New York City FC is set to kick off its Leagues Cup campaign on Tuesday, squaring off against Liga MX outfit Club Puebla in what promises to be a spicy opening clash.
The tournament has had a bit of a facelift this year—gone are the three-team groups. Instead, MLS sides will only lock horns with Liga MX opposition in the opening round, aiming to rack up as many points as possible.
Every point counts, as only the top four teams from each league will punch their ticket to the knockout stage. That’s a steep climb, especially with just four of 18 MLS teams making the cut.
With that in mind, the Bronx boys have their work cut out for them. Three matches, all high-stakes. And given how the season’s played out so far, the odds may not be in their favor. Still, expectations remain sky-high. Supporters will want to see grit, grind, and a little bit of magic. After all, in soccer, the script’s never final until the last whistle blows.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the latest lineup news.
New York City vs. Puebla live stream, TV channel
This match is not available for live TV broadcast in the US. Streaming options are available on Apple TV, with the MLS Season Pass.
Fans can sign up for MLS Season Pass for as low as $99 for the full season or $14.99 per month. Current Apple TV+ subscribers can enjoy a special rate of $79 for the full season.
New subscribers can enjoy a free trial of AppleTV+ and try before they buy!
What time does Pachuca vs. San Diego kick off?
This Leagues Cup clash takes place at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey and kicks off on Tuesday, July 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET local time.
Here’s how that time translates across the U.S.:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Tue, Jul. 29 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Central Time | Tue, Jul. 29 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Tue, Jul. 29 | 6:00 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Tue, Jul. 29 | 5:00 p.m. |
New York City vs. Puebla lineups, team news
New York City FC head into their next showdown a bit shorthanded, with Keaton Parks, Malachi Jones, and Thiago Martins all stuck on the sidelines nursing leg injuries.
Despite the injury list, spirits are high after their recent win over Dallas. Local talent Jonathan Shore opened his MLS account in style, but it was Alonso Martinez who stole the spotlight. The forward lit up the night with a sensational hat-trick, sealing the deal with a match-winner just six minutes from full-time.
New York City predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Freese (GK) — Gray, Haak, Tanasijevic, O’Toole — O’Neill, Shore — Wolf, Moralez, Fernandez — Martinez.
Puebla shook things up between matchday two and three of the Apertura, rolling out four fresh starters—Jesus Ivan Rodriguez, Nicolas Diaz, Ariel Gamarra, and Franco Moyano—into the mix.
Off the bench and straight into the spotlight, Ricardo Marin wasted no time making noise, finding the net just eight minutes after replacing Esteban Lozano on Friday.
At the other end, Rodriguez had a relatively quiet evening between the posts, facing just a single shot and walking away with his first clean sheet of the new Liga MX season.
Puebla predicted XI (4-3-3 right to left): Rodriguez (GK) — Guerra, Rey, Fedorco, Diaz — Gamarra, Moyano, Moreno — Marin, Lozano, O. Gonzalez.
Leagues Cup fixture schedule this week
Tuesday, July 29
- CF Montreal vs. Leon (7 p.m. ET)
- Toluca vs. Columbus Crew (7 p.m. ET)
- New York City FC vs. Puebla (8 p.m. ET)
- Tigres UANL vs. Houston Dynamo FC (9 p.m. ET)
- LAFC vs. Mazatlan FC (10:30 p.m. ET)
- Pachuka vs. San Diego FC (11 p.m. ET)
