The 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup gets underway on Tuesday as Haitian outfit Real Hope FA welcomes six-time titleholders Cruz Azul for the first leg of their Round One showdown at Estadio Cibao FC in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
This clash marks the first-ever encounter between the two sides, with Real Hope making their tournament debut. They have become the only sixth Haitian club to compete in the prestigious competition. The team currently tops the domestic league standings after Matchday 2 and enters this contest in solid form, winning three of their last five outings while suffering two defeats.
Meanwhile, Mexican powerhouse Cruz Azul has a storied history in this tournament, becoming the first club to capture three straight titles and lifting the trophy six times (1969, 1970, 1971, 1996, 1997, 2014). Only 2024 champions Pachuca boast more silverware. La Máquina returns to the competition for the 18th time, their first appearance since 2022, after finishing as Liga MX Clausura 2024 runners-up.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
How to watch Real Hope FA vs Cruz Azul online - TV channels & live streams
 | Fubo | Watch here |
 | FS2 | Watch here |
The Concacaf Champions Cup match will be shown live on Fubo andFS2 in the US. Live updates can be found here on GOAL.
How to watch anywhere with VPN
If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport.
Real Hope FA vs Cruz Azul kick-off time
The Concacaf Champions Cup match will be played at the Cibao Stadium on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, with kick-off at 8 pm ET or 5 pm PT for fans in the US.
Team news & squads
Real Hope FA vs Cruz Azul lineups
4-4-2
Formation
3-4-3
CRURLH-Line up
RLHSubstitutes
Manager
H. Louis
CRU-Line up
CRUSubstitutes
Manager
V. Sanchez
Injuries and Suspended players
Injuries and Suspensions
- No sidelined players
Injuries and Suspensions
- No sidelined players
Real Hope FA team news
Real Hope arrives on the back of a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Moca FC, showcasing an attack that can cause problems but a defense that can be exploited. While they've proven their worth on the domestic stage, their lack of international experience could be a major hurdle in this fixture. Angelo Exilus, who netted six goals in the 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup, will be a key player to watch in their bid to cause an upset.
Despite being listed as the home team, Real Hope has been forced to play away from familiar surroundings, meaning the crowd support may not be as electric as one would typically expect. They face an uphill battle against a seasoned Cruz Azul side, but fans will be hoping they step up to the occasion and make this a thrilling contest.
Cruz Azul team news
Vicente Sánchez's Cruz Azul made the trip to the Dominican Republic without Polish midfielder Mateusz Bogusz and Mexican duo Jorge Sánchez and Erik Lira.
Bogusz remained in Mexico City to continue working on his fitness and adaptation, aiming to make his Liga MX debut as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Jorge Sánchez picked up a minor muscle injury in the clash against Xolos and has begun his recovery process. As for Lira, he was left out of the squad as a precautionary measure, having already missed the Tijuana game due to muscle discomfort.
One of the key figures for La Máquina will be Ángel Sepúlveda, who found the net 10 times across the Apertura 2024 regular season and Liguilla. Cruz Azul has its sights set on making a strong statement in the Concacaf Champions Cup, with the ultimate goal of booking a spot in the Round of 16, where they would meet the winner of the Seattle Sounders vs. Antigua (Guatemala) showdown.
Form
RLH-Form
RLHMoca FC
2
-
3
Real Hope FA
W
Real Hope FA
1
-
0
Moca FC
W
Cibao
1
-
0
Real Hope FA
L
Real Hope FA
2
-
3
Cibao
L
Mount Pleasant
0
-
2
Real Hope FA
W
- Goal Scored (Conceded)
- 8/6
- Games over 2.5 goals
- 2/5
- Both teams scored
- 2/5
CRU-Form
CRU- Goal Scored (Conceded)
- 8/6
- Games over 2.5 goals
- 2/5
- Both teams scored
- 4/5