24 teams total: United States and Mexico are granted four berths each. Two teams from each country are seeded into the group phase, while the other two must enter the Preliminary Round.
Which teams? From the United States, the winners of the Supporters Shield and MLS Cup go into the group phase, and the MLS Cup runners up and U.S. Open Cup winners go into the Preliminary Round.
Canada receives one berth in the Champions League determined by the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, the winner of which is placed in the Preliminary Round.
From Mexico, Apertura and Clausura champions are entered directly into the Group Stage while the runners-up are put into the Preliminary Round.
The Caribbean is awarded three berths, determined by the CFU Club Champions Cup and all of which are entered in the Preliminary Round.
Central America comprises the largest contingent of teams in the Champions League, making up half of the 24-team field. Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama are granted two berths each, one of which is entered directly into the Group Stage, the other in the Preliminary Round. El Salvador also gets two teams, both of which are entered in the Preliminary Round. Belize and Nicaragua are granted one berth each which is placed in the Preliminary Round.
Preliminary Round: The 16 Preliminary Round teams face off in two-leg home-and-away playoffs. No two teams from the same country may play each other in the Preliminary Round or Group Stage. Eight teams from the Preliminary Round will advance and meet the eight teams previously qualified for the Group Stage.
Group Stage: The Group Stage includes four groups of four teams with each team playing the others in the group twice, both home and away, for a total of six Group Stage games per team.
The Championship Stage (quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals): Each stage consists of a 2-game home-and-away elimination series. Two teams from each four-team group advance to the quarterfinals, with each group winner drawn to face a runner-up from one of the other groups. Quarterfinal winners advance to the semifinals and semifinal winners will advance to the championship, to be played in April 2011.
What does the winner get? Winners of the CONCACAF Champions League tournament will face champion clubs from the other five continental confederations (UEFA, CONMEBOL, AFC, CAF, OFC) in the FIFA Club World Cup in December 2011 in Japan.
For further details about the CONCACAF Champions League tournament, read the 36-page CONCACAF Champions League Regulations document.
Since their inception in 1996, the Galaxy have competed in five editions of the CONCACAF Champions League (formerly known as the CONCACAF Champions Cup), winning the regional championship in 2000 when they became the second MLS club to win the tournament.
1997: After winning the Western Conference Championship in 1996, the Galaxy were entered into the 1997 Champions Cup where they would go on to reach the Final against Mexican side Cruz Azul. LA reached the final of the-then 16-team tournament by defeating Santos Laguna (Mexico) 4-1 in the first round and knocking off Luis Angel Firpo (El Salvador) 2-1 in the quarterfinals. The Galaxy then defeated MLS rival D.C. United 1-0 in their own stadium in the semifinals to qualify for the Champions Cup Final.
However, despite taking an early 2-0 lead over Cruz Azul in the Final, the Galaxy gave up five straight goals and eventually fell 5-3.
1999: LA was back in the Champions Cup in 1999, but their involvement was shortlived as they fell to Mexican side Necaxa on penalties in a Play-In Game.
2000-01: However, one year later the Galaxy were able to make it back to the Champions Cup Final and went one step further, winning the tournament by defeating Olimpia of Honduras 3-2 in the final at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on January 21, 2001. READ ABOUT THE FINAL MATCH The Galaxy reached the Champions Cup Final by edging past Real Espana of Honduras and D.C. United in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively, with both wins coming via penalties.
In the final, Danilo Tosello gave the Central Americans a 1-0 lead after 34 minutes, only for Ezra Hendrickson to equalize two minutes later for LA. Two minutes later the Galaxy were in front as Cobi Jones tallied, giving LA a 2-1 halftime lead. However, just six minutes after the break, the Honduran side equalized through Robert Lima, much to the chagrin of the Galaxy faithful in attendance. But with the clock, creeping toward full time and the Galaxy appearing to be heading to extra time for the third straight game, Hendrickson notched his second goal of the contest, finishing a pass from Mauricio Cienfuegos, in the 78th minute to give LA a 3-2 lead which they would hold until the final whistle.
2003: The Galaxy were back in the Champions Cup in 2003, facing CD Motagua of Honduras in the Round of 16. LA advanced through that series, claiming a 2-2 draw on the road before returning home and winning 1-0 in the second leg on a dramatic Alexi Lalas goal for a 3-2 win on aggregate. But that would be as far as the Galaxy would go as they were once again eliminated by Necaxa in the quarterfinals, falling 6-2 on aggregate. LA lost the first game 4-1 in Fullerton, Calif. before falling 2-1 in the return leg in Mexico.
2006: LA qualified for the Champions Cup again in 2006 when they fell to Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica in the quarterfinals. Despite looking like a team still in the early stages of preseason - and facing a team that placed third in the FIFA Club World Championship barely two months earlier - the Galaxy managed to scrape out a scoreless draw with Saprissa in the first leg of their quarterfinal at The Home Depot Center. In the return leg in Costa Rica on March 8, the Galaxy took a 2-0 lead into the half behind goals from Landon Donovan and Josh Gardner, but they could not hang on and dethrone the defending CONCACAF champion, falling 3-2 in extra time.
2010: As a result of their berth in MLS Cup 2009, the Galaxy qualified for the Champions League for the first time since 2006. The club entered the competition in the Preliminary Round, a two-leg, home and home, aggregate goal format round, which began July 27 at The Home Depot Center against the Puerto Rico Islanders. READ RECAP The second leg of the Preliminary Round took place on August 4 in Puerto Rico. The Galaxy defeated the Islanders 2-1, but were eliminated from the Champions League based on aggregate goals. READ RECAP
