The CONCACAF Champions League is played in three stages, the Preliminary Round, Group Stage, and Championship Round. The berths for the 24 teams are allocated by country, or in the case of the Caribbean, by region.

The 16 Preliminary Round teams face off in two-leg playoffs. The pairings are determined by draw, which also divides the teams for the Group Stage. No two teams from the same country may play each other in the Preliminary Round or Group Stage.

Two teams from each four-team group advance to the quarterfinals, with each group winner drawn to face a runner-up from one of the other groups. The draw which establishes the quarterfinal pairings also determines the potential semifinal matches.