Concacaf revamps Gold Cup format to make tournament ‘more competitive’

Concacaf on Thursday announced changes to the format of the Gold Cup, the confederation’s regional championship. The move is aimed at “delivering more meaningful matches and matchups between top-ranked teams”, Concacaf said in a statement.

Once the primary focus of teams in the region, the 35-year-old tournament will return for its 19th edition in 2027 having lost a bit of luster. The federation’s tweaks to the format – which center around the competition’s group stage – could help restore that. Here’s a look at the tournament, what’s at stake and what is changing.

What is the Gold Cup and why is it changing?

The Gold Cup is the biannual regional championship for countries within Concacaf (the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football).