When the U.S. men's national team faces Jamaica in the semifinals of the Concacaf Nations League on Thursday, it will be looking to take the next step toward a CNL three-peat. The U.S. claimed the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2021, when it defeated Mexico 3-2 in extra time, and maintained its hold on the trophy two years later with a 2-0 win over Canada. A win against Jamaica and victory in the subsequent final three days later will cement the U.S.'s status (at least in terms of the CNL) as the Kings of Concacaf.
The Concacaf Nations League has proven to be a vital engine for the development of national teams in Central America and the Caribbean. Prior to the introduction of the Nations League, some countries would go multiple years without their men's national teams playing a match. For example, the Cayman Islands didn't play a single match from April 2015 through August 2018.
