weeks ago.
They will visit BMO Field July 5, while the Independiente game is scheduled for July 15. Three games from the end of Argentina's spring season, Independiente currently ranks fifth out of 20 teams.
Last May TFC played to a scoreless draw against Benfica in their first friendly.
In late July they hosted England's Aston Villa losing the game 4-2 and afterward losing defender Marvell Wynne to a hamstring injury.
The two latest exhibitions complete a busy summer schedule that will include three Canada Cup games and the MLS All-star game.
TFC host the Vancouver Whitecaps on July 1, then travel to Vancouver for a game on the ninth. Next week they visit the Montreal Impact, with the return match in Toronto July 22. The winner of that three-team tournament earns a bid to the CONCACAF Champions League, a qualifier for the FIFA Club World Cup.
Originally posted by Yohan
Schelotto is officially the guy I hate the most in MLS. (Even higher than Ruiz, that oxygen thief)
Just absolutely brutal synchronized swimming act. Dove like it was the Olympic finals or somethiing.
And the little head had the gall to whine about not getting calls to the refs.
The ref didn`t fall for his antics (Stott, he`s probably the best ref in MLS) and booked in late in the game because he got sick and tired of Schelotto`s antics, but by god.
The boos he got when he was subbed was just hilarious.
