CONCACAF changes the Gold Cup format to 2 groups of 8 teams starting in 2027
CONCACAF, the North American soccer governing body, announced Thursday that the 2027 Gold Cup tournament will adopt a new two-group format with 8 teams in each group. The move comes after the 16-team quad format was used in the previous iterations of the competition.
Under the new structure, the top four teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage, ensuring every participating nation plays a minimum of four matches. This change was welcomed by CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani, who expressed excitement about the new format bringing balance and increased importance to all matches.
The 2027 tournament, set to take place from June 17 to July 11, is expected to feature at least some matches in the United States. The draw for the new group stage will be held on April 8. Fifteen teams from the region, including Qatar as a guest nation, will compete in the revised tournament.
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