The Champions Cup history: 1962- 1980 | OneFootball

MIAMI – The Concacaf Champions Cup celebrates its 60th edition in 2025 as 27 clubs vie to become the region's next champion.

The early years of the Concacaf Champions' Cup were filled with groundbreaking moments, unforgettable players, and intense rivalries, laying the foundation for one of the region's most prestigious club tournaments.

As a new edition of the tournament approaches, we look back on the competition's history in the first of a three-part series.

How the Concacaf Champions' Cup Was Born

Before Concacaf's official founding on September 18, 1961, in Mexico City, following the merger of the Central American and Caribbean Football Confederation (CCCF) and the North American Football Confederation (NAFC), there was already a club tournament. This competition invited national champions to participate between 1959 and 1961.

In 1959, the inaugural edition featured four teams: CD Olimpia (Honduras), CD Guadalajara (Mexico), LD Alajuelense (Costa Rica), and CD FAS (El Salvador). The tournament followed a round-robin format with home-and-away matches. CD Olimpia emerged victorious, finishing ahead of CD Guadalajara thanks to a superior goal difference (+2).

For the second edition in 1961, Jong Holland from the Netherlands Antilles (now Curaçao) joined the competition. Only LD Alajuelense and CD Olimpia returned from the first tournament, while newcomers included CD Águila (El Salvador) and Comunicaciones FC (Guatemala). Unlike the 1959 all-play-all format, the 1961 tournament was divided into regional groups, culminating in LD Alajuelense defeating Jong Colombia in the final with a resounding 7-1 aggregate score.

The First Official Tournament in 1962

Under the official Concacaf certification, the inaugural Concacaf Champions' Cup was contested by eight clubs from April to August 1962. The first participants were CD Águila (El Salvador), Comunicaciones FC (Guatemala), CD Olimpia (Honduras), LD Alajuelense (Costa Rica), CD Guadalajara (Mexico), CS Herediano (Costa Rica), Étoile Haïtienne (Haiti), and Sithoc (Curaçao).

The first-ever match in the history of the Concacaf Champions' Cup took place on March 25, 1962, at Estadio Flor Blanca (now Estadio Mágico González) in San Salvador. CD Águila and Comunicaciones FC played to a 1-1 draw, with Guillermo Palomo scoring the tournament's first goal for Comunicaciones in the 7th minute.

The tournament featured 14 matches, with 37 goals scored in total. Guido Alvarado of LD Alajuelense claimed the top scorer honor for the inaugural tournament.

Guadalajara: The First Concacaf Champions

CD Guadalajara became the first team to lift the Concacaf Champions' Cup after defeating Comunicaciones FC in the final. The first leg ended in a 1-0 victory for Guadalajara, with Javier Valdivia scoring the winner. In the return leg, Chivas delivered a commanding 5-0 win, highlighted by Salvador Reyes' hat-trick and two goals from Juan Jasso.

Racing Club of Haiti Makes History

In the second edition of the Concacaf Champions' Cup (CCC), Racing Club of Haiti became the first Caribbean club to claim the title. The historic achievement came in 1963 when their final opponent, CD Guadalajara, was unable to participate due to a European tour. As a result, Racing Club secured the championship without needing to play the decisive match.

Racing Club's journey to glory began with a convincing 4-1 aggregate victory over Sithoc of Curaçao in the second round. They defeated Xelajú MC of Guatemala and triumphed over Costa Rica’s Deportivo Saprissa in the semifinals, cementing their place in the competition's history.

Alianza FC: The First Central American Champion

Alianza FC became the first Central American team to win the Concacaf Champions' Cup in 1967 after a thrilling final against Jong Colombia of Curaçao. The championship was decided in a tiebreaker match that delivered an unforgettable eight-goal spectacle, with Alianza FC emerging victorious 5-3.

The 1967 final also marked a milestone in the competition’s history, as it was the first time two players scored braces in a title match. Salvadoran Mario "El Chino" Flores and Panamanian Luis Ernesto "Cascarita" Tapia of Alianza FC etched their names into the tournament’s legacy.

1968: Toluca Joins the List of Mexican Champions

By 1968, the Concacaf Champions' Cup had expanded significantly, featuring teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. That year saw participation from clubs such as New York Greek-Americans (USA), Somerset CC (Bermuda), SV Transvaal (Suriname), and RKSV Scherpenheuvel (Curaçao).

SV Transvaal faced Guatemala’s Aurora FC in the semifinals, but both teams were sanctioned by Concacaf for off-field incidents. As a result, Toluca FC was declared the champion, becoming the latest Mexican club to add its name to the winners' list.

Cruz Azul's First of Six Titles

Cruz Azul claimed its first Concacaf Champions' Cup title with a narrow 1-0 victory over Comunicaciones FC, courtesy of Juan Manuel Alejandrez’s decisive goal in the 82nd minute at Mexico City's iconic Estadio Azteca.

Before they triumphed over Comunicaciones, Cruz Azul faced Deportivo Saprissa in a tense semifinal that had to be settled through a penalty shootout, which the Mexican side won 4-3. A standout performance in that semifinal came from Costa Rican Eduardo Chavarría, who scored twice for Saprissa, showcasing the tournament’s growing competitiveness.

1970 and Beyond

Between 1971 and 1980, 12 teams from six countries claimed the coveted Concacaf Champions' Cup title, highlighting the competition's growing diversity. After Cruz Azul's dominant run of three consecutive championships, the throne passed to Olimpia, Transvaal, CDS Municipal, Atlético Español, CD Águila, Club América, Leones Negros, Comunicaciones FC, Defence Force, FAS, and Pumas UNAM.

Olimpia’s Historic Triumph

CD Olimpia became the only Honduran club to win an official Concacaf tournament when it secured its first title in 1972. The victory came after a two-legged final against SV Robinhood, with Jorge Brand scoring the decisive goal.

Municipal Brings Glory to Guatemala

In 1974, CSD Municipal became Guatemala's first Concacaf Champions' Cup winner. In the final, they defeated the previous year's champion, SV Transvaal of Suriname. José Emilio Mitrovich starred in the decisive match, scoring twice to secure the historic title.

The following year, Municipal and Aurora made history in the Central Zone semifinals by playing the competition’s first-ever penalty shootout, with Municipal emerging victorious. However, in the zonal final against Saprissa, Municipal lost in another penalty shootout, demonstrating the increasing intensity of the tournament.

Águila’s Extra-Time Heroics

The 1976 final, played in February 1977, marked the first time extra time was needed to decide the champion. Four goals were scored in the additional period, with CD Águila netting three to SV Robinhood’s one, earning El Salvador its second title after Alianza FC's 1967 triumph.

FAS Dominates with a Historic Performance

In 1979, FAS secured the decade's second title for Salvadoran football, delivering a stunning 7-1 victory against Jong Colombia in the final's second leg at the legendary Estadio Cuscatlán. The iconic Jorge "Mágico" González played a decisive role, scoring twice in the rout.

Remarkably, it was the only time in Champions Cup history that three players scored braces in a final. In addition to González, Argentine Roberto "El Avión" Casadei and Salvadoran David Cabrera each notched two goals. This feat remains unmatched to this day.

Club América's Rise to Dominance

Club América, the most successful team in Champions Cup history, secured the first of its seven titles in 1977. The decisive moment came from a Hugo Kiese goal in Paramaribo that leveled the score against SV Robinhood, making their 1-0 first-leg win stand. That same year, a record-breaking scoreline was set when CSD Municipal thrashed Nicaragua's Diriangén 13-1.

The Bizarre Ending of 1978

The 1978 tournament concluded in an unprecedented fashion, with three teams — Leones Negros (North Zone), Comunicaciones FC (Central Zone), and Defence Force (Caribbean Zone) — all declared co-champions. The final phase could not be played, leaving an unusual mark on the competition’s history.

CD FAS of El Salvador earned its first title in the 1979 edition to cap off the 1970s. This decade showcased the rapid evolution of the Concacaf Champions Cup and was filled with historical milestones and unforgettable performances, all contributing to its rich legacy.