On February 22, the New York Red Bulls and Vancouver Whitecaps will play the first leg of their 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal. It will be the first competitive game of their respective seasons, and possibly the most important, depending on how the rest of the year goes for both teams.
As such, CCL is believed to have been an important factor in determining the preseason plans of both clubs. The 'Caps put their schedule together early. At the beginning of December, Vancouver announced a trip to Wales followed by a warm-up tournament in Portland.