Concacaf News – Inside World Football

MLS quartet take challenge to Liga MX powerhouses in Champions Cup quarter-finals

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 04:35:24 +0000

March 17 – The quarter finals of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup have become an MLS vs Liga MX battleground, with both leagues qualifying four teams.

In an all MLS tie Inter Miami meet Los Angeles FC, while in an all Liga MX bout, six times winners Cruz Azul will meet seven times winners Club America.

Liga MX clubs have long held a grip on the Champions Cup having won 15 of the last 16 editions (it was previously called the Concacaf Champions League).

CONCACAF clears LAFC’s Palencia of ‘hate speech’ towards Colorado’s Awaziem

Andy Elliott — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 09:33:27 +0000

March 6 – CONCACAF has cleared LAFC defender Sergi Palencia of using discriminatory language towards Colorado Rapids defender Chidozie Awaziem in last month’s CONCACAF Champions Cup match.

The game was entering its final minutes with LAFC leading 1-0 when the game was stopped after Awaziem accused Palencia of using ‘hate speech’ towards him.

Afterwards, Colorado coach Chris Armas said Awaziem was shaken after he claimed to have been called a derogatory term.

Fox’s Tubi streaming service secures live rights for Concacaf Champions Cup games

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 04:44:56 +0000

February 4 – Streaming service Tubi, owned by Fox Corporation, is to become the exclusive home for the Concacaf Champions Cup in Mexico.

Beginning on with tonight’s matches, games will be streamed live and for free on Tubi via the FOX Deportes en Tubi Channel.
The Concacaf Champions Cup is the region’s premier club competition, with the region’s top 27 teams competing for the title. The winner secures a place in the FIFA Club World Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

Concacaf launches tender for betting sponsor

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 06:20:08 +0000

January 10 – Betting in football is a fact of life and the cost of doing business. In the club game, sponsorship is attached to almost anything that is within eyesight, however, the international game has been relatively immune until recently when both FIFA and UEFA agreed spnosrships with Betano and Bet365.

Now Concacaf, the hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is looking for a piece of the action with and have launched an invitation process for interested parties to submit offers to become the official betting partner/sponsor of the Confederation’s senior women’s and men’s national team and club competitions that will take place from 2025-2028.

The post Concacaf launches tender for betting sponsor appeared first on Inside World Football.

Concacaf readies for Champions Cup 2025 draw

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 03:22:34 +0000

December 10 – Concacaf will hold the draw for Round One of its premier club competition, the Champions Cup, in Miami today. The final 27 teams have been pre-seeded based on the Concacaf club rankings.

The 60th edition of the Concacaf Champions Cup sees a record nine MLS teams in the final 27, compared to six from Mexico’s Liga MX. Qualified teams include seven-time Concacaf champion Club América (MEX), the three winners of the Confederation’s regional cup competitions,

The post Concacaf readies for Champions Cup 2025 draw appeared first on Inside World Football.

Concacaf names 14 stadiums in 11 cities for 2025 Gold Cup

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 13:14:19 +0000

September 26 – Concacaf has unveiled 14 stadiums for the 2025 Gold Cup which will be played next June predominantly on the West coast and in Texas. Five stadiums that will be used at the 2026 World Cup will also host the Gold Cup in 2025.

That includes the Gold Cup taking a third trip to Canada with BC Place, in Vancouver, hosting for the first time. Vancouver was a late but successful entrant into the 2026 World Cup host bidding.

Balance of club power shifts towards Costa Rica as 3 clubs into last 8 of Central American Cup

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 09:25:38 +0000

September 2 – Costa Rica’s men’s national may have been knocked off their dominance of the Central American region by Panama, but their clubs have taken a grip on the 2024 Concacaf Central America Cup.

All three Costa Rican sides – CS Herediano, LD Alajuelense and Deportivo Saprissa – topped their groups and were seeded into the quarter finals meaning that none could meet each other before the semi-final stage.

That leaves the very real prospect of three teams in the quarter finals of the Central American Cup as they chase not just regional bragging rights but a spot in Concacaf’s 2025 Champions Cup.

Concacaf creates bridge to younger audiences with Fortnight and GGTECH hook-up

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 09:01:38 +0000

August 27 – Concacaf has launched itself into the youth gaming market in partnership with gaming and esports specialists GGTECH, with the first project being a football-specific Fortnite map, ‘Concacaf Kick-Off Stadium’.

The new initiative was launched at video game convention where Concacaf hosted an interactive Concacaf Kick-Off branded booth including a console arena, streaming cabin, and a photo opportunity with the Champions’ trophies of Concacaf’s premier competitions.

The aim of the platform,

Saudi’s fledgling airline Riyadh Air lands Concacaf deal as PIF partnership takes-off

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 08:43:45 +0000

August 19 – More detail of the Concacaf deal with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is emerging with new Saudi airline Riyadh Air, which will begin operations in 2025, taking over from Qatar Airways as the confederation’s official airline partner.

The agreement will Riyadh Air branding across all of the Confederation’s national and club competitions, including the Gold Cup and Nations League where Qatar Airways logo was locked up with the event logo.

Concacaf agrees multi-year partnership with Saudi Arabia’s PIF

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 12:53:46 +0000

August 16 – Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), owner of Premier League Newcastle United and four of the leading clubs in the Saudi Pro League, has agreed a multi-year sponsorship with Concacaf.

No value was given for the partnership that will support both Concacaf’s major tournaments and the confederation “in its efforts to increase the number of official youth championships it delivers in the coming years.”

Front and centre of the increase in youth competitions is the U17 championships which now have to take place yearly in order to qualify nations for FIFA’s now annual U17 World Cup.

Concacaf signs first Central America-based sponsor for its regional club competition

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 07:22:25 +0000

August 6 – Concacaf has signed a three-year partnership with Honduran snack company Snacks Yummies, and its Taqueritos brand, which becomes an official sponsor of the Concacaf Central American Cup.

The Central American Cup crowns Central America’s club champion and qualifies six clubs for the Concacaf Champions Cup.
The agreement begins with the 2024 edition and designates Taqueritos as the Official Snack Sponsor for the 2024, 2025, and 2026 editions.

“We are excited to be part of the Central American Cup alongside Concacaf;

Comical: Canadian Premier League meets Marvel for series of Super Hero days

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 00:47:33 +0000

June 9 – Comic-turned-TV brand Marvel is teaming up with the Canadian Super League (CPL) for a series of Marvel Super Hero Days during the 2024 regular season.

Each CPL club will host its own Marvel Super Hero Day with the first 1,000 fans at each match receiving a custom Marvel comic poster featuring the home club.

“At the CPL, we are no stranger to the different shapes a superhero can take,

Concacaf Champions Cup reaches semi-final stages with Mexican clubs again in control

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 11:40:50 +0000

April 16 – The revamped Concacaf Champions Cup (formerly the Champions League) has reached the semi-finals stage with Mexican clubs again dominating the closing rounds of the confederation’s leading club competition.

Mexico’s CF Monterrey, CF Pachuca, and Club America are all through to the semi-finals along with 2023 MLS champions Columbus Crew.

The semi-finals, played over home and away legs, will take place on April 23 and 24 (first legs) and April 30 and May 1 (second legs) and will see Monterrey play Columbus Crew and Pachuca play Club America.

Concacaf debuts on WhatsApp Channels platform with 1.6m users in first month

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 07:56:37 +0000

October 12 – Concacaf has upped its digital engagement game by becoming an early adopter of the new WhatsApp Channels service recently launched by Meta, announcing itself as one of the first major sports organisations to communicate directly to fans on WhatsApp.

After just a month on the platform Concacaf is claiming 1.6 million users.

The WhatsApp ‘Channels’ function acts as a one-way broadcast tool used to communicate with followers en masse,

Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago mount CNL challenge as October fixtures released

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 09:34:29 +0000

September 25 – Concacaf has released the match schedule for the October rounds of group play in its Nations League that will decide four qualifiers for the quarter finals of the competition and ultimately the six qualifiers for next summer’s Conmebol Copa America USA.

After the first two rounds in League A, Trinidad and Tobago are the surprise leaders of Group A with two wins and two points ahead of 2023 Gold Cup finalists Panama.

Concacaf unveils draw for Central America Cup quarter-finals

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 05:48:52 +0000

September 4 – Concacaf has released the quarter final match-ups for the 2023 Concacaf Central American Cup to be September 26-28 (first legs) and October 3-5 (second legs).

The eight clubs in the inaugural Central American Cup are also competing for six slots in the renamed 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup (previously the Concacaf Champions League).

Costa Rican clubs dominate the quarterfinals with four teams having made it to the knock-out stage,

Messi steps up again as Inter Miami lift Leagues Cup with penalty win over Nashville

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 04:37:45 +0000

August 20 – It has taken Lionel Messi just seven matches to win his first piece of silverware in the US with Inter Miami. A remarkable unbeaten Leagues Cup run that climaxed with the win over Nashville after 11 rounds of penalties. The game was tied at 1-1 at full time.

It has been a stunning month for Inter Milan and Messi, even by his standards, as he collected his 44th trophy for club and country.

Concacaf W strategy bears results as Montagliani sends message of support to his six 2023 nations

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 04:40:04 +0000

July 21 – Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, coming off the back of the successful conclusion of the Gold Cup, has turned his attention to his six member nations competing at the Women’s World Cup.

Concacaf has both the current World Cup champions, USA, and current Olympic Champions Canada in its ranks. It has also qualified four other nations for the finals (it has a maximum of four at the men’s World Cup).

Jamaica and Costa Rica qualified via the Concacaf W Championships,

MLS vs Saudi Pro League? Garber says the point is expansion of the game beyond Europe

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 14:12:15 +0000

July 19 – Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber insists the rise of the cash-rich Saudi Pro League won’t threaten the MLS’s potential expansion into emerging viewing markets.

The Saudis have lured the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in recent months and has been flexing its financial muscle in an attempt to grow the game. In recent days, former Liverpool star Roberto Firmino has also jumped on the Saudi train with a free transfer to Al-Ahli but Garber says all the global attention doesn’t concern him.

BMO signs up for World Cup/Gold Cup double deal

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 20:05:37 +0000

June 27 – The first deal coming out of the new Concacaf/FIFA commercial partnership has been struck with Canada-based bank BMO.

The bank becomes an Official Supporter of the Women’s World Cup 2023 as well as the Official Bank for both the just completed Concacaf Nations League and the Gold Cup that kicked-off last weekend.

The announcement came ahead of Canada’s opening game in the Gold Cup at the BMO Field in Toronto.

Concacaf launches Bigger Game social responsibility programme at the SoFi Stadium

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 06:44:02 +0000

April 15 – Using the backdrop of the 2023 Gold Cup Draw at the spectacular SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Concacaf officially launched its ‘Bigger Game’ social impact strategy.

The Bigger Game’s mission is to provide football and social development opportunities which benefit communities across Concacaf’s 41 member associations.

At the launch, on the pitch of the SoFi Stadium, which saw local youth training and playing matches, the mayor of Inglewood James T Butts thanked Concacaf for coming to the city saying: “Sports is a microcosm of social development… Focussing on a bigger game is focussing on the development of our game to contribute to a better society.”

The strategy will see Concacaf initiate and support grassroots football initiatives and social programs which aim to tackle some of the most pressing issues faced by communities in the region.

Squads announced, trophy delivered: Conacaf set for first Nations League finals

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 26 May 2021 23:04:34 +0000

May 27 – Concacaf preparation for a summer of senior men’s football competition is gathering pace for with the unveiled of the trophy that will be awarded to the first Concacaf Nations League champions next week.

The finals of the inaugural edition were delayed from last year when the pandemic struck but will now be played June 3-6 at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado.

The US will face Hoduras in the first semi-final,

Concacaf hits the road for Vegas and Gold Cup Final party

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 07:56:56 +0000

By Paul Nicholson

April 13 – Concacaf will celebrate the easing of lockdown and hopefully a break in the pandemic with an all singing all dancing Gold Cup Final in Las Vegas on August 1.

“2021 is Concacaf’s 60th anniversary year making this edition extra special for players and fans. The federations and their teams are looking forward to this tournament with great anticipation and it is fitting that the regional champion will be crowned in such an outstanding venue and famous city,” said Concacaf president and FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani.

Concacaf to kick off Gold Cup in Miami, July 2, with centralised final qualifiers

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 08:40:11 +0000

By Paul Nicholson

April 8 – The Gold Cup will open in Miami July 2 with a series of knockout rounds to qualify the final three teams for the 16-team Gold Cup that kicks off July 10.

The play-offs, centralised at MLS’ Inter Miami CF Stadium, will see 12 Concacaf teams in action battling for the final three group places. Six of the teams – Bermuda, Cuba,Haiti, Guatemala, Guyana,

Concacaf expands its Gold Cup with new knock-out round and updated draw structure

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 10:40:28 +0000

By Paul Nicholson

September 3 – Concacaf has further expanded its bi-annual Gold Cup with a series of changes that increase member nation participation and the integrity of the competition structure.

Scheduled to kick off its 16 team group stages 10 July 2021, the 12 already qualified nations will be joined by three nations from a Preliminary Round knockout phase that will be played in the US by 12 nations.

2021 Gold Cup revamped with preliminary 12-team qualifiers to be centralised in US

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 08:45:03 +0000

July 28 – Concacaf has scheduled the 2021 Gold Cup in the US for next July, and in a unique revamp of qualification – and to take account of lost international windows due to the Covid pandemic – the preliminary rounds will see the 12 competing teams centralised in the US.

They will play off for the last four Gold Cup spots in the week before the finals proper kick off, giving many of the competing nations their first taste of major tournament play.

Navas, Dempsey, Ruiz and Chicarito battle for CONCACAF awards

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 00:14:23 +0000

December 16 – Fan voting has opened for the CONCACAF annual awards, the fourth time the awards have been held.

For the Male player of the Year award three Costa Ricans, including veteran striker Bryan Ruiz and standout goalkeeper Kaylor Navas, go up against two American (another veteran Clint Dempsey is nominated), two Mexicans (including a rejuventated Javier Hernandez), a Honduran and Jamaica’s captain Wes Morgan.

The Female player of the Year awards are dominated by seven Americans who are up against two Costa Ricans and one Canadian.

Moggio aces CONCACAF interviews to land top job

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 27 May 2016 09:32:04 +0000

May 27 – Unlike FIFA’s surprise announcement of its never-before-heard-of new general secretary recruited single-handedly by new president Gianni Infantino, CONCACAF’s new general secretary announced yesterday comes out a more rigorous recruitment process led by an executive search firm.

Philippe Moggio will join the regional confederation June 1 from National Basketball Association (NBA) where he was Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Latin America and the Caribbean.

He will take over from acting general secretary Ted Howard and will be based in the Miami headquarters.

Canada’s Montagliani wins CONCACAF presidency, fracturing the Caribbean vote

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 13 May 2016 06:00:36 +0000

By Paul Nicholson in Mexico City

May 13 – After a five-month wait CONCACAF at last has a new president. Canadian FA chief Victor Montagliani won the presidential election in Mexico City at CONCACAF’s Congress. Montagliani takes over world football’s most dangerous post, though the presidency of CONMEBOL would run it close.

Montagliani beat Bermuda’s Larry Mussenden 25-16, splitting the Caribbean vote in an election that was mired in controversy with the dubiously ‘ethical’ prevention of Caribbean Football Union president Gordon Derrick from standing (FIFA failed his integrity test),

SUM win rights to sell CONCACAF sponsorship to 2021, FIFA releases $10m

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 11 May 2016 12:00:24 +0000

By Paul Nicholson in Mexico City

May 11 – The sponsorship rights to CONCACAF events have been awarded to the MLS’s commercial arm, Soccer United Marketing (SUM), who take over from Traffic Sports, the agency that triggered the corruption scandal that lead to the arrest of the confederation’s last two presidents – Jeffrey Webb and Alfredo Hawit.

The award of the sponsorship rights marks even further the consolidation of the confederation’s power structure in the US having closed its Cayman Islands office and streamlined its operations under the watchful,