The groups for the Concacaf Gold Cup final are decided. The United States has been placed in Group D with Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti. The tournament starts on June 14 and ends on July 6, with the final game in Houston, Texas at NRG Stadium. This Gold Cup will be a bit different from previous years. After a disappointing Concacaf Nations League Finals, the United States might use their best team this time, especially with new coach Mauricio Pochettino leading them.
Since the Gold Cup is one year before the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, it`s the last chance for these three countries to play competitive matches before the World Cup. As hosts, the U.S. doesn`t have to play in Concacaf World Cup qualifying, making this Gold Cup even more important.
Canada will also host games in this tournament, with Vancouver being a host city for the first time. The other locations will be in the United States, spread across different regions from the Midwest to the West Coast. The tournament will overlap with the FIFA Club World Cup for part of the summer.
The United States` disappointment in the Nations League, which Mexico won, might be why they send top players like Christian Pulisic to the Gold Cup. This tournament would give Pochettino the longest time to work with the senior team since he became coach. The USMNT needs to find its playing style under Pochettino, and this tournament is a good opportunity to do that and build positive momentum for the World Cup. Saudi Arabia is an invited team, so the USMNT will have strong opponents. Let`s look at the groups.
Concacaf Gold Cup Groups
- Group A: Mexico, Costa Rica, Suriname, Dominican Republic
- Group B: Canada, Honduras, El Salvador, Curacao
- Group C: Panama, Jamaica, Guatemala, Guadeloupe
- Group D: United States, Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago, Saudi Arabia
The top two teams from each group will go to the knockout stage and compete for the Gold Cup title. Mexico is the current champion, and the United States last won in 2021. Memories of Trinidad & Tobago preventing the U.S. from reaching the 2018 World Cup will still be present after this draw. The U.S. will also play against Saudi Arabia, who famously upset Argentina, the eventual World Cup champions, at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This tournament is a great chance for Pochettino to move forward from past disappointments.
While there isn`t a clear “group of death,” Mexico playing Suriname, who are getting better, could be tricky if Mexico isn`t careful. The United States, Mexico, and Canada are all expected to win their groups, but Concacaf teams are improving quickly because of attracting players with dual nationality, so there won`t be any easy games. All three teams will feel they have a chance to win the cup in Houston.
Key dates
- Group Stage: June 14 – 24
- Quarter finals: June 28 – 29
- Semi finals: July 2
- Final: July 6
