Austin FC is back at home on Thursday night to kick off its participation in Leagues Cup 2026 vs. Liga MX foes Club Tijuana. The match will begin at 8:00 p.m. CT.
Tune-In
- Stream: Click here to watch the match on Apple TV or access it through any device compatible with the Apple TV app.
- Radio: The match will be broadcast locally in English on iHeart Radio’s Alt 97.5, and in Spanish on Univision’s TUDN Radio Austin (104.3- HD2, KLQB-FM).
Austin FC Outlook
In their last match on Saturday, the Verde & Black fell short in Commerce City to Colorado Rapids after a penalty strike from Rafael Navarro broke a tie in the final minute of extra time. Austin will now take a break from regular season play to shift its focus to Leagues Cup, and will look to secure a victory at home against Tijuana in the first-ever matchup between the two clubs.
By reaching the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2025, Austin FC qualified for the Leagues Cup for the third time in franchise history. The squad’s first appearance was in 2023, but their most impressive run took place a year later in Leagues Cup 2024. Austin won both its games in the group stage against Mexican powerhouses Pumas UNAM and Monterrey to advance to the knockout rounds.
Thursday’s showdown marks the first of three consecutive matches hosted at Q2 Stadium for Phase One of the tournament (to learn more about Leagues Cup’s competition format and to view the full schedule, click here). The most recent regular season home game featured late goals from top goal scorers Myrto Uzuni and Christian Ramirez in a 3-1 victory over Seattle Sounders. Austin will look to replicate that offensive display in front of their home crowd and begin Leagues Cup 2026 with three points.
Club Tijuana Outlook
Club Tijuana begins their Leagues Cup journey following a 2-1-0 start to their Liga MX season. With victories at home over Tigres UANL and León followed by a 0-0 draw with Atlético de San Luis on the road, Tijuana is tied with Club América for the most points in the league with seven. They now look to continue their strong start in this tournament, beginning with their travels to Austin.
In the early stages of the regular season, Mourad El Ghezouani has proven to be an offensive force for Xolos. The Moroccan forward had a multi-goal performance in the first match of the year, scoring twice in extra time and giving Tijuana a 3-1 win. 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, who recently represented the Mexican national team at the FIFA World Cup, is another name to watch out for.
This season will mark Tijuana’s fifth time competing in Leagues Cup, with previous appearances in 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025. They will enter the tournament this year with the hope of making it out of the group stage for the first time since Leagues Cup adopted this format in 2023.
