2022 CONCACAF League
The 2022 CONCACAF League (officially the 2022 Scotiabank CONCACAF League for sponsorship purposes) was the sixth and final edition of the CONCACAF League, a football club competition organized by CONCACAF, the regional governing body of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.[1] Olimpia defeated Alajuelense in the final to win their second CONCACAF League title. As winners, they and the next best five teams qualified for the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League.[2][3] Comunicaciones were the title holders, but were eliminated by Diriangén in the Round of 16. QualificationA total of 22 teams participated in the CONCACAF League:
Therefore, teams from either 10 or 11 out of the 41 CONCACAF member associations may participate in the CONCACAF League. North AmericaThe one berth for the North American Zone (NAFU) was allocated to the Canadian Soccer Association through the previous year's Canadian Premier League. The league champion, decided by the Canadian Premier League Finals contested between the two semifinal winners, qualified.[4] They are the second Canadian representative included in CONCACAF competitions, besides the Canadian Championship champions which qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League. Central AmericaThe 18 berths for the Central American Football Union (UNCAF), which consists of seven member associations, were allocated as follows: three berths for each of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, two berths for Nicaragua, and one berth for Belize. All of the leagues of Central America employ a split season with two tournaments in one season, so the following teams qualified for the CONCACAF League:
If teams from any Central American associations were excluded, they would be replaced by teams from other Central American associations, with the associations chosen based on results from previous CONCACAF League and CONCACAF Champions League tournaments.[5] CaribbeanThe three berths for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), which consists of 31 member associations, were allocated via the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship and CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield, the first-tier and second-tier subcontinental Caribbean club tournaments. Since 2018, the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship is open to teams from professional leagues, where they can qualify as champions or runners-up of their respective association's league in the previous season, while the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield is open to teams from non-professional leagues, where they can qualify as champions of their respective association's league in the previous season.[6] Besides the champions of the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship which qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League, the runners-up and third-placed team of the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship, and the winners of a playoff between the fourth-placed team of the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship and the champions of the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield, qualified for the CONCACAF League. For the champions of the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield to be eligible for the playoff, they were required to comply with the minimum CONCACAF Club Licensing requirements for the CONCACAF League.[7] TeamsThe following 22 teams (from eleven associations) qualified for the tournament.[2]
DrawThe draw for the 2022 CONCACAF League was held on 8 June 2022, 20:00 EDT (UTC−4), at the CONCACAF headquarters in Miami, United States.[8] For the preliminary round, the draw determined each tie (numbered 1 through 6) between a team from Pot 1 and a team from Pot 2, each containing six teams. Teams from the same association could not be drawn against each other except for "wildcard" teams which replace a team from another association. For the round of 16, the draw determined each tie (numbered 1 through 8) between a team from Pot 3 and a team from Pot 4, each containing eight teams. Teams from the same association could not be drawn against each other except for "wildcard" teams which replace a team from another association. The six preliminary round winners, whose identity was not known at the time of the draw, were placed in Pot 4 and could be drawn into the same tie with another team from the same association. The seeding of teams was based on the CONCACAF Club Index. The CONCACAF Club Index, instead of ranking each team, is based on the on-field performance of the teams that have occupied the respective qualifying slots in the previous five editions of the CONCACAF League and CONCACAF Champions League. To determine the total points awarded to a slot in any single edition of the CONCACAF League or CONCACAF Champions League, CONCACAF uses the following formula:
Teams qualified for the CONCACAF League based on criteria set by their association (e.g., tournament champions, runners-up, cup champions), resulting in an assigned slot (e.g., CRC1, CRC2) for each team. The 22 teams were distributed in the pots as follows:[9]
FormatIn the CONCACAF League, the 22 teams played a single-elimination tournament. Each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis.
ScheduleThe schedule of the competition was as follows.
Times are Eastern Daylight Time (i.e., UTC−4), as listed by CONCACAF (local times are in parentheses). Bracket
Preliminary roundIn the preliminary round, the matchups were decided by draw: PR-1 through PR-6. The teams from Pot 1 in the draw host the second leg. SummaryThe first legs were played on 26–28 July, and the second legs were played on 2–4 August 2022.[10]
Matches
Referee: Ken Pennyfeather (Antigua and Barbuda)
Referee: Félix Mojica (Nicaragua) Tied 2–2 on aggregate. Verdes won on away goals.
Alajuelense won 4–1 on aggregate
Referee: José Fuentes (Guatemala)
Real España won 3–1 on aggregate
Referee: Damien Rosa (France)
Sporting San Miguelito won 4–1 on aggregate
Referee: Josué Ugalde (Costa Rica)
Pacific FC won 6–0 on aggregate
Municipal won 9–0 on aggregate Round of 16In the round of 16, the matchups were decided by draw: R16-1 through R16-6. The teams from Pot 3 in the draw host the second leg. SummaryThe first legs were played on 16–18 August, and the second legs were played on 23–25 August 2022.[11]
Matches
Referee: David Gómez (Costa Rica)
Referee: Steffon Dewar (Jamaica) Tauro won 2–1 on aggregate
Motagua won 3–0 on aggregate Olimpia won 3–2 on aggregate
Referee: Lendy Taveras (Bahamas) Diriangén won 2–1 on aggregate
Referee: José Torres (Puerto Rico)
Tied 1–1 on aggregate. Herediano won 6–5 on penalties.
Referee: Iván Barton (El Salvador) Real España won 4–0 on aggregate
Referee: Julio Luna (Guatemala) Alajuelense won 6–1 on aggregate
Referee: Selvin Brown (Honduras)
Referee: Said Martínez (Honduras) Alianza won 7–1 on aggregate Quarter-finalsIn the quarter-finals, the matchups were determined as follows:
The winners of round of 16 matchups 1, 3, 5, 7 host the second leg. SummaryThe first legs were played on 7–8 September, and the second legs were played on 13–15 September 2022.[12]
Matches
Referee: José Torres (Puerto Rico) Tied 0–0 on aggregate. Motagua won 5–4 on penalties. Olimpia won 7–1 on aggregate
Referee: Armando Villarreal (United States) Real España won 4–2 on aggregate
Referee: Tori Penso (United States)
Alajuelense won 3–0 on aggregate Semi-finalsIn the semi-finals, the matchups were determined as follows:
The semi-finalists in each tie which had the better performance in previous rounds (excluding preliminary round) hosted the second leg.
Updated to match(es) played on 15 September 2022. Source: CONCACAF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Away goals scored; 5) Wins; 6) Away wins; 7) Disciplinary points (1 point for yellow card, 3 points for indirect red card, 4 points for direct red card, 5 points for yellow card and direct red card); 8) Drawing of lots SummaryThe first legs were played on 4–5 October, and the second legs were played on 11 October 2022.[13]
MatchesOlimpia won 1–0 on aggregate Alajuelense won 5–2 on aggregate FinalIn the final (Winner SF1 vs. Winner SF2), the finalists which had the better performance in previous rounds (excluding preliminary round) hosted the second leg.
Source: CONCACAF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Away goals scored; 5) Wins; 6) Away wins; 7) Disciplinary points (1 point for yellow card, 3 points for indirect red card, 4 points for direct red card, 5 points for yellow card and direct red card); 8) Drawing of lots Summary
Matches
Olimpia won 5–4 on aggregate. Top goalscorers Team eliminated for this round.
Qualification to CONCACAF Champions LeagueStarting from the round of 16, teams are ranked based on their results (excluding preliminary round). Based on the ranking, the top six teams, i.e., champions, runners-up, both losing semi-finalists, and best two losing quarter-finalists, qualify for the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League.
Source: CONCACAF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Away goals scored; 5) Wins; 6) Away wins; 7) Disciplinary points (1 point for yellow card, 3 points for indirect red card, 4 points for direct red card, 5 points for yellow card and direct red card); 8) Drawing of lots (Regulations Article 12.10.4). AwardsThe following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament:
See alsoReferences
External links |