AO's Guide to the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup
What to Know about the 2025 Gold Cup and the USMNT
The draw is complete, the schedule is out, and regional pride is on the line in the 18th edition of the Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s the biggest tournament in North America, Central America and the Caribbean in which teams must find a unique mix of skill, strategy and passion to lift the trophy.
What is the Gold Cup?
Every two years, Concacaf hosts its regional championship tournament. This year, 16 teams qualified for the final round through various means. The USMNT qualified as one of the four semifinalists in the most recent Concacaf Nations League.
The 2025 Gold Cup features four groups of four teams. The top two finishers in each group advance to the knockout stage, with quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final. The tournament starts on Saturday, June 14, with Mexico playing Costa Rica at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The final will be on Sunday, July 6 in Houston, TX.
Who is the USMNT playing?
As the fourth-ranked team in the Concacaf rankings, the USMNT was placed as team one in Group D. Three more teams were drawn from three pots of four. Group D looks like this:
- USA
- Haiti
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Saudi Arabia
Haiti booked their ticket to the final tournament by winning their Concacaf Nations League group in League B. Trinidad & Tobago qualified by defeating Cuba in the preliminary round. Saudi Arabia is a guest with no cause given for that invitation.
Group D schedule:
- Matchday 1 – Sunday, June 15
- 3:00 p.m. PT – USA vs. Trinidad & Tobago, PayPal Park, San Jose, CA
- 5:15 p.m. PT – Haiti vs. Saudi Arabia, Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA
- Matchday 2 – Thursday, June 19
- 5:45 p.m. CT – Trinidad & Tobago vs. Haiti, Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, TX
- 8:15 p.m. CT – Saudi Arabia vs. USA, Q2 Stadium, Austin, TX
- Matchday 3 – Sunday, June 22
- 4:00 p.m. PT – Saudi Arabia vs. Trinidad & Tobago, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
- 6:00 p.m. CT – USA vs. Haiti, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
In the quarterfinals, the Group D winner will face the runner-up from Group A while Group D runner-up will play the Group A winner. Those exact dates, times and locations have not been determined.
Where is the tournament being played?
Concacaf has selected 14 venues in 13 cities in the western half of the continent for its summer event, aiming to avoid conflicts with the concurrent FIFA Club World Cup. The tournament will open in Los Angeles, with the final hosted in Houston.
- Arlington, TX: AT&T Stadium
- SoFi Stadium | SoFi Stadium
- Austin, TX: Q2 Stadium
- Carson, CA: Dignity Health Sports Park
- Houston, TX: NRG Stadium and Shell Energy Stadium
- Inglewood, CA: SoFi Stadium
- Las Vegas, NV: Allegiant Stadium
- Minneapolis, MN: U.S. Bank Stadium
- Phoenix, AZ: State Farm Stadium
- San Diego, CA: Snapdragon Stadium
- San Jose, CA: PayPal Park
- Santa Clara, CA: Levi's Stadium
- St. Louis, MO: CITYPARK
- Vancouver, BC, Canada: BC Place
What does this tournament mean for the USMNT?
As the premier men's national team tournament in the region, the U.S. wants to win the Gold Cup (duh). However, beyond the trophy and bragging rights that come with victory, the tournament offers several tangible benefits for the team.
Firstly, the Gold Cup serves as the USMNT’s last set of competitive matches before the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino will use this opportunity to gather data and insights to select the best squad for next summer’s major event.
Additionally, the Gold Cup dispenses FIFA and Concacaf ranking points, which the USMNT needs after a disappointing performance at the Nations League Finals. Furthermore, the tournament can help rekindle excitement and support for the team among the general soccer public.
Ticketing, Event, and Travel Info
American Outlaws members can access tickets in the AO section for all USMNT games during this tournament. An email with ticket info will be sent to our active members when AO receives the details from Conacaf and U.S. Soccer.
An active membership also gives access to discounts on flights and car rentals for every match, more details can be found in the "Discounts" section of the Member Portal.
Keep an eye out here, on the AO website for event information including Night Before (NB4) and Pre-game events which are open to both members and non-members.
Keep an eye out here, on the AO website for event information including Night Before (NB4) and Pre-game events which are open to both members and non-members.
April 11, 2025