Loons host 2026 Leagues Cup opener against Juárez

Loons open Leagues Cup tonight with a match against struggling Liga MX side FC Juárez

, and Ashle Paige

August 4, 2026 . 12:05 PM

2 min read

Action from Minnesota United's draw with San Diego FC on 1 August, 2026 (Photo by PJ Ryan)

Winless in their last seven, but also unbeaten in their last two, Minnesota United takes a break from MLS play to take on the challenge of the 2026 Leagues Cup. Three guaranteed matches over the next week will all be played against Liga MX sides and should they advance to the knockouts the first round of those matches are inter-league as well. But the Loons have a lot riding against them making the knockout round as only four clubs of the 18 MLS teams in the tournament will advance to the knockouts, meaning a single loss could end the campaign early.

Defensively the club has been mostly solid this season, having given up more than two goals on only three occasions. Currently the Loons have been struggling to score goals, having only snagged a total of four goals in their last five matches and only 20 in MLS play. If there is any night that MNUFC could break out the goal scoring it's tonight against a struggling Juárez side.

“You cannot underestimate a team [FC Juárez] just because of a few results that they’ve had to start a season. There’s quality on their roster, it’s a difficult competition, there’s a lack of familiarity between the teams, which sort of heightens that as well. It will be a tough game.”

Los Bravos have had an extremely rough start to their 2026/27 Liga MX campaign having lost all three matches and scoring just once in the meantime. Last season under now former manager Pedro Caixinha, Juárez finished 12th in the Clausura with just five wins along with four draws and eight defeats. That resulted in FCJ finishing 11th in the overall aggregate table for the season. FCJ's rough 2025/26 and the poor start to the 2026/27 campaign have cost Caixinha his role after less than one year in the position.

Juárez also lost a few key players over the offseason, including Colombian centre-back Moisés Mosquera to SKC, putting the club firmly into a rebuilding stage.

News & Notes

Peter Stroud re-aggravated his previous injury last week and is expected to miss tonight's match. Nectarios Triantis and Nicolás Romero also were out over the weekend due to injury.

FC Juárez currently 0-0-3 (0 points) in Liga MX and recently sacked Pedro Caixinha as manager. Salvador Valero has taken over Los Bravos as their interim manager.

Wonderwall supporters have not announced a march to the match tonight. Prior to the match Dark Clouds & Red Loons typically gather at Black Hart of St. Paul and TNE at the Midway Saloon.

TV time is set for 7:30pm this evening with kickoff happening at approximately 7:39pm. If you aren't there in person you can watch on Apple TV and listen on 1500ESPN.