Gold Cup 2023: TQL Stadium to host quarterfinal doubleheader that could include USMNT
The path is set for the USMNT to visit TQL Stadium for the third time since the venue opened in 2021.
Officials on Tuesday confirmed the venues and matches for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the biannual tournament to crown a champion of the 41 soccer federations of North and Central America, and the Caribbean. TQL Stadium had previously been announced as a host site for some portion of the tournament and it was revealed Tuesday that FC Cincinnati's award-winning soccer stadium will host a quarterfinal doubleheader Sunday, July 9.
The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. EST when the winner of Group D plays the Group A runner-up. That will be followed by a 7:30 p.m. match featuring the Group A winner against the Group D runner-up.
The USMNT is an early favorite in Group A, one of the four four-nation groups from which the top two teams will advance to the single-elimination knockout rounds of the tournament.
The USMNT has never failed to advance to the knockout rounds of the Gold Cup.
“Today is a thrilling day for the city of Cincinnati,” FC Cincinnati Co-Chief Executive Officer Jeff Berding said in a news release. “We are proud to welcome the best men’s national teams from this part of the world to Cincinnati and our world-class, soccer-specific stadium. The Gold Cup is the flagship competition for CONCACAF and we are very excited to host these knockout stage matches at TQL Stadium come July 9.”
USMNT's path through Group 'A'
The Americans open Gold Cup play in Group A June 24 at Chicago's Soldier Field against Jamaica, the other favorite to advance from the group.
The group stage continues June 28 game at St. Louis City SC's CityPark against the winner of a qualifying playoff featuring Curaçao, St. Kitts & Nevis, French Guiana and Sint Maarten.
The first round will conclude on July 2 at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium against Nicaragua.
From there, should the USMNT advance, the quarterfinal doubleheader at TQL Stadium would await.
A visit to Cincinnati would be the fourth high-profile U.S. Soccer event to take place in the city since the stadium opened.
TQL Stadium hosted the reigning world champion USWNT in September 2021 for a friendly against Paraguay. Mount Notre Dame product Rose Lavelle started, scored and generally dominated in the 8-0 win for the United States.
Two months later, the fabled USMNT-Mexico FIFA World Cup qualifying match was played in the West End with the Americans winning, 2-0.
In 2022, the USMNT won a FIFA World Cup tune-up match against Morocco, 3-0.
Knockout round schedule
Saturday, July 8, 2023 - QuarterfinalsMatch No. 34: 7 p.m. (6 p.m.) 1C vs 2B - AT&T Stadium; Arlington, TexasMatch No. 35 35: 9:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m.) 1B vs 2C - AT&T Stadium; Arlington, TexasSunday, July 9, 2023 - QuarterfinalsMatch No. 36: 5 p.m. (5 p.m.) 1D vs 2A - TQL Stadium; CincinnatiMatch No. 37: 7:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m.) 1A vs 2D - TQL Stadium; CincinnatiWednesday, July 12, 2023 - Semifinals*Match No. 38: 7:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m.) Semifinal 1 (W34 vs W37 or W35 vs W36)Match No. 39: 10 p.m. (7 p.m.) Semifinal 2 (W34 vs W37 or W35 vs W36)Sunday, July 16, 2023 - FinalMatch No. 40: 7:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m.) W38 vs W39 - SoFi Stadium; Inglewood, California
*Venues to be determined.
The tournament field
Preliminary group 1: Trinidad & Tobago, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Grenada
Preliminary group 2: Martinique, St. Lucia, Suriname, Puerto Rico
Preliminary group 3: Curaçao, St. Kitts & Nevis, French Guiana and Sint Maarten
Group A: USA, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Group 1 winner
Group B: Mexico, Haiti, Honduras, Qatar
Group C: Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, Group 2 winner
Group D: Canada, Guatemala, Cuba, Group 3 winner
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: TQL Stadium to host Gold Cup quarterfinal doubleheader July 9
