2013 Gold Cup

The tournament will take place this summer from July 7-28 in these stadiums:

• Atlanta – Georgia Dome (Atlanta, GA)
• Baltimore - M & T Bank Stadium (Baltimore, MD)
• Chicago - Soldier Field (Chicago, IL)
• Dallas - Cowboys Stadium (Arlington, TX)
• Denver - Sports Authority Field at Mile High (Denver, CO)
• Hartford - Rentschler Field (East Hartford, CT)
• Houston - BBVA Compass Stadium (Houston, TX)
• Los Angeles - Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA)
• Miami - Sun Life Stadium (Miami Gardens, FL)
• Nueva York - Red Bull Arena (Harrison, NJ)
• Portland - JELD-WEN Field (Portland, OR)
• Salt Lake City - Rio Tinto Stadium (Sandy, UT)
• Seattle - CenturyField (Seattle, WA)


And 11 of the 12 teams are known: Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, México, Trinidad & Tobago and United States. The final spot will come from the one match playoff, discussed in the UNCAF thread, between Guatemala and Panama.

Note that neither Jamaica nor Haiti qualified from the Caribbean. After an absence at the last Gold Cup Trinidad & Tobago are back.

Happy to read that Belize made it for the first time.

Here is the group draws and the schedule for the entire tournament, the final to be held at Chicago's Soldier Field:

Groupings and match schedule for the 2013 Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Gold Cup to be played in the United States.

Group A: Mexico, Panama, Canada, Martinique

Group B: Honduras, El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti

Group C: U.S., Costa Rica, Belize, Cuba

Schedule:

First Round

July 7 - Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California) Canada v Martinique; Mexico v Panama

July 8 - Red Bull Arena (Harrison, New Jersey) El Salvador v Trinidad & Tobago; Haiti v Honduras

July 9 - JELD-WEN Field (Portland, Oregon) Costa Rica v Cuba; Belize v U.S

July 11 - CenturyLink Field (Seattle, Washington) Panama v Martinique; Mexico v Canada

July 12 - Sun Life Stadium (Miami, Florida) Trinidad & Tobago v Haiti; Honduras v El Salvador

July 13 - Rio Tinto Stadium (Salt Lake City, Utah) U.S. v Cuba; Costa Rica v Belize

July 14 - Sports Authority Field at Mile High (Denver, Colorado) Martinique v Mexico; Panama v Canada

July 15 - BBVA Compass Stadium (Houston, Texas) El Salvador v Haiti; Honduras v Trinidad & Tobago

July 16 - Rentschler Field (Hartford, Connecticut) Cuba v Belize; U.S. v Costa Rica

Quarter-finals

July 20 - Georgia Dome (Atlanta, Georgia) Group A runner-up v Group B runner-up (x) Group A winner v Group B/C third-place (x)

July 21 - M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore, Maryland) Group B winner v Group C runner-up (y) Group C winner v Group A/B third place (y)

Semi-finals

July 24 - Cowboys Stadium (Arlington, Texas) (x) quarter-final winners (y) quarter-final winners

Final

July 28 - Soldier Field (Chicago, Illinois)

I'm pretty happy with our group. Given this is an "off year" Gold Cup (ie the year of the Hex), I think getting some tough games is going to help us. I don't expect to see Mexico or Panama at their best, but they should both still be hard. And Martinique is always tricky. I'd rather have a tough group and learn from it.

After having all of our matches in the east, I'm happy we're going to be in the west. It's good for our support and I'm sure a lot of Vancouver guys will make the short trip to Seattle. We're also planning a large trip to Denver. I suspect it won't be a big group going all the way to LA to see us play Martinique, but it's kind of tempting.

I feel for the U.S. What a crap group. You beat up on Belize and Cuba and then gear up for a tough game against Costa Rica. All while travelling from Portland to SLC and Hartford? I'm sure getting from SLC to Hartford won't be terribly simple either.

cheers,
hobbes

I'm booked up for Seattle and Denver. Ready to be a sliver of red in a sea of green (or is that black these days).

Anyone else going to any matches?

cheers,
hobbes

I hope to make a few, but mostly East Coasties. Maybe see you at the finale, Hobbes!

This Central Connecticut native feels compelled to say that Hartford does have an airport, you know.

Vince, shall we meet at the same 7-Eleven before the CR match?

Oh I know Winslow. I like Hartford. And I know what it's like to fly from SLC. I was more thinking a dirth of direct flights. Or do the Yanks fly charter/private. It just seemed like a lot of travel in the first round for a host... Mexico (and us) have a much better schedule travel-wise.

cheers,
hobbes

I am hoping to make the tournament opening doubleheader at the Rose Bowl. Anybody else going, please feel free to let me know.

CONCACAF have announced the tie breaking rules for the group stage, the top two in each group plus the two best 3rd place teams qualify for the quarterfinals.

Tiebreaking procedures in group play:

1. Total points in group play
2. Goal difference
3. Total goals scored
4. Point totals in head to head matchup with team tied on points with
5. Drawing lots

Tiebreaking procedures to determine top 2 third place teams:
1. Total points in group play
2. Goal difference
3. Total goals scored in group play
4. Drawing lots