Everything you need to know as 25-nation Gold Cup kicks off Friday at DRV PNK Stadium
The 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup kicks off Friday at DRV PNK Stadium with preliminary rounds and a bit of a twist.
Trinidad and Tobago was scheduled to play in the opening game of the 25-nation biennial tournament against Guadeloupe, but learned Monday that it received an automatic bye into the group stage when Nicaragua was banned from the event for fielding an ineligible player in eight recent games.
Trinidad now joins the United States and Jamaica in Group A, along with a fourth team to be determined through the prelims. Antigua and Barbuda is the last-minute replacement for Trinidad and Tobago in the preliminary bracket and scrambled to put together a roster for its Gold Cup debut at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
“We’re trying to put a team together, and as you know, the season is over, both here and in England, but we have players from here and in the UK that we have contacted and the ones who are available and have their relative travel documents, we will be picking a squad from that to travel with the team,” Antigua manager Fernando Abraham told the Antigua Observer.
The “Benna Boys,” as Antigua’s team is known, finished with three wins and three losses in the 2022-23 CONCACAF Nations League, in third place in its group, even on points with Guadeloupe.
“It’s short notice and it’s not enough time for preparing the way we really want, but we think it’s a good opportunity for the young men to display their skills, and we should take it,” Abraham said.
The winner of the Antigua vs. Guadeloupe match plays the winner of Grenada vs. Guyana for a berth in the group stage, where it would join the United States, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
Nine preliminary round matches will take place between June 16-20 at DRV PNK Stadium, including two direct elimination rounds, and then four group stage matches (June 25-27), featuring Cuba, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala and Panama.
Cuba will participate in its 10th Gold Cup and first since 2019. Cuba’s best finishes came in 2003, 2013 and 2015 when it reached the quarterfinal stage.
Here is a look at some of the other teams already qualified for the group stage:
▪ United States: The defending Gold Cup champions have won the event seven times and have appeared in every edition of the Gold Cup since 1991. Inter Miami right back DeAndre Yedlin is in the team.
▪ Mexico: The eight-time winners have also appeared every time since 1991 and won the title in 2019.
▪ Haiti: Qualified for a third straight Gold Cup. Les Grenadiers achieved their best finish ever in 2019 when they reached the semifinals. Inter Miami forward Shanyder Borgelin is on the team.
▪ Jamaica: The Reggae Boyz are back in the Gold Cup for a 13th time thanks to securing at least a second-place finish in Group A of League A. Runners-up in the 2015 and 2017 editions, Jamaica will play in their fifth consecutive Gold Cup.
▪ Canada: Making its 16th Gold Cup appearance, Canada is the only nation outside the U.S. and Mexico to have won the tournament, which it did in 2000. Inter Miami defender Kamal Miller is on the team, and former Inter Miami coach Phil Neville joined the Canada coaching staff as a consultant a few weeks ago.
▪ Costa Rica: Also a 16-time Gold Cup participant, the Ticos reached the final in 2002.
▪ Honduras: The 1991 finalists reached the quarterfinals in 2021.
▪ El Salvador: Has qualified for nine consecutive Gold Cups, reached the quarterfinals six times.
▪ Panama: Two-time finalist in 2005 and 2013.
DRV PNK Stadium will host the following matches:
Friday (Preliminaries)
Antigua and Barbuda vs Guadeloupe (4:30 p.m.), Martinique vs Saint Lucia (7 p.m.), Curacao vs Saint Kitts and Nevis (9 p.m.).
Saturday (Preliminaries)
French Guiana vs Saint Maarten (4:30 p.m.), Suriname vs Puerto Rico (7 p.m.), Guyana vs Grenada (9 p.m.)
Tuesday (Preliminaries)
Round 2, at 4:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m.)
Sunday, June 25 (Group Stage)
Trinidad and Tobago vs. Winner Prelims 9 (3:30 p.m.)
Monday, June 26 (Group Stage)
El Salvador vs Winner Prelims 8 (6:30 p.m.)
Costa Rica vs Panama (8:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, June 27 (Group Stage)
Guatemala vs Cuba (8:45 p.m.)
Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and at concacaf.com/gold-cup/tickets/
Games will be televised on Fox Sports, Tubi (USA-English), TUDN, ViX (USA-Spanish), Televisa, TV Azteca (Mexico), OneSoccer (Canada), and ESPN Star+ (Caribbean, Central, and South America).
