NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 5, 2026) – Nashville Soccer Club began its Leagues Cup 2026 campaign with a 1-0 loss vs. LIGA MX’s Club León on Wednesday night at GEODIS Park. The Boys in Gold will continue their Leagues Cup Phase One schedule this Sunday vs. Atlético de San Luis at the Castle.
In Leagues Cup, teams are awarded three points for a regulation win, two points for a shootout win and one point for a shootout loss with the top four teams from each league advancing to the Quarterfinal Round.
Tonight we are young: Nashville SC featured its youngest-ever Starting XI Wednesday night at 24.3 years old, including five players aged 23 or younger. NSC’s previous youngest starting lineup was 25.27 years old vs. Orlando City SC in the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
First-timers: A trio of Boys in Gold—goalkeeper Xavier Valdez, midfielder Charles-Emile Brunet and attacker Elias Saad—made their first career Nashville SC starts Wednesday night.
Next up: The Boys in Gold will face Atlético de San Luis in their second of three Leagues Cup Phase One matches this Sunday, August 9 at 7 p.m. CT at GEODIS Park.
Notes:
Nashville SC:
played its youngest-ever starting lineup at 24.3 years old
played its 100th match at GEODIS Park
is 15W-5L-7D across all competitions this season (MLS, Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup)
is 9W-2L-3D at GEODIS Park in 2026 across all competitions (MLS, Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup)
is 3W-3L-4D all-time in Leagues Cup
is 2W-4L-3D all-time against LIGA MX teams across all competitions (Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup)
Charles-Emile Brunet made his first career Nashville SC start
Elias Saad made his first career Nashville SC start
Xavier Valdez made his Nashville SC debut
Box score:
Nashville SC (0W-1L-0D in Leagues Cup, zero points) vs. Club León (1W-0L-0D in Leagues Cup, three points)
Aug. 5, 2026 – GEODIS Park
Final score:
NSH: 0
LEO: 1
Scoring Summary:
LEO: Daniel Arcila (A: Sebastián Santos) 79’
Discipline:
NSH: Thomas Williams (Caution) 11’
LEO: Jordi Cortizo (Caution) 17’
LEO: Sebastián Vegas (Caution) 27’
NSH: Bryan Acosta (Caution) 45’
NSH: Andy Najar (Caution) 76’
Lineups:
NSH starters: Xavier Valdez; Reed Baker-Whiting (Dan Lovitz 74’), Josh Bauer (Andy Najar 73’), Jack Maher (C), Thomas Williams; Charles-Emile Brunet, Bryan Acosta (Eddi Tagseth 62’), Ahmed Qasem; Elias Saad, Woobens Pacius (Shak Mohammed 82’), Warren Madrigal (Sam Surridge 62’)
Substitutes: Brian Schwake, Joe Willis, Maxwell Woledzi, Jeisson Palacios, Matthew Corcoran, Alex Muyl, Jordan Knight
LEO starters: Oscar García; Sebastián Vegas (Christopher Mora 46’), Juan Guevara, Iván Moreno, Jhohan Romaña; Fernando Beltrán, Daniel Arcila, Jordi Cortizo (Sebastian Santos 67’), Rodrigo Echeverría (Luis Valadez 67’), José Rodríguez (C); Díber Cambindo (Edgar Guerra 46’ (Bryan Colula 82’)
Substitutes: Julio Gonzalez, Irving Martinez, Sebastian Fierro, Paul Bellon, Jose Ramirez, Abraham Villegas, Jesus Lara
Match officials:
Referee: Sergio Reyna
AR1: Juan Tipaz
AR2: Keytzel Corrales Mojica
4TH: Victor Alfonso Cáceres Hernández
Weather: 82 degrees and partly cloudy
NEXT HOME MATCH
Nashville SC vs Atlético de San Luis
Sunday, Aug. 9 at GEODIS Park | 7 p.m.
Leagues Cup 2026, Phase One
