The upcoming 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup is set to break new ground, as reports indicate that CONCACAF officials are planning to elevate the tournament to a higher level by expanding the number of participating teams. We have no idea where they might have got that idea.
The proposed plan aims to boost the number of teams from 16 to 24 for the 2025 edition, essentially transforming the competition into a bigger Copa América, or more accurately a mini-World Cup
Diario Olé in Argentina first reported that the 2025 Gold Cup is expected to feature 16 teams from CONCACAF, along with 2 teams each from CONMEBOL, UEFA, Africa, and Asia. The invited teams from various regions include Colombia and Uruguay from South America, Japan and South Korea from Asia, Egypt and Senegal from Africa, and Spain and France from UEFA.
With Mexico, the United States, and Canada collectively hosting the 2026 World Cup, the objective is to provide these host nations with top-tier competition ahead of hosting the largest World Cup ever. Normally the CONCACAF trio send a B-team to the Gold Cup, with all three nations choosing to prioritize last year’s Nations League over the continental tourney.
Mexico are the reigning Gold Cup champions. They beat Panama in last July’s final at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Other than the 2000 tournament, every single Gold Cup has been won by either the United States or Mexico.
The report also claimed that matches would likely be held in all three countries. Normally the United States hosts all the Gold Cup matches, although the CanMNT did play host to Guadeloupe at BMO Field in last year’s edition of the tournament. John Herdman’s Jacob Shaffelburg, Ali Ahmed and Moïse Bombito-led CanMNT lost to the United States in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals.
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Publish date : 2024-08-02 18:14:00
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