The announcement of the set-up of the groups for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup has taken place, generating excitement among football enthusiasts. The tournament is a highly anticipated event that will see national teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean compete for the title of the best in the region. Let’s dive into the details of the tournament’s group setup, venues, format, and other essential information.
The Set-Up of Gold Cup Groups for 2023
The draw for the Concacaf Gold Cup groups was held at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, which will also host the final on July 16, 2023. Besides determining the teams’ groups, the draw included pairings for preliminary qualifiers from the Caribbean. The preliminary round consists of twelve teams that will play two rounds, with one game playoffs at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
The US Men’s National Team (USMNT) is placed in Group A with Jamaica, Nicaragua, and the winner of a preliminary game. Meanwhile, Mexico is in Group B with Haiti, Honduras, and Qatar. The latter is expected to be the most difficult group in the tournament’s history.
The winner of the preliminary games will claim the last three spots in the Gold Cup, four days before the tournament kicks off. It’s worth remembering that The USA won its seventh title by beating Mexico 1-0 earlier this year at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Anthony Hudson, USMNT interim coach, commented about Jamaica being a tough opponent: “We know that when we are playing them [Jamaica], it’s going to be a difficult game.” He added that there are no ‘easy’ opponents in this tournament.
2023 Concacaf Gold Cup Tournament and Its Venues
The 2023 Gold Cup tournament will take place in fifteen stadiums across fourteen cities in the United States and Canada. It includes four of the newest stadiums in the U.S.: SoFi Stadium, CITYPARK Stadium, Snapdragon Stadium, and TQL Stadium.
The flagship competition for men’s national teams in Concacaf will be played between June 16 – July 16, and it will determine the best national team in the region. The Final will be held at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on July 16.
The 2023 Gold Cup is a significant part of the region’s vibrant summer of football, which will also feature other events such as the Final of the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League and the Concacaf Nations League Finals. The host cities and venues have strong track records for hosting elite football and other world-class events.
The stadiums that will host matches are announced in alphabetical order by city. Some, like TQL Stadium, CITYPARK, and Snapdragon Stadium, are hosting the Gold Cup tournament for the first time. This will be the first time Cincinnati and St. Louis host the tournament and fourth for San Diego.
BMO Field in Toronto, Canada, will host a group-stage doubleheader for the second time. Soldier Field and NRG Stadium mark the seventh edition of their inclusion – a record number in tournament history.
The 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup Schedule and Format
The 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup tournament will take place from June 16 to July 16 with twenty-five national teams participating. During this period, there would be three stages: Prelims from June 16 to 20, Group Stage from June 24 to July 4, followed by Knockout Stage which starts from July 8-16. The event at SoFi Stadium featured the official draw co-hosted by TUDN sportscaster Valeria Marin and other notable soccer analysts.
The Prelims will have twelve participating teams in six pairings. The six winners will advance to Round Two, where they will face each other in predetermined pairings. The three winners of Round Two will join the 12 direct qualifiers for the Group Stage, featuring sixteen nations divided into four groups of four.
Following Group Stage play, eight teams will advance to a Knockout Stage, with Quarterfinals on July 8-9, Semifinals on July 12, and Final at SoFi Stadium on July 16. The match schedule, specific venue assignments, ticketing information, and media accreditation details will be announced by Concacaf in the coming days.
In conclusion, the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup tournament promises to be an exciting event for football enthusiasts globally. With the set-up of groups and venues announced, coupled with its format and schedule, fans can hardly wait for the competition to kick off. It would be interesting to see which team emerges as the victor out of the twenty-five national teams competing.
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