2011 GOLD CUP DETAILS ANNOUNCED

TEAMS, VENUES, GROUPS, DATES, TIMES

CONCACAF have announced the details of the 2011 Gold Cup. The 12-team tournament will begin on June 5 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Texas and wrap up June 25 at the venerable Rose Bowl in Pasadena CA.

Five-time champions Mexico will lead Group A, with four-time champions the United States placed in Group C with Canada, the only other nation to win a Gold Cup when they beat guests Colombia in the 2000 Final.  2010 World Cup finalists Honduras will head up Group B.

GROUPS

Group A: Mexico-Costa Rica-El Salvador-Cuba
Group B: Honduras-Guatemala-Jamaica-Grenada
Group C: United States-Canada-Panama-Guadeloupe

COMPLETE SCHEDULE BELOW

The United States has never lost a match in the group stage since the Gold Cup began in 1991 (draws with Costa Rica in 2005 and Haiti in ’09).

ARRANGEMENT, NOT A DRAW

The ‘announcement’ of the groups was a polite way of saying that the groups were ‘arranged’ by CONCACAF as opposed to drawing the teams from pots or pools or seeding.

CONCACAF claims it made the arrangements based on parity and a desire to maximize local interest, but in reality it was a money driven determination, and an unhealthy precedent. For More on that… CLICK HERE

This means that Mexico plays in big venues with large Mexican fanbases and likewise for nations such as Jamaica and Grenada will playing in Miami and New York.

A clever decision, in terms of ticket sales, was the placing of Canada in Group C with the United States.  The opening  match will be at Ford Field in Detroit, not far for Ontario based Canadian fans.  The match is also the first of the tournament for both nations, meaning both teams will have to perform for vital points.

VENUES

The United States will take part in the international christening of Kansas City’s new soccer specific Livestrong Soccer Park.  The new stadium is set to open early in the summer, just in time for the Group C finale that will see Canada battler Panama and the United States play Guadeloupe.

The New York/New Jersey area, which hosted of the 2005 and 2009 Gold Cup Finals will again be featured, but there will be two new venues for the 2011 edition.  Red Bull Arena will host Group B matches and the New Medowlands will host a quarterfinal double header on June 18.

Houston’s Reliant Stadium and Chicago’s Soldier Field.  Staples of the Gold Cup since they opened their doors will again be utilized.  Soldier Field, site of the 2007 Semifinals and Final and the 2009 Semifinals will host a Group A double header on June 12.  Reliant Stadium will host the 2011 Semifinals in a June 22 double header.

Los Angeles has been home to the Gold Cup since the first tournament in 1991 and has hosted matches in 9 of the eleven competitions over the years.  Los Angeles has hosted seven Gold Cup Finals.  The Rose Bowl, the only stadium on the planet to host a World Cup Final, a Women’s World Cup Final and an Olympic Gold Medal match, will host the 2011 Gold Cup Final.  The Pasadena landmark also hosted the 2002 Final.  Crosstown Stadium, Los Angeles Memorial Colosseum has hosted the Gold Cup Final 5 times.

COMPLETE SCHEDULE HERE

(BY GROUP)

ALL TIMES EASTERN

GROUP A

Sunday, June 5 – Cowboy Stadium, Arlington TX

6:00pm – Costa Rica v Cuba

8:00pm – Mexico v El Salvador

Thursday, June 9 – Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte NC

7:00pm – Costa Rica v El Salvador

9:00pm – Cuba v Mexico

Sunday, June 12 – Soldier Field, Chicago IL

6:00pm – El Salvador v Cuba

8:00pm – Mexico v Costa Rica

GROUP B

Monday, June 6 – Home Depot Center, Carson CA

9:00pm – Jamaica v Grenada

11:00pm – Honduras v Guatemala

Friday, June 10 – FIU Stadium, Miami FL

7:00pm – Jamaica v Guatemala

9:00pm – Grenada v Honduras

Monday, June 13 – Red Bull Arena, Harrison NJ

7:00pm – Guatemala v Grenada

9:00pm – Honduras v Jamaica

GROUP C

Tuesday, June 7 – Ford Field, Detroit MI

6:00pm – Panama v Guadeloupe

8:00pm – United States v Canada

Saturday, June 11 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa FL

6:00pm – Canada v Guadeloupe

8:00pm – United States v Panama

Tuesday, June 13 –Livestrong Sporting Park, Kansas City MO

7:00pm – Canada v Panama

9:00pm – Guadeloupe v United States

QUARTERFINALS

Saturday, June 18 – New Meadowlands, East Rutherford NJ

5:00pm – Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up*

8:00pm – Group A Winner v Group B/C Third Place*

Sunday, June 19 – RFK Stadium, Washington DC

3:00pm – Group B Winner v Group C Runner-up*

6:00pm – Group C Winner v Group A/B Third Place*

SEMIFINALS

Wednesday, June 22 – Reliant Stadium, Houston TX

7:00pm – Quarterfinal Winner v Quarterfinal Winner*

10:00pm – Quarterfinal Winner v Quarterfinal Winner*

FINAL

Saturday, June 25 – Rose Bowl, Pasadena CA

9:00pm – Semifinal Winner v Semifinal Winner

* Order of play for Quarterfinal and Semifinal stages will be determined after Group Stage

COMPLETE SCHEDULE (BY DATE)

ALL TIMES EASTERN

GROUP STAGES

Sunday, June 5 – Cowboy Stadium, Arlington TX – GROUP A

6:00pm – Costa Rica v Cuba

8:00pm – Mexico v El Salvador

Monday, June 6 – Home Depot Center, Carson CA – GROUP B

9:00pm – Jamaica v Grenada

11:00pm – Honduras v Guatemala

Tuesday, June 7 – Ford Field, Detroit MI – GROUP C

6:00pm – Panama v Guadeloupe

8:00pm – United States v Canada

Thursday, June 9 – Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte NC – GROUP A

7:00pm – Costa Rica v El Salvador

9:00pm – Cuba v Mexico

Friday, June 10 – FIU Stadium, Miami FL – GROUP B

7:00pm – Jamaica v Guatemala

9:00pm – Grenada v Honduras

Saturday, June 11 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa FL – GROUP C

6:00pm – Canada v Guadeloupe

8:00pm – United States v Panama

Sunday, June 12 – Soldier Field, Chicago IL – GROUP A

6:00pm – El Salvador v Cuba

8:00pm – Mexico v Costa Rica

Monday, June 13 – Red Bull Arena, Harrison NJ – GROUP B

7:00pm – Guatemala v Grenada

9:00pm – Honduras v Jamaica

Tuesday, June 14 –KC Soccer Stadium, Kansas City MO – GROUP C

7:00pm – Canada v Panama

9:00pm – Guadeloupe v United States

QUARTERFINALS

Saturday, June 18 – New Meadowlands, East Rutherford NJ

5:00pm – Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up*

8:00pm – Group A Winner v Group B/C Third Place

Sunday, June 19 – RFK Stadium, Washington DC

3:00pm – Group B Winner v Group C Runner-up*

6:00pm – Group C Winner v Group A/B Third Place

SEMIFINALS

Wednesday, June 22 – Reliant Stadium, Houston TX

7:00pm – Quarterfinal Winner v Quarterfinal Winner*

10:00pm – Quarterfinal Winner v Quarterfinal Winner

FINAL

Saturday, June 25 – Rose Bowl, Pasadena CA

9:00pm – Semifinal Winner v Semifinal Winner

* Order of play for Quarterfinal and Semifinal stages will be determined after Group Stage