SAN JOSE, Calif. –
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced today that Levi’s® Stadium in Santa Clara will host a knockout round match in the 2017 edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Bay Area is one of 13 metropolitan areas that will welcome the 14th edition of the Gold Cup set to take place next July 7-26.
“Hosting games from another major international tournament is a testament to the importance of the Bay Area within the United States soccer landscape,” said Earthquakes Chief Operating Officer Jared Shawlee. “We are excited that the Gold Cup will come to the Bay Area and are looking forward to working with the 49ers and Levi’s® Stadium to host some of the top teams and players from the CONCACAF region.”
The announcement was made simultaneously from coast-to-coast by athletes, musicians and local dignitaries representing each of the host venues, including Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, rock band Kings of Leon and the mayors of several of the participating cities (see below for full list).
For the upcoming edition of the Gold Cup, CONCACAF has taken steps to expand the tournament to emerging soccer markets, allowing more fans across the country to take part in the continental championship first-hand. The 2017 Gold Cup will feature four first-time hosts: the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX; FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, OH; Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA; and Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.
Returning in 2017 are 10 previous Gold Cup host venues: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX (2009, 2011, 2013); BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, TX (2013, 2015); Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia (2009, 2015); Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA (1996, 2000); Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL (2011); Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ (2011, 2013); the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA (1991, 2002, 2011, 2013); Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, CO (2013); Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX (2015); and University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ (2009, 2015).
“We’re excited to bring the Gold Cup to new markets across the country. These cities have all proved ready and eager to host our region’s marquee soccer championship, and welcome world class international soccer next summer,” said CONCACAF General Secretary Philippe Moggio. “With matches also set for some of our more popular venues over the years, such as Dallas, Los Angeles and New York, next year’s Gold Cup will highlight the top-tier sporting status of international soccer across the nation.”
The dates for Gold Cup matches scheduled for each group stage city were also announced, as well as the groups to be headed up by the tournament’s seeded nations: the United States (Group B), and Mexico (Group C). Group A will be filled out pending the completion of the tournament field, with the UNCAF Central American Cup set to determine that region’s qualifiers in January.
Complete groups and the full schedule, including selection of dates and assignment of matches for the knockout round and the awarding of the Final, will be announced next year.
To date, seven of the 12 national teams scheduled to participate have qualified for next year’s tournament: Canada, Mexico and the United States from North America, as well as Curacao, French Guiana, Jamaica, and Martinique, from the Caribbean, will compete for the Confederation crown in July.
Canada, Mexico and the United States automatically qualify for the Gold Cup in representation of North America. The four Caribbean nations already qualified did so by winning their groups in the recently completed semifinal stage of the Scotiabank CFU Caribbean Cup. The top four finishers from January’s UNCAF Central American Cup, to be played in Panama, will also qualify.
Three additional Caribbean nations, Haiti, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago, have qualified for an additional series of matches in January, the winner of which will face-off next year in a two-leg playoff against the fifth-place team from the UNCAF Central American Cup to determine the final participant in the 2017 Gold Cup.
Taking place every two years, the CONCACAF Gold Cup is the official national team championship of the region, which includes North and Central America and the Caribbean, and will be broadcast next year in the United States on the FOX and Univision family of networks. Drawing large crowds and millions of television viewers across the region, the Gold Cup is a celebration of soccer, sportsmanship, and culture. The winner of the 2017 tournament will take home continental bragging rights and an assured spot in the next CONCACAF Cup, a play-in game to qualify for the 2021 FIFA Confederations Cup, in the case two separate champions emerge from the next two editions of the Gold Cup.
Exclusive Presale Offering
Fans can now visit
www.GoldCup.org
to sign up for an exclusive pre-sale offering for any Gold Cup game day in 2017, before seats go on sale to the general public. Tickets for the 2017 Gold Cup will go on sale at a later date. The LOC encourages fans to purchase their tickets early in order to secure the best seats for a great fan experience.
- Earthquakes Season Ticket Holders will be eligible to purchase tickets for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup during an exclusive private presale. More details to follow.
2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup Host Cities & Venues
Seeded Nations
Group A – To be determined
Group B – United States
Group C – Mexico
Group Stage Venues & Dates:
July 7, Group A – NY/NJ – Red Bull Arena (Harrison, NJ)
July 8, Group B – Nashville – Nissan Stadium (Nashville, TN)
July 9, Group C – San Diego – Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego, CA)
July 11, Group A – Houston – BBVA Compass Stadium (Houston, TX)
July 12, Group B – Tampa Bay – Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)
July 13, Group C – Denver – Sports Authority Field (Denver, CO)
July 14, Group A – Dallas – Toyota Stadium (Frisco, TX)
July 15, Group B – Cleveland – FirstEnergy Stadium (Cleveland, OH)
July 16, Group C – San Antonio – Alamodome (San Antonio, TX)
Knockout Round Venues (alphabetical order by metropolitan area):
Bay Area – Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, CA)
Dallas – AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
Los Angeles – Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA)
Philadelphia – Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA)
Phoenix – University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, AZ)
