CONCACAF Rubbishes Claims about Gold Cup

Body: 

The Gold Cup which is the biennial national team tournament for the CONCACAF region appeared to be under threat in the past week. The US Soccer Federation President Carlos Cordeiro appeared to suggest that the tournament would not hold after the 2021 edition.

Cordeiro made these statements in a meeting with the Athletics Council in America last week but it appears that the tournament is going to continue for the foreseeable future. He also hinted that there had been talks between CONMEBOL and CONCACAF on a merger of the two regional tournaments.

A combined Copa America had been staged in 2016 to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the tournament and North American teams are regularly invited to the Copa America. However, Cordeiro hinted that no agreement has been reached.

CONCACAF have moved quickly to debunk such claims insisting that the tournament is already part of the FIFA calendar.

The regional body has always maintained that the biennial competition is a good way to improve the standing of the sport in the region. North America is one of the few regions in the world where football is not the most popular sport.

The body clarified that the 2019.2021 and 2023 tournaments are already part of the FIFA Calendar and also reiterated that once the calendar is reviewed in 2023 the body would continue with the tournament.“ The Gold has been dominated by the USA and Mexico with both countries winning all but one of the title which Canada won“ in 2000. The tournament has been used to determine teams that qualified for the World Cup in the past and is the major determinant of the team “that represents the region“ in the Confederations Cup.

The 2019 Tournament is expected to be hosted in the USA, Costa Rica and a Carribean nation yet to be decided.