The Los Angeles Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer each received top seeds Monday night in the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League draw.
The Galaxy lead Group 8, which also includes Isidro Metapan (El Salvador) and Club Sport Cartagines (Costa Rica). Los Angeles advanced to the CCL quarterfinals in 2011 and the semifinals last year.
''The Galaxy takes the Champions League very seriously,'' said David Kammarman, Galaxy director of soccer operations. ''We want to win.''
San Jose earned the top position in Group 5, which also includes the Montreal Impact of MLS and a yet to be determined team from Guatemala.
MLS's Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City also will compete in the sixth CONCACAF Champions League. The tournament will begin Aug. 6-7.
The Champions League winner will advance to the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco.
''There's huge potential for growth in the region and outside the region,'' CONCACAF general secretary Enrique Sanz said. ''What we need is the winner of Champions League to go into the Club World Cup and perform at the highest level, and win and bring that tournament here.''
None of the previous CCL winners - Mexican teams Monterrey (three times), Atlante and Pachuca - qualified for this year's tournament.
''It's our first time in the tournament - we're very excited and our fans are very excited,'' said Chris Wyche, Kansas City executive vice president/stadium operations. ''We look forward to having two quality teams come into our building and the opportunity for international travel for our team.''
None of the previous CCL winners - Mexican teams Monterrey (three times), Atlante, Pachuca -- qualified for this year's tournament.
The other 2013-14 CCL groups are:
Group 1: Deportivo Arabe Unido (Panama), Houston Dynamo, DirecTV W Connection (Trinidad).
Group 2: Club Deportivo Olimpia (Honduras), Sporting Kansas City, Real Esteli FC (Nicaragua).
Group 3: Club Sport Herediano (Costa Rica), Cruz Azul FC (Mexico), Valencia FC (Haiti).
Group 4: Club America (Mexico), Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (Costa Rica), Sporting San Miguelito (Panama).
Group 6: CSD Comunicaciones (Guatemala), Deportivo Toluca FC (Mexico), Caledonia AIA AFC (Trinidad).
Group 7: Club Tijuana (Mexico), Club Deportivo Victoria (Honduras), CD Luis Angel Firpo (El Salvador).
