Fire to take part in Leagues Cup with Mexico this summer

Major League Soccer and Mexico's Liga MX announced Wednesday it is creating a Leagues Cup competition between the two leagues, and the Chicago Fire will be one of four teams to represent MLS this summer.

The Fire hosts Cruz Azul July 23 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview.

"Of course it's important to win, but I know it means for Mexican teams a lot playing against teams from MLS," Fire defender Bastian Schweinsteiger said in a news release. "Huge soccer nation in Mexico, and many talented players there who are also playing in the MLS. Of course they want to come here and show they have better teams than the MLS."

The eight-team single-elimination tournament begins July 23 and 24. Real Salt Lake, Houston Dynamo and the Los Angeles Galaxy are the other MLS teams invited to play.

Club America, Tigres UANL and Club Tijuana, the reigning league champion, will join Cruz Azul in representing Liga MX in the initial season of the competition.

"It's very important, we know they're the two strongest leagues in the region, so it's extremely important to compete against them. The rivalry has also grown over the last years and it'll be important and a great show for the fans as well, that they'll be able to enjoy," said Cruz Azul defender Pablo Aguilar.