Cruz Azul

Location: Mexico City, Mexico (Temporarily Puebla, Mexico)
Date founded: 1927
Appearances in CCC: 18
Best finish: Champions (7 times incl. 2025)
First opponent: Vancouver FC

History

The most successful club in the history of this competition, Cruz Azul enter 2026 as defending champions of Concacaf. They won their seventh title last year to tie Club América for the most ever, plus they've been runners-up a further two times.

Founded 98 years ago, Cruz Azul are one of Mexico's most historic clubs. They have won nine Liga MX championships as well as four Copa MX titles, and they're the only North American club to win two continental trebles — a league title, Mexican Cup, and Concacaf Champions Cup — which they accomplished in both 1969 and 1997.

More recently, Cruz Azul have remained one of Mexico's top sides, although they were knocked out of the most recent Liga MX title run in the semifinals by Tigres. Still, they proved their might in last year's Concacaf Champions Cup by knocking off fellow Mexican sides Tigres and América, as well as the Seattle Sounders, before routing the Vancouver Whitecaps 5-0 in the final.

They are currently third in the Concacaf Club Rankings.

La Máquina, as they're sometimes known, are currently playing in Estadio Cuauhtémoc in nearby Puebla, while their usual home Estadio Azteca undergoes renovations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

How they qualified

Cruz Azul booked their place in the tournament via the Liga MX aggregate table. Although they didn't win either of the 2024-25 championships, they had the best overall record in Mexico combined across the Apertura and Clausura competitions, with a 22-9-3 record and 75 total points.

The coach

Nicolás Larcamón took charge of Cruz Azul last June, so was not part of the team that won the previous Concacaf Champions Cup. He has, however, won this tournament once before, having claimed the title with Club León in 2023.

He led Cruz Azul to a 10-5-2 record in the Liga MX Apertura campaign this past fall, finishing third in the league before bowing out in the semifinals.

3 Key Players

Gabriel Fernández:

'Toro' Fernández is Cruz Azul's most dangerous attacking outlet. The 31-year-old Uruguayan forward scored seven goals in the most recent Apertura campaign, plus two in the playoffs. He has 18 in his three years at Cruz Azul, and has hit excellent form recently under Larcamón.

Jorge Sánchez:

The 28-year-old right-back might be a familiar face for Canadian national team fans, because he has 55 senior caps for Mexico (including two against Canada — remember his goal at the Azteca in World Cup Qualifying?).

Sánchez came to Cruz Azul in 2024 after several years in Europe, playing for Ajax and Porto. He also won a Liga MX title with América back in 2018. Sánchez's experience and quality make him one of the key cogs in Cruz Azul's machine. 

Érik Lira:

Another recognizable Mexican international, Lira is Cruz Azul's captain and midfield general. He joined the club back in 2022 and has since made over 150 appearances. He can slot in either as a number six or in the backline, having played a lot of centre-back recently in a back three setup. The 25-year-old is already known to be one of the most talented and confident defensive midfielders in Mexico.

Lira has 17 appearances for Mexico, including two appearances against Canada.

Tournament outlook

After winning the tournament last year, the bar is set. Cruz Azul would love to be the first team to repeat as Concacaf champions since América won the 2014-15 and 2015-16 tournaments.

They will be heavily favoured in the first round against CPL side Vancouver FC, but will have to make quite the journey up to Canada for leg one. If they get through VFC, they'd likely face a round of 16 matchup with CF Monterrey. Cruz Azul's section of the bracket also features MLS side Los Angeles FC, and if they got to the semifinals they could play the likes of Pumas UNAM, LA Galaxy or Toluca.

Although it's a tough road, Cruz Azul will likely be glad to avoid potential matchups with Inter Miami, Club América or Tigres before the final.

First round schedule

Leg 1: Wednesday, Feb. 4

Vancouver FC vs. Cruz Azul — Willoughby Community Park, Langley, B.C.
10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Leg 2: Thursday, Feb. 12

Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver FC — Estadio Cuauhtémoc, Puebla, Mexico
8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT