For the fifth time in six seasons of the CONCACAF Champions League, the final was played between two Mexican sides. This guaranteed a Mexican champion for the ninth straight year and 30th time since the confederation began staging the tournament in 1962 (including the tournament's predecessor, the CONCACAF Champions' Cup). Both clubs had won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, with Cruz Azul winning five times (
1969,
1970,
1971,
1996,
1997), a record they shared with
América, and Toluca winning twice (
1968,
2003). During the Champions League era, Cruz Azul had lost in two finals (
2009,
2010), while Toluca's previous best record was reaching the semifinals. Cruz Azul finished top of Group 3 ahead of
Herediano and
Valencia in the group stage, and were seeded second for the championship stage, where they eliminated
Sporting Kansas City in the quarterfinals and
Tijuana in the semifinals. Toluca finished top of Group 6 ahead of
Comunicaciones and
Caledonia AIA in the group stage, and were seeded first for the championship stage, where they eliminated
San Jose Earthquakes in the quarterfinals and
Alajuelense in the semifinals. ==Road to the final==