CONCACAF Champions League To Begin

The inaugural CONCACAF Champions League begins this week, with eight Preliminary Round first-leg matchups taking place August 26-28. Twenty-four teams will battle it out between now and April 2009 to decide who will be crowned the first-ever CONCACAF Champions League champion and receive the honor of representing North America at next year’s Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Two MLS teams will kick off their CCL conquest this week – Chivas USA and the New England Revolution. The Houston Dynamo and DC United have already qualified for the group stages and will begin tournament play in mid-September.Here’s the complete schedule of this week’s Preliminary Round action:

August 26th:
New England Revolution (USA) @ Joe Public FC (T&T) – 8:00 p.m. EST
Chivas USA (USA) @ Tauro FC (PAN) – 8:00 p.m. EST
Hankook Verdes (BLZ) @ Cruz Azul (MEX) – 10:00 p.m. EST

August 27th:
Real Esteli (NCG) @ Montreal Impact (CAN) – 8:00 p.m. EST
Puerto Rico Islanders (PR) @ LD Alajuelense (CRC) – 10:00 p.m. EST
CD Marathon (HON) @ AD Isidro Metapan (SLV) – 10:00 p.m. EST

August 28th:
Pumas UNAM (MEX) @ Harbour View FC (JAM) – 8:00 p.m. EST
San Francisco FC (PAN) @ Deportivo Jalapa (GUA) – 10:00 p.m. EST