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The latest edition of the CONCACAF Club Rankings (CCR) is out, with Mexican and CONCACAF giants Monterrey retaking their spot at the top of the Rankings after three straight months in second-place behind Club America.
The Confederation launched a revamped rankings system earlier this year, with clubs gaining points for results in official domestic league matches, regional cup matches and CONCACAF Champions Cup play.
Monterrey retake top spot
After three months out of the top spot, Monterrey are back at the summit after retaking first place from fellow Liga MX side Club America. Monterrey enjoyed a very successful start to the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup with 4-1 and 3-0 victories over Comunicaciones of Guatemala.
The Rayados have also gone 3W-2D-0L in their last five Liga MX matches, allowing them to overtake Club America.
Top 10 rich with Champions Cup teams
Many of the teams participating in the 2024 Champions Cup make up the rest of the Top 10.
Club America dropped one place to second following their Round One series with Real Esteli of Nicaragua in which Las Aguilas lost the first leg 2-1. Nevertheless, Club America advanced 3-2 on aggregate to reach the Round of 16.
Tigres remain in third after successfully defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps in their Round One series 4-1, while the highest-ranked team from the United States, the Philadelphia Union, are up a spot to fourth after eliminating Costa Rican giants Saprissa 6-5.
Coming in at fifth is Pachuca, who will make their 2024 Champions Cup debut against Philadelphia later this week. The Tuzos moved up two places after a 4W-1D-1L record over the last month in Liga MX.
2023 Champions Cup winners Club Leon dropped two spots to sixth, followed by Chivas in seventh and the Columbus Crew in eighth, who each improved a place. Chivas eliminated Forge FC 5-2 in Round One, while Columbus make their 2024 Champions Cup debut later this week against the Houston Dyanmo in the Round of 16.
Rounding out the Top 10 is Orlando City in ninth and Los Angeles FC in10th. Orlando City eliminated Cavalry of the Canadian Premier League in Round One of the Champions Cup, while LAFC held the same position as last month.
Herediano rise to top in Central America
Thanks to their victory against Toluca of Liga MX in Round One of the 2024 Champions Cup, Herediano enjoyed the biggest rise out of any Central American team and claimed the top spot in the Central American region.
The Ticos improved 10 spots to sit in first in Central America and 39th overall, while Olimpia fell four spots in the overall table and are in second place in Central America. Costa Rican clubs Saprissa and Alajuelense are 46th and 48th overall and third and fourth in Central America, respectively, while Comunicaciones of Guatemala round out the Central American Top 5 at 52nd overall.
Robinhood start Champions Cup campaign in Caribbean Top 5
Robinhood of Suriname will begin their 2024 Champions Cup campaign firmly entrenched in the Caribbean Top 5. The 2023 CONCACAF Caribbean Cup champions are fourth in the Caribbean and 100th overall. Robinhood take on the top-ranked team in Central America, Herediano, in the Champions Cup Round of 16.
Violette of Haiti are once again first in the Caribbean and 69th overall, followed by Cibao FC of the Dominican Republic (91st), Mount Pleasant of Jamaica (98th), Robinhood and 2024 Champions Cup side Cavalier of Jamaica (104th).
Biggest mover: Herediano
The biggest mover over the course of the last month is Herediano of Costa Rica, who shot up 10 places to 39th overall and first place in the Central American region.
Herediano with biggest Champions Cup upset
Herediano achieved the biggest upset over the course of the last month in CONCACAF by defeating Mexican side Toluca in the Round One of the Champions Cup. After falling 2-1 at home in the first leg, Herediano won 3-2 in the second leg in Mexico to advance on the away goal tiebreaker, 4-4. At the time, Herediano were ranked 49th, while Toluca were sixth overall.
