April 16 – With Concacaf rapidly moving from famine to feast in terms of international football competition, the confederation has announced the Empower Field at Mile High in Denver as the host of the inaugural Concacaf Nations League Finals.
The four team play-off finals will take place June 3-6, a month before all of Concacaf’s qualified nations gather in the US for the 2021 Gold Cup.
Concacaf has already announced Miami as host in early July for its Gold Cup qualifiers, and Las Vegas as the venue for the final. Centralised hosts for the Gold Cup group stages are expected to be announced later this month.
The Nations League finals will complete a competition that began in 2019 and has seen all 41 Concacaf Member Associations in action in tiered leagues. The finals were originally scheduled for June 2020 but were rescheduled due to the pandemic.
The four teams competing in the CNL Finals are United States, Mexico, Honduras and Costa Rica. Mexico will meet Costa Rica in one semi-final, while the U.S. will square off against Honduras in the other – both matches are scheduled for June 3.
The winners of each semi-final will then meet in the 2020 CNL Final on June 6, while the losers of each semi-final will play in a Third-Place Playoff on the same day.
“The Concacaf Nations League includes all 41 of our Member Associations, making it a true celebration of our football, our region and our unity as One Concacaf,” said Concacaf president and FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani. Concacaf celebrates its 60thanniversary this year.
“The 2019 group stage was a huge success in delivering more competitive football for all men’s national teams across Concacaf. Now we can look forward to a great final four in the outstanding facility that is Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High, and to crowning a first ever Concacaf Nations League champion,” added Montagliani.
Tickets will be on sale for the finals but the exact number has yet to be confirmed.
Empower Field at Mile High Stadium General Manager Jay Roberts said: “Opening our doors for the first large scale event since the end of the 2019 football season is exciting for our organization as well as the entire community. This June, we look forward to providing an enjoyable, safe experience for fans and showcasing why Denver is a premier destination for world-class soccer.”
2021 Concacaf Nations League Finals Schedule
June 3, 2021 – Semi-finals
SF1: Honduras vs United States
SF2: Mexico vs Costa Rica
June 6, 2021 – Third Place Match and Final
3rd: Loser SF1 vs Loser SF2
F: Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2
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