Host Cities and Venues Announced for 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup
The 15 stadiums that will host matches for the much-anticipated 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup have been announced. Football fans in the United States and Canada are set to witness thrilling matches from June 16 to July 16, as 16 teams compete in North America’s most prestigious football tournament.
With matches spread across 14 cities, the Gold Cup is set to offer a month-long feast of football action in North America. The tournament will begin with the Prelims from June 16 to June 20. The winning teams from Round One will participate in Round Two, where three winners will advance to the Group Stage.
Top Stadia to Host Intense Matches
Some of North America’s top stadia like AT&T Stadium, Bank of America Stadium, Soldier Field, TQL Stadium, DRV PNK Stadium, State Farm Stadium, Red Bull Arena, NRG Stadium, Shell Energy Stadium, SoFi Stadium, Allegiant Stadium, Snapdragon Stadium, Levi’s Stadium, and BMO Field have been chosen to host matches.
Toronto’s BMO Field is returning to host the tournament for the second time. Also present are veterans Soldier Field and NRG stadium set for their seventh edition of the tournament. The announcement includes new stadiums like SoFi Stadium, Snapdragon Stadium, CITYPARK Stadium and TQL stadium appearing for the first time in a CONCACAF event.
Football enthusiasts can expect a scintillating finale at Los Angeles’ SoFi stadium on July 16. As per Victor Montagliani, President of CONCACAF and FIFA Vice President said “The host cities and venues have a strong track record of hosting elite football and world-class events.” The event promises to showcase world-class footballing action and is the flagship tournament of the organization.
Gold Cup Draw Announced
In preparation for this year’s Gold Cup, the official draw took place on Tuesday, September 28th, 2021. With last year’s tournament being postponed due to the Covid global pandemic, this year’s event will see sixteen teams compete across fourteen cities in North America.
Mexico has been drawn into the toughest group of the tournament, with Qatar, Haiti, and Honduras as their competition. The United States shares Group A with Jamaica, Nicaragua, and a play-in winner between Curaçao, St. Kitts & Nevis, French Guiana, or Sint Maarten. Panama and Costa Rica have both been drawn together in Group C after sharing a group in Nations League play.
Prelims and Group Stage Details
As per the draw results from CONCACAF officials, the tournament will begin with the Prelims from June 16 to June 20. Twelve teams will participate in six pairings for a chance to advance to Round Two. The winning teams from Round One will participate in Round Two where three winners will advance to the Group Stage.
The Group Stage attracted attention after the teams were divided into four groups of four with sixteen teams beginning their matches from June 24 to July 4. The top two teams from each group are set to advance to the Knockout Stage which features Quarterfinals starting on July 8th followed by Semifinals on July 12th.
Conclusion
The stage is set for an exciting summer of football across North America as sixteen premier footballing sides vie for supremacy at the Concacaf Gold Cup 2023. With renowned stadia hosting matches across fourteen cities in Canada and US combined , football enthusiasts are bound to witness an array of footballing talent on display come June 2023.
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