Eight teams are invited to play the inaugural edition of Copa del Sol. Sweden is represented by the winner and runner-up from the Allsvenska national league 2008 – Kalmar FF and IF Elfsborg. The Danish top teams F.C. Copenhagen and Odense BK, are joined by two Norwegian top sides – Rosenborg BK and Molde FK.
The groups are completed by two major teams from Russia and Ukraine – CSKA Moscow and F.C. Shakhtar Donetsk.
