The U.S. men’s national team will kick off the defense of its regional crown with games against Jamaica and Nicaragua, plus the winner of a four-team qualifier, in the group stage of the Concacaf Gold Cup, which will be contested this June and July in 14 U.S. venues and Toronto.
The draw was conducted Friday afternoon at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, the site of the July 16 final. The Americans, led by interim manager Anthony Hudson, will be aiming to repeat as Concacaf champions for the second time. They previously went back-to-back in 2005 and ’07.
The group-stage schedule and specific stadium assignments will be announced “in the coming days,” Concacaf said Friday. The top two finishers in each four-team group will advance to the quarterfinals. There, the U.S. would face a nation from Group D (likely Canada, Guatemala or Cuba). A semifinal against Mexico is also possible. In the past, the rivals typically were kept apart until a potential final regardless of their first-round performance. This summer, if one of them stumbles and finishes second in the group stage, they could wind up meeting in the final four. The July 12 semis are expected to be out west to minimize travel before the final.
