VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC confirmed on Thursday the schedule for matches against Honduran side Real CD España in the 2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League (SCCL) Round of 16.
The ’Caps will host Real CD España in the first leg on Wednesday, March 8 at BC Place, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. PT. Single match tickets and packs will be available for purchase in the coming weeks.
The second leg of the series will be played on Wednesday, March 15 at Estadio Francisco Morazán in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. PT. Due to stadium availability, Whitecaps FC will host the first leg, followed by the away leg in Honduras. This switch was agreed with both clubs.
The winner of the series will move on to face either 2022 MLS Cup champions Los Angeles FC or 2022 Concacaf League finalist Costa Rican side LD Alajuelense in the quarterfinals.
2023 SCCL Schedule Windows:
Round of 16: March 7-9 (first leg) and March 14-16 (second leg)
Quarterfinals: April 4-6 (first leg) and April 11-13 (second leg)
Semifinals: April 25-27 (first leg) and May 2-4 (second leg)
Finals: May 31 (first leg) and June 4 (second leg)
For all rounds of the competition, the pairings have been determined by the competition’s bracket and the home club for the return leg of each series will be determined per round as follows:
Round of 16: Clubs from Pot 1 (highest ranked)
Quarterfinals: Clubs from the Round of 16 matchups 1, 3, 5, and 7
Semifinals and Final: Best performing clubs in the earlier rounds of the competition (based on wins, draws, and, if required, goal difference).
The 2023 SCCL will mark the third time in club history that the ‘Caps play in the tournament, having secured their qualification after defeating Toronto FC last July in front of a record Canadian Championship crowd in Vancouver. The club first qualified for the 2015-16 edition and made a run to the semifinals in the following 2016-17 tournament.
REAL CD ESPAÑA
Founded in 1929, Real CD España plays in the Honduran Liga Nacional and are taking part in their fourth Concacaf Champions League campaign.
España's last Champions League appearance took place in the 2014-15 edition, when they finished third in their group behind Mexican side Pachuca CF and Guatemalan side CSD Municipal.
Los Aurinegros (The Gold and Blacks), who qualified for the tournament after reaching the semifinals of the 2022 Concacaf League, currently sits fourth in the Liga Nacional table with an 8W-5L-4D record.
CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
The Concacaf Champions League is a 16-team, knockout competition to crown the best club in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, similar to the UEFA Champions League in Europe or the Copa Libertadores in South America.
The winner of the tournament qualifies for the annual FIFA Club World Cup, where they’ll face the top teams from Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and South America.
