CONCACAF Overhauls Gold Cup Into Two Eight-Team Groups
CONCACAF announced Thursday that the Gold Cup will abandon its longtime four-group format starting with the 2027 edition, moving instead to two groups of eight teams. The change affects the biennial tournament that includes the United States and Mexico men's national teams among the region's top sides.
Previous editions, including last year's tournament, split 16 national teams into four groups of four, with the top two finishers in each group advancing to the quarterfinals. Under the new structure, the top four teams from each of the two eight-team groups will move on to the knockout stage. CONCACAF said the format guarantees every team at least four group-stage matches, up from three previously. sports betting surfing
CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani said the governing body expects the changes to raise the stakes of the group stage. "We are really excited about what this new format will bring to the tournament's group stage," Montagliani said. "Every match will matter, with teams facing a balanced mix of opponents and competing for a place in the knockout rounds."
The 2027 tournament is set to run from June 17 to July 11, with the final on the latter date, and is expected to include at least some matches in the United States. CONCACAF will hold the draw on April 8. The field will include 15 regional teams qualifying through the Nations League, joined by guest nation Saudi Arabia. In the most recent edition, held in 2025, Mexico defeated the United States 2-1 in a final played in Houston.
