LEAGUES CUP NAMES CELEBRATED STREETWEAR DESIGNER GUILLERMO ANDRADE AS CREATIVE ADVISOR

by John Russel Jones

In celebration of 100 days until the start of Leagues Cup, celebrated streetwear designer and 424 Founder and Creative Director, Guillermo Andrade, has been named the tournament’s Creative Advisor. A historic first-of-its-kind appointment for a major professional sports event, as Creative Advisor, Andrade will create and consult on cultural and storytelling opportunities that sit at the intersection of soccer, fashion, art, and design.

Andrade will lead the design and development of limited edition co-branded capsule collections for significant moments surrounding Leagues Cup – the official Concacaf competition where all 47 clubs (18 from LIGA MX and 29 from MLS) will play in a World Cup-style tournament starting July 2023. Andrade’s product designs will be available in stadiums and third-party retail partners when the tournament kicks off on July 21.

“Teaming up with the inaugural edition of Leagues Cup is incredibly humbling and such a unique opportunity,” said Andrade. “It is beyond an honor – this is a childhood dream come true. I cannot wait to share my journey and how soccer saved my life.”

Andrade’s love for soccer began at an early age. From watching his father train on the pitch, sounds of the ball hitting the net flood his childhood memories as he sat watching behind the goal on his father’s motorcycle. When Andrade migrated from Guatemala to California, he believed soccer saved his life. As a former player, Andrade was fortunate enough to earn a scholarship, and he believes training and traveling provided a positive influence on his life. His experiences with the sport fostered a true appreciation of his Hispanic heritage and love for the game, which appear as true influences through his design language.

Andrade has been a trailblazer in the streetwear industry and has impacted the greater streetwear movement. His original shop “FourTwoFour” on Fairfax was the epicenter of sports fashion and music and was responsible for being the first to sell iconic brands such as RHUDE, Martine Rose, Hood By Air, Fear of God, and many more established brands.

Beginning in 2023, MLS and LIGA MX will pause their respective league seasons each summer and compete in Leagues Cup, an official Concacaf competition to be played across the U.S. and Canada. The champion and the second and third-place finishers will qualify for the Concacaf Champions League and have an opportunity to earn a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Fans around the world will be able to watch Leagues Cup on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, which is available on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices from Roku, Amazon, and Google, game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com. In addition, TelevisaUnivision, FOX Sports, TSN, and RDS will be the linear broadcast home for select Leagues Cup matches. The Leagues Cup Final will be available on Univision in Spanish.

With 100 days out from the start of the tournament, more information on Leagues Cup can be found on the newly relaunched site, LeaguesCup.com. Individual tickets are available to fans via the hosting MLS club. MLS club season ticket holders should contact their club representative for more information. For more tournament information, visit LeaguesCup.com and follow @LeaguesCup on social media.