# 2020 CONCACAF Champions League
The 2020 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League was the 2020 edition of Concacaf's flagship men's club competition, won by Tigres UANL of Mexico, who beat [Los Angeles FC](https://www.edgepedia.org/los-angeles-fc) 2-1 in a single-game final on December 22, 2020 in [Orlando, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/orlando-florida)[1](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/champions-cup/news/concacaf-champions-league-to-expand-with-innovative-new-format-starting-2023-24). The tournament was suspended in March 2020 at the quarterfinal stage because of the COVID-19 pandemic and completed nine months later in a centralized bubble[2](https://www.concacaf.com/news/concacaf-launches-plan-to-resume-suspended-club-competitions). As regional champion, Tigres earned Concacaf's place at the [FIFA Club World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-club-world-cup) 2020, scheduled for February 1-11, 2021 in Qatar[3](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-bracket-402185).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Champion | Tigres UANL (Mexico), first Concacaf Champions League title, after three previous lost finals[1](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/champions-cup/news/concacaf-champions-league-to-expand-with-innovative-new-format-starting-2023-24) • [4](https://as.com/us/us/2020/12/23/futbol/1608702138_459390.html) |
| Final | Tigres UANL 2-1 Los Angeles FC, December 22, 2020, Exploria Stadium, Orlando[5](https://www.lafc.com/news/concacaf-champions-league-final-black-gold-endgame-lafc-1-2-tigres-122220) |
| Suspension | Suspended with immediate effect on March 13, 2020 at the quarterfinal stage, with 11 matches remaining[6](https://www.concacaf.com/news/concacaf-suspends-all-its-competitions-scheduled-to-take-place-over-the-next-30-days) • [2](https://www.concacaf.com/news/concacaf-launches-plan-to-resume-suspended-club-competitions) |
| Resumption | Final seven matches played December 15-22, 2020 at Orlando's Exploria Stadium[3](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-bracket-402185) |
| Final scorers | Diego Rossi 61' (LAFC); Hugo Ayala 72' and André-Pierre Gignac 84' (Tigres)[5](https://www.lafc.com/news/concacaf-champions-league-final-black-gold-endgame-lafc-1-2-tigres-122220) • [4](https://as.com/us/us/2020/12/23/futbol/1608702138_459390.html) |
| Leading scorer | André-Pierre Gignac (Tigres), 6 goals, golden boot; Carlos Vela (LAFC) second with 5[7](https://www.si.com/soccer/2020/12/23/lafc-tigres-uanl-concacaf-champions-league-final-ccl-video-vela-gignac) |
| Prize | Concacaf's berth at the FIFA Club World Cup 2020 in Qatar[3](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-bracket-402185) |
## Suspension and rescheduling
On March 13, 2020, the Concacaf Council suspended all competitions scheduled over the following 30 days, including the 2020 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League, citing the evolving public health situation, travel restrictions, and guidance on the spread of COVID-19[6](https://www.concacaf.com/news/concacaf-suspends-all-its-competitions-scheduled-to-take-place-over-the-next-30-days). The tournament stopped at the quarterfinal stage, whose first legs had been played on March 10 and 11, with 11 matches still needed to decide the champion[2](https://www.concacaf.com/news/concacaf-launches-plan-to-resume-suspended-club-competitions) • [3](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-bracket-402185).
On August 7, 2020, Concacaf announced a plan to resume its club competitions and confirmed its commitment to concluding the Champions League and crowning a regional champion, studying options including centralizing the remaining ties in one city[2](https://www.concacaf.com/news/concacaf-launches-plan-to-resume-suspended-club-competitions). The solution was a bubble: the final seven matches, the quarterfinal second legs, both semifinals, and the final, were all played December 15-22 at Exploria Stadium in Orlando[3](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-bracket-402185). The quarterfinal round was completed as two-legged ties, with second legs on December 15 and 16, while the semifinals and final were single games[3](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-bracket-402185). Concacaf and the participating clubs ran pre-travel [COVID-19 testing](https://www.edgepedia.org/covid-19-testing) protocols for the Orlando stage, including a published testing update for [Cruz Azul](https://www.edgepedia.org/cruz-azul)'s participation[8](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/champions-cup/news/concacaf-statement-update-on-pre-travel-covid-19-testing-for-cruz-azul-participation-in-the-2020-scotiabank-concacaf-champions-league).
## The knockout rounds
The round of 16, played in February 2020 as home-and-away ties, sent four [Liga MX](https://www.edgepedia.org/liga-mx) clubs, three MLS clubs, and Olimpia of Honduras into the quarterfinals[3](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-bracket-402185). Tigres eliminated Alianza 5-4 on aggregate and then beat [New York City FC](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-city-fc) 5-0 over two quarterfinal legs; LAFC came from a 2-0 first-leg deficit to eliminate [Club León](https://www.edgepedia.org/club-leon) 3-2[3](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-bracket-402185). In the completed quarterfinals, Club América advanced past Atlanta United 3-1 on aggregate, and LAFC beat Cruz Azul 2-1 in the single second leg on December 16[3](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-bracket-402185). Olimpia eliminated Montreal Impact on away goals after the tie ended 2-2 on aggregate[3](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-bracket-402185).
**LAFC's run.** In its third season, LAFC became the first MLS team to beat three Liga MX teams in a single tournament, defeating Club León, Cruz Azul, and [Club América](https://www.edgepedia.org/club-america)[5](https://www.lafc.com/news/concacaf-champions-league-final-black-gold-endgame-lafc-1-2-tigres-122220). In the December 19 semifinal, LAFC beat Club América 3-1 after falling behind and having Eduard Atuesta sent off late in the first half; [Carlos Vela](https://www.edgepedia.org/carlos-vela) scored twice in two minutes to turn the match[9](https://as.com/us/us/2020/12/20/futbol/1608445411_079522.html). Tigres reached the final by beating Olimpia in the other semifinal on December 19[3](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-bracket-402185).
## The final
The final on December 22, 2020 was LAFC's first in club history and Tigres' fourth Champions League final in five years, after defeats by Club América, Pachuca, and [Monterrey](https://www.edgepedia.org/monterrey)[5](https://www.lafc.com/news/concacaf-champions-league-final-black-gold-endgame-lafc-1-2-tigres-122220) • [4](https://as.com/us/us/2020/12/23/futbol/1608702138_459390.html). LAFC played without Atuesta, suspended after the semifinal red card, and controlled much of the first 70 minutes[5](https://www.lafc.com/news/concacaf-champions-league-final-black-gold-endgame-lafc-1-2-tigres-122220). After a scoreless first half, in which Guatemalan referee Mario Escobar did not award a penalty when Latif Blessing was brought down by Luis Rodríguez, Diego Rossi put LAFC ahead in the 61st minute, finishing a cross-field pass from Mark-Anthony Kaye[5](https://www.lafc.com/news/concacaf-champions-league-final-black-gold-endgame-lafc-1-2-tigres-122220) • [4](https://as.com/us/us/2020/12/23/futbol/1608702138_459390.html).
Tigres turned the match in the closing stages. Hugo Ayala headed an equalizer from a corner in the 72nd minute, and with six minutes remaining [André-Pierre Gignac](https://www.edgepedia.org/andre-pierre-gignac) shot from the edge of the area for the 2-1 winning goal[5](https://www.lafc.com/news/concacaf-champions-league-final-black-gold-endgame-lafc-1-2-tigres-122220) • [4](https://as.com/us/us/2020/12/23/futbol/1608702138_459390.html). It was Tigres' first Concacaf Champions League title[1](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/champions-cup/news/concacaf-champions-league-to-expand-with-innovative-new-format-starting-2023-24).
## Awards and context
Gignac finished as the tournament's top scorer with six goals, taking the golden boot and breaking a tie with Vela, who scored five goals in five games against Mexican opposition[7](https://www.si.com/soccer/2020/12/23/lafc-tigres-uanl-concacaf-champions-league-final-ccl-video-vela-gignac) • [5](https://www.lafc.com/news/concacaf-champions-league-final-black-gold-endgame-lafc-1-2-tigres-122220). LAFC's 21-year-old Ecuadorian defender Diego Palacios was named Best Young Player of the [Tournament](https://www.edgepedia.org/tournament)[5](https://www.lafc.com/news/concacaf-champions-league-final-black-gold-endgame-lafc-1-2-tigres-122220).
The result extended Liga MX's hold on the competition: the previous MLS sides to reach a Champions League final, [Real Salt Lake](https://www.edgepedia.org/real-salt-lake) in 2011, Montreal Impact in 2015, and [Toronto FC](https://www.edgepedia.org/toronto-fc) in 2018, had all lost to Mexican clubs[4](https://as.com/us/us/2020/12/23/futbol/1608702138_459390.html). The 2020 and 2021 editions were both decided in a single 90-minute final rather than the two-legged format used before and after[10](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/away-goals-concacaf-champions-league-what-happens-tie/zn1ykx2kkmhh2zd3vbm6so2f). In February 2021, Concacaf announced an expanded format for the competition starting in 2023-24, with then-president Victor Montagliani, also a FIFA Vice President, describing the change as a transformation of the tournament[1](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/champions-cup/news/concacaf-champions-league-to-expand-with-innovative-new-format-starting-2023-24).
## References
1. [Concacaf Champions League to expand with innovative new format starting 2023/24, Concacaf](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/champions-cup/news/concacaf-champions-league-to-expand-with-innovative-new-format-starting-2023-24)
2. [Concacaf launches plan to resume suspended Club Competitions, Concacaf](https://www.concacaf.com/news/concacaf-launches-plan-to-resume-suspended-club-competitions)
3. [2020 Concacaf Champions League bracket, MLSSoccer.com](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-bracket-402185)
4. [LAFC cae ante Tigres y la MLS sigue sin levantar la Concacaf Champions League, AS USA](https://as.com/us/us/2020/12/23/futbol/1608702138_459390.html)
5. [Concacaf Champions League Final Black & Gold Endgame | LAFC 1-2 Tigres 12/22/20, LAFC.com](https://www.lafc.com/news/concacaf-champions-league-final-black-gold-endgame-lafc-1-2-tigres-122220)
6. [Concacaf suspends all its competitions scheduled to take place over the next 30 days, Concacaf](https://www.concacaf.com/news/concacaf-suspends-all-its-competitions-scheduled-to-take-place-over-the-next-30-days)
7. [Gignac's Heroics Topple LAFC, Give Tigres UANL Long-Desired CCL Title, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/soccer/2020/12/23/lafc-tigres-uanl-concacaf-champions-league-final-ccl-video-vela-gignac)
8. [Concacaf Statement – Update on pre-travel COVID-19 testing for Cruz Azul participation, Concacaf](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/champions-cup/news/concacaf-statement-update-on-pre-travel-covid-19-testing-for-cruz-azul-participation-in-the-2020-scotiabank-concacaf-champions-league)
9. [Carlos Vela brilla con doblete ante el América; LAFC a la final, AS USA](https://as.com/us/us/2020/12/20/futbol/1608445411_079522.html)
10. [Are there away goals in CONCACAF Champions League?, Sporting News](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/away-goals-concacaf-champions-league-what-happens-tie/zn1ykx2kkmhh2zd3vbm6so2f)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Competitions and recurring events › International competitions beyond FIFA and UEFA › Continental club competitions (AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, OFC) › CONCACAF club competitions*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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