Saudi Gazette report

MIAMI — The Saudi Arabian national team has been drawn into Group D of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, alongside hosts United States, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago, following the official draw held in Miami.

The tournament — the 18th edition of the Gold Cup — will take place from June 14 to July 6, 2025, across 14 stadiums in 11 cities in the United States and Canada.

The final will be played at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, marking the first time the Gold Cup final will be held in the state.

Saudi Arabia, one of the invited guest teams, will be making its first appearance in the Gold Cup after confirming participation in both the 2025 and 2027 editions, as announced by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation last December.

The Green Falcons’ participation is part of broader efforts to develop the national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will also be held in North America — jointly hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

Gold Cup 2025 group stage draw:

- Group A: Mexico, Costa Rica, Suriname, Dominican Republic

- Group B: Canada, Honduras, El Salvador, Curaçao

- Group C: Panama, Jamaica, Guatemala, Guadeloupe

- Group D: USA, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia

The group stage will run from June 14 to June 24, with the top two teams from each group (eight teams total) advancing to the knockout phase, which kicks off with the quarter-finals on June 28-29, followed by the semi-finals on July 2, and the final on Sunday, July 6.

Saudi Arabia joins a list of non-CONCACAF nations previously invited to the tournament, such as Brazil, South Korea, South Africa, and Qatar, the latter of whom reached the semi-finals in 2021 and the round of 16 in 2023.

The Gold Cup is the premier international tournament for national teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, organized by CONCACAF. First held in 1963, it has grown significantly in stature and global appeal.