December 20 – Saudi Arabia will compete on the 16-team Concacaf Gold Cup subsequent summer season, to be performed predominantly on the West coast of the USA.
To this point eight Concacaf groups have already certified by the Concacaf Nations League, with seven extra to be confirmed following the Gold Cup preliminary spherical play-offs in March 2025.
The eight Concacaf groups already certified for the Gold Cup Group Stage are Canada, Curacao, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, and the US.
Saudi Arabia observe in the newest footsteps of Qatar who guested on the 2021 and 2023 Gold Cups, and former visitor nations together with Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Qatar, South Africa, South Korea.
Concacaf president Victor Montagliani mentioned: “We’re very happy that by our relationship with the Asian Soccer Confederation we have now been capable of collaborate with the Saudi Arabian Soccer Federation and their President Yasser Al-Misehal, each on and off the pitch, and we look ahead to welcoming one in every of Asia’s high males’s nationwide groups to compete with one of the best in Concacaf.”
“With this subsequent Gold Cup version going down only one yr out from 2026, it’s a great alternative to harness the elevated curiosity within the sport in our area and guarantees to be one of the best version but.”
Concacaf has a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the AFC, of which the Saudi FA is a member, in addition to a separate settlement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund. The Saudi participation on the Gold Cup may also see collaboration on soccer growth and CSR initiatives, together with important data sharing between the World Cup 2026 and 2034 hosts. Saudi vitality big Aramco has been a Concacaf sponsor for 18 months.
SAFF president Yasser Al-Misehal mentioned: “It’s a nice privilege to symbolize the Asian Soccer Confederation on this prestigious match. Representing your nation abroad is an honour all Saudis take very critically, particularly within the yr earlier than our associates at Concacaf assist stage the FIFA World Cup 2026™. As a FIFA World Cup host nation, this studying alternative is a duty that SAFF will wholeheartedly embrace. Soccer is a nationwide obsession in Saudi Arabia and our mission is all about rising collectively and to assist develop the sport globally.”
Play-off pathway paved
Concacaf has additionally confirmed the qualification pathway for 14 males’s nationwide groups competing for the seven closing qualification slots.
The Prelims matchups, determined by the Concacaf Nations League outcomes and the Concacaf Rankings, are Costa Rica vs. Belize, Jamaica vs. St Vincent and the Grenadines, Honduras vs. Bermuda, Guatemala vs. Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago vs. Cuba, Martinique vs. Suriname, and Nicaragua vs. Guadeloupe.
After residence and away play in March 2025, the combination rating winners in every matchup will qualify for the Gold Cup Group Stage. The group draw can be held in April 2025. The Gold Cup can be performed June 14 to July 6.
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