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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Karim Zidan

Why is Saudi Arabia at the Gold Cup? It’s the latest in the Kingdom’s soft power campaign

PIF Concacaf Saudi Arabia Gold Kingdom the Gold Cup Gold Cup Richard Blumenthal World Cup Football
Shot of the Saudi Arabia lineup pregame, taken from behind the Saudi flag.
Saudi Arabia has won only twice in eight games in the current round of World Cup qualifying. Photograph: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters

Last month, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) held an official draw in Miami, Florida for the 2025 Gold Cup, the premier biennial tournament for men’s football on the continent.

This summer, the Gold Cup will serve as the crucial litmus test for the US national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the vast majority of which will take place on home soil. The draw placed the Americans in Group D, alongside Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago … and Saudi Arabia.

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