No Room for Error: Dynamo Begin Leagues Cup Against Mexican Giants Tigres

(image via Houston Dynamo FC)

The Houston Dynamo kick off play in the 2025 Leagues Cup tonight as they welcome Mexican giants Tigres to Shell Energy Stadium. The Dynamo got some unexpected extra rest before this match as their scheduled league game on Friday night was postponed because of bad weather. Tigres played Saturday night in Liga MX, beating Toluca 4-3.

When: Tuesday, July 29 | 8:10 PM CT kickoff

Where: Shell Energy Stadium; Houston, Texas

TV/Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, TUDN, UniMas

Radio: TUDN Deportes 93.3 FM

Win or Go Home Mentality

With the change in format for this year’s Leagues Cup, teams will feel like they need to win every match to have a chance at advancing to the knockout round. Of the 18 teams from Major League Soccer in the tournament, only 4 will advance to the quarterfinals after playing three matches against Liga MX opponents. There’s even a chance that winning all three games might not be enough if five or more teams from MLS go unbeaten. The Dynamo know there is little margin for error tonight, and in the next two matches. They’ll need maximum points from every match to have a shot at progressing in Leagues Cup and earning one of three spots in next season’s Concacaf Champions Cup.

A Home Game?

Tonight’s match will take place at Shell Energy Stadium but it’s not going to be much of a home match for the Houston Dynamo. The Supporters Section is sold out and only Dynamo fans will be allowed in there. Reports are that the whole stadium is also sold out, and you can bet that a lot of those will be Tigres fans. It’s no secret that Liga MX has a huge following in Houston, especially a big club like Tigres. Head coach Ben Olsen spoke yesterday about how they know what to expect from the atmosphere and it will be good for their young players to experience. There’s also the chance to convert some of these Tigres fans into becoming fans of a MLS team, like the one they’ll be seeing tonight. We know how big a soccer city Houston is and if the Dynamo can capture more Liga MX fans it would be a huge boost for the club in so many ways.

Roaring Tigres

This will be the third meeting between the Dynamo and Tigres. They met twice in the 2019 Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals, where Tigres won both legs to advance in that competition. Tigres have started the Apertura with two wins in their first two matches after finishing fourth in the 2025 Clausura. The 8-time champions of Mexico have reloaded this summer, notably bringing in World Cup winner Angel Correa from Atletico Madrid. Correa, along with their other weapons like Juan Brunetta, Nicolas Ibanez, Diego Lainez, and the ageless Andre-Pierre Gignac, will present an attack that few, if any, teams in MLS can replicate.

Houston Dynamo FC – No availability report listed

Tigres – No availability report listed

Predicted Lineup