2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ to be an All-CONCACAF Event.

[Flex]

2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ to be an All-CONCACAF Event.
By: CONCACAF.Com.[/size]

CONCACAF announced today that the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ will consist of exclusively CONCACAF teams and no guest teams will be invited to participate in the event as in the past.
In announcing the decision, CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer said, “We have seen over the past decade a significant rise in the standards and successes of CONCACAF nations, so now it is time for two more of our countries to be able to compete in the finals of the Gold Cup, as one more step towards raising their game to a new level.
“As the Gold Cup was in its infancy and early growth, guest teams played a very welcome part in the success of the Gold Cup and its awareness throughout the region and, then, the rest of the world. Now, like all continental championships, except the Copa America, the Gold Cup is for us alone.”
CONCACAF President Jack Warner added, “This is, of course, excellent news for two more members of CONCACAF who will now be playing in next year’s Gold Cup and showing how their game has progressed; as did Panama, for example, in reaching the 2005 Gold Cup final.”
The twelve-team 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ will be comprised of four teams emerging from the Caribbean Qualifying (2007 Caribbean Digicel Cup Final Round to be held in Trinidad & Tobago), five from the Central American Qualification (2007 UNCAF Nations Cup hosted by El Salvador) and three automatic qualifiers from the North Zone (Canada, Mexico and USA). Therefore both Central America and the Caribbean will receive one more tournament berth than in 2005.
The 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ is scheduled to take place 6-24 June in cities across the USA with venues to be announced in November.

CONCACAF GOLD CUP HISTORY

YEAR, CHAMPION, RUNNER-UP, VENUES
1991 - USA - Honduras - Los Angeles, Pasadena (USA)
1993 - Mexico - USA - Dallas (USA); Ciudad de México (México)
1996 - Mexico - Brazil - Anaheim, San Diego, Los Angeles (USA)
1998 - Mexico - USA - Oakland, Miami, Los Angeles (USA)
2000 - Canada - Colombia - San Diego, Miami, Los Angeles (USA)
2002 - USA - Costa Rica - Pasadena, Miami (USA)
2003 - Mexico - Brazil - Foxboro, Miami (USA); Ciudad de México (México)
2005 - USA - Panama - Carson, Foxboro, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, NY/NJ, Seattle (USA)

[trinbago]

Its a shame for JA since there is an addtional spot! 

[Tongue]

would be nice if DC/MD/VA area could be a venue

[Flash7]

I would hope that they could play at venues in NY/Miami/Boston becuz there are alot of West Indians and Central Americans around those spotz

[che]

I would hope that they could play at venues in NY/Miami/Boston becuz there are alot of West Indians and Central Americans around those spotz

Good point Flash.

[Winnipeg Fury]

This is a great move on the part of CONCACAF.  It certainly makes both the Gold Cup and CONCACAF much more respectable.  As Jamaica recently found out, some of our smaller nations are capable of playing a solid game, and it's great news that more CONCACAF countries can participate.

[fishs]

 Hopefully next time around the interest in this tournament would have become universal enough for some other concacaf nation to host it.

[Winnipeg Fury]

Canada will be hosting the 2009 Gold Cup.  Probably not the whole event, but Canada's group will be in The Great White North.

[fishs]

Canada will be hosting the 2009 Gold Cup.  Probably not the whole event, but Canada's group will be in The Great White North.

Hmm great white north.... cold no ass up there ain't it 

[Sam]

The twelve-team 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ will be comprised of four teams emerging from the Caribbean Qualifying (2007 Caribbean Digicel Cup Final Round to be held in Trinidad & Tobago), five from the Central American Qualification (2007 UNCAF Nations Cup hosted by El Salvador) and three automatic qualifiers from the North Zone (Canada, Mexico and USA). Therefore both Central America and the Caribbean will receive one more tournament berth than in 2005.

Pure bull shit and Canada does bawl Jack does only hook up T&T,,,, I find Canada should have to qualify just like the rest of us in CONCACAF.... Look they even got to host the 2007 U-20 WC..... I could understand defending champs and host get an automatic spot, but come on....

[Winnipeg Fury]

The rationale is that we are former champions, and the only country outside of the US and Mexico to win.

To be honest, we would not mind a couple of qualifying games, as it would give us a chance to rack-up some FIFA points.

[Island Football]

Not wanting to stray from the topic but everyone fails to notice that our Senior Women's Team is taking part in the Women's Gold Cup this month and unlike USA & Canada are in a potential instant knockout situation. Yes, USA & Canada have automatically qualified for the semifinals. Now how fair is that???

[Sam]

Well, Canada and USA women teams are very strong, so for an outside team to make it to vthe world cup from concacaf is very hard, we should have a way for another 2 concacaf teams to go to the world cup...

[dcs]

I hope the CFU teams hold their own....if not they might rush back to invite the guest teams!

Cuba Haiti T&T and who are the favourites?
NOT JA   

I say SVG for the 4th team.

What the final round structure going to be...and the grouping?
If they could put Suriname, Martinique (them two drop off over the years), Cuba and Haiti in one group I lil anxious bout the groups for the finals.

[Toussaint]

I hope the CFU teams hold their own....if not they might rush back to invite the guest teams!

Cuba Haiti T&T and who are the favourites?
NOT JA   

I say SVG for the 4th team.

What the final round structure going to be...and the grouping?
If they could put Suriname, Martinique (them two drop off over the years), Cuba and Haiti in one group I lil anxious bout the groups for the finals.

Haiti will send a weak team to Martinique for the digicup 2nd round. Many players from the already second-choice-team that won the group in Jamaica, are not available for various reasons. Cuba will have a free ride!

[PantherX]

Canada will be hosting the 2009 Gold Cup.  Probably not the whole event, but Canada's group will be in The Great White North.

Hmm great white north.... cold no ass up there ain't it 

It's VERY cold but it's not called the Great White North because of the snow though......