Mexico to open CONCACAF Gold Cup at the Rose Bowl
Top-seeded Mexico will open next summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on June 15, one of two group-stage sites in Southern California.
The other is Banc of California Stadium in Exposition Park, where Honduras will conclude play in Group C on June 25. The opponents for both matches have yet to be determined.
Mexico’s other group-play matches will be in Denver and Charlotte, N.C., while the defending champion U.S., which is in Group D, will play its three first-round games in St. Paul, Minn., Cleveland and Kansas City, Kan.
Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica and the U.S. were awarded the top seeds in the 16-team tournament based on their CONCACAF ranking index in September. Panama and Trinidad and Tobago have also qualified for the Gold Cup by virtue of their participation in the 2018 hexagonal round of World Cup qualifying.
The complete groups and schedule will be announced early next year, once all nations have qualified for the tournament via the CONCACAF Nations League Qualifier, with rounds upcoming in October and November 2018, and March 2019.
Group A - Mexico: June 15 at Rose Bowl, Pasadena; June 19 at Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver; June 23 at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C. Group B - Costa Rica: June 16 at a non-U.S. venue to be determined; June 20 at Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas; June 24 at Red Bull Arena, Harrison, N.J. Group C - Honduras: June 17 at a non-U.S. venue to be determined; June 21 at BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston; June 25 at Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles. Group D - United States: June 18 at Allianz Field, St. Paul, Minn.; June 22 at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland; June 26 at Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kan.
Quarterfinals (Doubleheaders): June 29 at NRG Stadium, Houston, (QF1: 2A vs. 1C and QF2: 1A vs. 2C); June 30 at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, (QF3: 2B vs. 1D and QF4: 1B vs. 2D). Semifinals: July 2 at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz. (winner QF1 vs. winner QF2); July 3 at Nissan Stadium, Nashville (winner QF3 vs. winner QF4). Final: July 7 at Soldier Field, Chicago
kevin.baxter@latimes.com | Twitter: @kbaxter11
