By Redaccion
[email protected]
Concacaf has officially announced the qualification pathway for its men’s national teams ahead of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, the premier men’s tournament in the region.
The competition will take place from June 14 to July 6, 2025.
The 16-team tournament will feature 15 teams from the Concacaf region, with eight already securing their spots through the Concacaf Nations League and seven more to qualify through the Gold Cup Preliminary Round (Prelims), set for March 2025.
The eight Concacaf teams that have already qualified for the Gold Cup Group Stage are Canada, Curacao, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, and the United States.
In addition to the Concacaf teams, the 2025 and 2027 Gold Cups will each feature a guest team. For both editions, the Saudi Arabian men’s national team will participate as the invited guest.
Concacaf’s collaboration with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), facilitated by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), has created opportunities for mutual engagement. As a member of the AFC, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) will begin a new partnership with Concacaf in 2025. This partnership includes the Saudi Arabian team’s participation in the Gold Cup, football development initiatives, corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects, and knowledge exchange between Concacaf — co-host of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ — and Saudi Arabia, which will host the FIFA World Cup 2034™.
The Gold Cup Prelims will determine the final seven teams to join the Group Stage. Fourteen teams will compete in home-and-away matchups, with the aggregate winners securing their places. The matchups, determined by Concacaf Nations League results and rankings, are:
• Costa Rica vs. Belize
• Jamaica vs. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Honduras vs. Bermuda
• Guatemala vs. Guyana
• Trinidad and Tobago vs. Cuba
• Martinique vs. Suriname
• Nicaragua vs. Guadeloupe
2025 Gold Cup Group Stage Participants
The 16-team Group Stage will include:
• Already Qualified + Guest (9 teams): Canada, Curacao, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.
• Through Prelims (7 teams): Determined in March 2025.
The 2025 Gold Cup will be played in 14 stadiums across 11 metropolitan areas in the United States and Canada. Five of these venues, which will also host FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches, include:
• AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
• SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)
• Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, CA)
• BC Place (Vancouver, BC)
• NRG Stadium (Houston, TX) — the host of the Final on July 6, 2025.
The tournament will serve as a major opportunity to boost engagement with the sport in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, especially with the FIFA World Cup 2026™ just a year away.
The draw for the Gold Cup Group Stage is scheduled for Thursday, April 10, 2025. Additional details will be announced in due course.
Statements from Key Leaders
Concacaf President and FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani stated:
“The Gold Cup is our flagship tournament for men’s national teams, and each edition has grown into a truly global event that benefits federations, players, and fans alike.
“We are very pleased that our collaboration with the AFC has enabled us to work with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and its President Yasser Al-Misehal. We look forward to welcoming one of Asia’s top national teams to compete with the best in Concacaf.
“With the next Gold Cup just one year ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, this tournament offers an incredible opportunity to capitalize on the sport’s growing popularity in our region and promises to be the best edition yet.”
SAFF President Yasser Al-Misehal added:
“It is a tremendous honor to represent the Asian Football Confederation in this prestigious tournament. Competing abroad is a privilege for Saudi Arabia, especially in a year leading up to the FIFA World Cup 2026™, hosted by our Concacaf partners.
“As a future FIFA World Cup™ host nation, this opportunity is invaluable, and we are fully committed to making the most of it. Football is a national passion in Saudi Arabia, and our mission is to grow the game both locally and globally. We deeply appreciate President Montagliani’s invitation to participate.”
