NASHVILLE -- The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) today announced the groups and schedule for the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup. The details were unveiled at an event hosted at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, in the presence of the participating head coaches, as well as football personalities, city dignitaries, and Confederation officials.
"The love for football is demonstrated with every passing edition of the Concacaf Gold Cup," said Concacaf President Victor Montagliani. "Bringing the 16-team Gold Cup to Costa Rica, Jamaica and the United States is a watershed moment for football in our Confederation. This 15th edition will make the tournament more competitive and compelling for players and fans, while showcasing our region's unity, passion for football and talent on the field."
- To view and download the complete 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup schedule, visit this **link**.
- Tickets & Hospitality Packages to all Gold Cup matches are available by visiting www.GoldCup.org.
As part of the event, the Confederation held **Concacaf NextPlay**, a grassroots development initiative, consisting of a training from Concacaf officials for coaches to deliver the NextPlay methodology in their local communities. The program is focused on utilizing the game to create safe spaces, while promoting social values. After the coaches training, a football clinic for boys and girls took place at the Banc of California Stadium.
Inspired by the diverse communities served by the organization, as well as its mission and values, Concacaf NextPlay emphasizes the Confederation's commitment to social responsibility by promoting access to football within the region, while leveraging the power of the game to drive social change.
The 2019 Gold Cup will be the biggest-ever edition of the event, with more participating nations (16 up from 12 in 2017), more host countries (three, including first-time matches in Costa Rica and Jamaica, and more stadiums (17 up from 14 in 2017, eight of which are in contention to become a 2026 FIFA World Cup venue).
The 15th edition of the continental championship will kick off on Saturday, June 15 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, with Canada and Martinique marking the start of Group A action. The second match of the day will feature a matchup between seven-time Gold Cup champions Mexico and Cuba.
As part of this expanded format of the tournament, Group B will debut in the tournament on Sunday June 16, in Costa Rica's Estadio Nacional, marking the first-time the tournament is played in Central America. Costa Rica and Nicaragua will face-off in Group B's evening match, while Haiti and Bermuda will open the day's doubleheader.
In Group C, the seeded nation, Honduras, will travel to Kingston, Jamaica, to take on the Reggae Boyz, marking the first time the tournament is played in the Caribbean, while Curaçao and El Salvador battle for early group dominance.
Group D, led by manager Gregg Berhalter's United States will begin their title defense in Minnesota's Allianz Field against Guyana, who will be making their Gold Cup debut, while Panama take on Trinidad and Tobago in what is sure to be a tightly contested match to round out the day and the first full round of Group Stage matchups.
In the Knockout rounds, Houston's NRG Stadium and Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field will host two Quarterfinal matches each, on June 29 and 30 respectively. The winning teams will move on to State Farm Stadium in Phoenix and Nissan Stadium in Nashville for the Semifinals. The grand final is scheduled to be played on July 7, in Chicago's iconic Soldier Field.
- Follow the tournament news at the event's official **Twitter** account and **Facebook** page
- Fans can learn more about pre-game hospitality and travel packages for Gold Cup games by visiting www.Primesport.com.
The 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup is sponsored by Allstate Insurance Company, Camarena Tequila, Cerveza Modelo, Nike, Scotiabank, Sprint, and Toyota. The tournament will be broadcast nationally on the Univision and FOX family of networks and transmitted on radio in Spanish by Fútbol de Primera Radio Network, and broadcast by television partners in over 180 countries around the world.
