Tigres UANL, Cruz Azul kick off Champions Cup semifinals | OneFootball

MIAMI – The 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup continues Wednesday with an all-Mexican encounter to start the semifinals when Tigres UANL hosts Cruz Azul at Estadio Universitario in San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

Tigres UANL earned its place among the final four by defeating MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy with a 3-2 win on aggregate in the quarterfinals, returning to the semifinals for the first time since the 2023 edition. The series opened with a goalless draw, before goals from Nicolas Ibáñez, Uriel Antuna and Rômulo led the way for the victory.

Winners of the 2020 edition, Tigres UANL started its current campaign winning 3-1 on aggregate against Real Estelí FC in Round One. Los Felinos overcome another tough challenge against FC Cincinnati, 4-2 on aggregate. In each series, Tigres UANL closed with a victory in the friendly confines of the Estadio Universitario – an advantage that shifts to the first leg in the upcoming series.

Cruz Azul returns to the CCC semifinals for the first time since 2022 after defeating crosstown rivals Club América in the quarterfinals. Following a goalless draw in the first leg, Ángel Sepulveda, the leading scorer in the 2025 edition, was the star of the second leg, scoring both goals in a crucial 2-1 win.

The six-time Champions Cup winners started their campaign with a 7-nil victory on aggregate over Real Hope FA in Round One, followed by a 4-1 win on aggregate against Seattle Sounders FC in the Round of 16.

The winner on aggregate will advance to the Final. Away goals serve as the primary tiebreaker. If necessary, extra time and a penalty shootout will decide the winner.

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Cruz Azul are headed to their ninth semifinal in the history of the Concacaf Champions Cup. The Mexico City giants have advanced to the Final on five occasions: 1969 vs. Comunicaciones FC, 1997 vs. Chivas, 2008/09 vs. Puerto Rico Islanders, 2009/10 vs. Pumas, and 2013/14 vs. Tijuana. They've been eliminated three times, twice by CF Monterrey (2010/11 and 2021) and once by Pumas (2022).

Tigres UANL, meanwhile, are preparing for their seventh semifinal appearance in the tournament. The Nuevo León-based club has reached the Final four times: 2015/16 against Querétaro FC, 2016/17 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, 2019 vs. Santos Laguna, and 2020 vs. CD Olimpia. They were knocked out just twice, by FAS in 1979 and Club León in 2023. Tigres come in with an impressive run of four straight semifinal victories between 2016 and 2020.

This will mark the first-ever showdown between Cruz Azul and Tigres in the Concacaf Champions Cup.

Their last home-and-away series took place in the 2022 Clausura quarterfinals of Liga MX, where Tigres advanced on higher seeding. The first leg, played on May 12 at Estadio Azteca, saw Tigres grab a 1-0 win with a 44th-minute strike from Jesús Dueñas. Cruz Azul responded with a 1-0 victory in the return leg on May 15 at Estadio Universitario, thanks to a 19th-minute goal from Christian Tabó.