Video & Motion — Case Study
LEAGUES CUP 2026
The opening film for Leagues Cup 2026 — sixty-two seconds of 2D animation and motion graphics uniting MLS and LIGA MX, drawn in the spirit of classic football anime.
TWO LEAGUES. ONE OPENING FILM.
Leagues Cup brings the worlds of MLS and LIGA MX together in one competition — 36 clubs from the United States, Canada and Mexico, no drawn games, and one champion. The opening film was created to kick the tournament off, and lived across Leagues Cup social channels and on the big screens inside the stadiums throughout the competition.
The film mixes traditional 2D animation with motion graphics, taking its inspiration from classic football anime such as Captain Tsubasa (Supercampeones) — speed, intensity and exaggerated movement in every frame. Around the film sits the full design package: a rough storyboard, character and uniform designs, polished team line-ups, styleframes and the key art that explains the tournament format.
Board
Title Card & Rough Storyboard
The opening board: the two leagues’ teams flanking the Leagues Cup 2026 title, the MLS and LIGA MX marks, and the 48-frame rough storyboard that mapped the film.
Film
The Opening Film
Sixty-two seconds of traditional 2D animation and motion graphics — the film that kicked off the tournament across Leagues Cup social channels and on the big screens inside the stadiums.
Design Sheet
Character & Uniform Designs
The base character designs — players, referees and goalkeepers — with the uniform designs for the USA–Canada and Mexico kits.
Design Sheet
Polished Designs & The Teams
The polished designs: the referee in three colourways, the two team line-ups, final boot designs and the first styleframes.
Styleframes
Styleframes
Finished frames from the film — the stadium at night, the two captains flanking the glowing trophy, and the board of all 36 club crests.
Stills
Match Stills & Crests
Match stills from the film alongside the crest panels: MLS against LIGA MX, and each league with its clubs.
Key Art
Tournament Format — Key Art
The format told as key art: no ties, the top four advance, the knockout bracket, and the road to one champion.
Board
Closing Art
The closing art: the white-haired player, the contested kick, and the two teams lined up either side of the trophy — one champion.
Rough Animation
Rough Animation
One of the four rough-animation pencil frames — the film worked out by hand before the clean-up and colour pass.
Rough Animation
Rough Animation
One of the four rough-animation pencil frames — the film worked out by hand before the clean-up and colour pass.
Rough Animation
Rough Animation
One of the four rough-animation pencil frames — the film worked out by hand before the clean-up and colour pass.
Rough Animation
Rough Animation
One of the four rough-animation pencil frames — the film worked out by hand before the clean-up and colour pass.
START YOUR MOTION PROJECT
From the first frame to the final loop — we've got you covered.