4 things for Revolution fans to know about the Leagues Cup

New England Revolution The month-long expanded tournament offers the chance for another trophy, but also the potential for a long layoff.

The Revolution will travel to New Jersey to play the Red Bulls on Saturday (7:30 p.m.), but it won’t be a regular season MLS game.

Instead, it’s set to be both teams’ debut in the Leagues Cup, a newly expanded tournament that will throw MLS and Liga MX teams into a giant, month-long competition.

It’s the latest — and by far the largest scale — example of the two North American leagues finding a way to compete with each other, and offers another opportunity for Bruce Arena’s team to win some silverware.

What is the Leagues Cup?

Originally created in 2019, the Leagues Cup was designed to bring MLS and Liga MX into more direct competition on an annual basis.

The 2019 and 2021 editions were far smaller tournaments, however, with just eight teams (four from MLS, four from Liga MX).

In 2023, both leagues will pause their domestic seasons and launch every team into the tournament. That means 29 from MLS and 18 from Liga MX (47 in total).

The competition will run from July through August, with the final set for Aug. 19. All games will be streamed on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

What does this mean for the Revolution?

Each team in the Leagues Cup was drawn into a group, similar to a World Cup-style tournament. New England was drawn with New York and Liga MX side Atlético San Luis.

No games will end in ties, with a penalty kick shootout determining the winner if a game finishes deadlocked at the end of regulation. One point will be awarded to teams that draw, with an additional point being awarded to the team that wins on penalties (three points will be given for a regulation win).

Should the Revolution qualify for the knockout stage — the top two teams from each group advance — it will mean entry into a 32-team bracket. (Two teams, Los Angeles FC and Pachuca, have been given byes to the knockout stage as respective domestic league champions.)

The Revolution were placed into the “East Four” group and — if they advance — are slated to face either the winners or runners up from the “East Three” group in the knockout round (comprised of New York City FC, Toronto FC, and Atlas).

Will there be significant lineup changes?

With no league games until the tournament is over, this means the Revolution could have a large gap in the schedule if New England fails to advance out of the group stage. Following the July 26 group stage game at Gillette Stadium against Atlético, the next MLS league game (away at Nashville) isn’t until Aug. 20.

As a result, Arena will undoubtedly play his best lineup, if only just to prevent his team from a strangely long in-season layoff.

“We want to try and win some games, so we get out of group play,” Arena said following last week’s 4-0 win over D.C. United.

Still, New England (like each team in the Leagues Cup) was allowed to name an expanded, 30-player roster for the tournament, and it could provide a chance for several new players to make their debuts.

Tomás Chancalay, the 24-year-old winger who New England recently acquired on a loan deal from Racing Club in his native Argentina, might get his first minutes for the Revolution in Leagues Cup play. Fellow new additions Ian Harkes (who has already made quite an impact in two games) and Mark-Anthony Kaye — who New England received in a trade with Toronto for midfielder Latif Blessing — are also expected to feature.

“This competition is not any different than MLS regular season games, so we’re going to put the team on the field that can help us get three points,” Arena told Seth Macomber. “That could obviously involve both [Ian] Harkes and Mark-Anthony Kaye. [Tomás] Chancalay won’t be in Boston until next week, and we look forward to his arrival.”

What does Arena think of Leagues Cup in comparison with MLS Cup?

The always outspoken Arena has taken a few jabs at the timing of the tournament, noting in early June that the schedule made it “very awkward.”

“It’s possible in this competition, if you don’t get out of group play, you’re off for two or three weeks,” he said.

Still, Arena has ample experience managing in tournaments of this style. After all, he led the United States men’s national team through multiple World Cups.

But does he value Leagues Cup on par with MLS Cup (something he’s won five times)? As usual, Arena — responding to a question following the win over United — couldn’t help but be blunt.

“I’d probably say MLS Cup is a little bit bigger than that.”