Gold Cup draw: USMNT, Canada learn groups for summer tournament
The 16 teams taking part in this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup learned their respective paths to the title during Thursday's group stage draw.
The United States, which will be playing on home soil, will take on Haiti, familiar foe Trinidad and Tobago, and Saudi Arabia, the one non-CONCACAF invitee for the competition.
Canada, looking to improve on its quarterfinal exit from the 2023 edition, was drawn alongside Honduras, El Salvador, and Curacao.
Mexico, still riding high after last month's CONCACAF Nations League title, is the reigning Gold Cup champion. El Tri defeated Panama in the 2023 final. They'll look to defend their crown after being drawn in a quartet with Costa Rica, Suriname, and the Dominican Republic.
The Mexicans have won the tournament a record nine times, two more than the United States. Canada's triumph in 2000 remains the lone major title won by the country's men's program.
No other nation has ever won the Gold Cup.
This summer's competition will prove particularly important for the trio. As co-hosts of next year's World Cup, the three all qualified automatically for that event, making the Gold Cup their last opportunity to play competitive, non-friendly matches until next year's marquee tournament.
Managers Mauricio Pochettino, Jesse Marsch, and Javier Aguirre will also have to contend with depleted squads for the event. Several star players will be absent for the Gold Cup while partaking in FIFA's Club World Cup, the supersized event that's running simultaneously in the United States this summer.
Here are the groups in full:
Group A
| Slot | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico π²π½ |
| 2 | Costa Rica π¨π· |
| 3 | Suriname πΈπ· |
| 4 | Dominican Republic π©π΄ |
Group B
| Slot | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Canada π¨π¦ |
| 2 | Honduras ππ³ |
| 3 | El Salvador πΈπ» |
| 4 | Curacao π¨πΌ |
Group C
| Slot | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Panama π΅π¦ |
| 2 | Jamaica π―π² |
| 3 | Guatemala π¬πΉ |
| 4 | Guadeloupe π«π· |
Group D
| Slot | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | United States πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Haiti ππΉ |
| 3 | Trinidad and Tobago πΉπΉ |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia πΈπ¦ |
The top two finishers in each group advance to the knockout stage, which begins with the quarterfinal round June 28.
The tournament final will take place July 6 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
Of the 14 venues being used for the competition, 13 are in the United States; Vancouver's BC Place is the lone stadium in Canada that will stage games. The majority of the host sites are on the U.S. West Coast to avoid conflict or crossover with the aforementioned Club World Cup, which will be taking place on the East Coast of the country.
Tournament schedule
Group stage: June 14-24
Quarterfinals: June 28 and 29
Semifinals: July 2
Final: July 6
Mexico, as the defending champion, will play the tournament opener June 14.