San Diego has been selected as a site for the 2017 Gold Cup tournament of soccer’s Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF). An opening-round double-header is scheduled for July 9 at Qualcomm Stadium, city officials announced.
The tournament is the official national team soccer championship for the Latin American and Caribbean region. Qualcomm Stadium will host opening games featuring the Mexican national team as the seeded nation of Group C.
Mike McDowell, executive director of the San Diego Sports Alliance, a strategic partner of the San Diego Tourism Authority, said in a city statement that hosting the Gold Cup gives San Diego “a prime opportunity to show how our youth and adult soccer communities come together” to support professional soccer on the international stage.
Qualcomm Stadium previously hosted the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1996 and 2000. The tournament’s 2017 matches will take place July 7-26 in 14 U.S. cities, with more information at GoldCup.org.
The Gold Cup tournament takes place every two years. The winner of the 2017 tournament will get continental bragging rights and be assured a spot in the CONCACAF Cup play-in game to qualify for the 2021 FIFA Confederations Cup, if needed.
