Gold Cup Hosting

[Solid444]

Will the Gold Cup ever be hosted outside of the United States? It is really pitiful that every single Concacaf Championship is played in the US (twice co-hosted with Mexico). Its even more pitiful considering two of our teams are ranked in the top 10 in Fifa Rankings, one of our teams in seeded in the World Cup, we had 3.5 slots to the World Cup and we keep demanding more and more respect from the rest of the world. I know that financially, the Gold Cup wont bring nearly the same amount of money anywhere else, but is there something to be said for sacrificing some $ in order to expand the influence of the sport to other, less futbol developped countries.

We talk about making the conference more competitive but we fail to give other countries the chance to host this tournament. Aside from Canada's win in 2000, every single cup has been won by Mexico or the US and if this exclusive hosting is kept up, this trend will continue. Looking at the world it is easy to understand how Copa America and the Euro Cup can be hosted in a different country every time. But even the African and Asian Cups are hosted in a different country every time. In the last 5 editions the African Cup has been hosted in Tunisia, Mali, Nigeria/Ghana, Burkina Faso and South Africa. In these last 5 editions there has only been one repeat winner. In Asia the last five editions have been held in China, Libano, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Qatar. For Oceania, i dont know where it has been held, dont have that info, but i do know that it has been won by only Australia and New Zealand. We have the same variety of champions as Oceania and its a fact that we have more depth in our conference.

Are we so money driven that we are not willing to host the Gold Cup anywhere else? You cannot tell me that if the Gold Cup was hosted in Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala or Honduras, these teams would not have a chance to win it or at least make the final. These countries have leagues, they might not have the stadiums that are found in Mexico or the US, but they have usable facilities. Or how about a Carribean version hosted by Jamaica and Trinidad? Hell, or at least let Mexico exclusively host for once, to get it out of the US and hopefully get things rolling (Mexico City itself could host this tournament with no problem).

What do you guys think?

[Delsocfan]

It would be nice to see other countries in CONCACAF host a major tournament, but it would be a mistake to say that other teams have not won the tournament due to a US or Mexico home field adavantage. The US rarely has a true home advantage during the cup, with US fans almost always outnumbered by the opposing fans. This is one of the reasons why it is good to have it hosted here in the US, it is one of the only places you would see large fan turnout for various teams, and not just the host.

[Solid444]

It would be nice to see other countries in CONCACAF host a major tournament, but it would be a mistake to say that other teams have not won the tournament due to a US or Mexico home field adavantage. The US rarely has a true home advantage during the cup, with US fans almost always outnumbered by the opposing fans. This is one of the reasons why it is good to have it hosted here in the US, it is one of the only places you would see large fan turnout for various teams, and not just the host.

I am not saying that they have not won the tournament because of a US or Mexico homefield advantage, I am saying they have not won because they have not had an adavantage. And I disagree with you, the only country in the Concacaf who has the ability to outnumber the US at home is Mexico.

[denver_mugwamp]

Well, soccer games seem to go where the money is. To understand why the Gold Cup keeps showing up in the US, you need to look into why Mexico seems to play all their friendlies north of the border. Heck, they even played one of their World Cup Qualifiers in San Antonio. And why does the Mexican league play the Interliga in the US? Money talks.

[Solid444]

Well, soccer games seem to go where the money is. To understand why the Gold Cup keeps showing up in the US, you need to look into why Mexico seems to play all their friendlies north of the border. Heck, they even played one of their World Cup Qualifiers in San Antonio. And why does the Mexican league play the Interliga in the US? Money talks.

How come the Asia cup is able to be hosted in coutries like Kuwait, Sngapore and Qatar? More money would be made every time if it was hosted in Korea/Japan, that is guaranteed.

[scaryice]

The USA and Mexico are the only realistic choices to host it.

[denver_mugwamp]

How come the Asia cup is able to be hosted in coutries like Kuwait, Sngapore and Qatar? More money would be made every time if it was hosted in Korea/Japan, that is guaranteed.

Are you sure that more money would be made? Kuwait and Qatar have some serious coin and Singapore has a pretty decent economy. No country in Central America comes close to those three.

[Delsocfan]

I am not saying that they have not won the tournament because of a US or Mexico homefield advantage, I am saying they have not won because they have not had an adavantage. And I disagree with you, the only country in the Concacaf who has the ability to outnumber the US at home is Mexico.

An example besides Mexico is Honduras. Honduran fans easily outnumbered US fans at the semi-final last time.

[Warlord]

Will the Gold Cup ever be hosted outside of the United States? It is really pitiful that every single Concacaf Championship is played in the US (twice co-hosted with Mexico). Its even more pitiful considering two of our teams are ranked in the top 10 in Fifa Rankings, one of our teams in seeded in the World Cup, we had 3.5 slots to the World Cup and we keep demanding more and more respect from the rest of the world. I know that financially, the Gold Cup wont bring nearly the same amount of money anywhere else, but is there something to be said for sacrificing some $ in order to expand the influence of the sport to other, less futbol developped countries.

We talk about making the conference more competitive but we fail to give other countries the chance to host this tournament. Aside from Canada's win in 2000, every single cup has been won by Mexico or the US and if this exclusive hosting is kept up, this trend will continue. Looking at the world it is easy to understand how Copa America and the Euro Cup can be hosted in a different country every time. But even the African and Asian Cups are hosted in a different country every time. In the last 5 editions the African Cup has been hosted in Tunisia, Mali, Nigeria/Ghana, Burkina Faso and South Africa. In these last 5 editions there has only been one repeat winner. In Asia the last five editions have been held in China, Libano, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Qatar. For Oceania, i dont know where it has been held, dont have that info, but i do know that it has been won by only Australia and New Zealand. We have the same variety of champions as Oceania and its a fact that we have more depth in our conference.

Are we so money driven that we are not willing to host the Gold Cup anywhere else? You cannot tell me that if the Gold Cup was hosted in Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala or Honduras, these teams would not have a chance to win it or at least make the final. These countries have leagues, they might not have the stadiums that are found in Mexico or the US, but they have usable facilities. Or how about a Carribean version hosted by Jamaica and Trinidad? Hell, or at least let Mexico exclusively host for once, to get it out of the US and hopefully get things rolling (Mexico City itself could host this tournament with no problem).

What do you guys think?


Finally someone brings this topic to the forefront. I have been thinking the same thing why has the US hosted so many Gold Cups? Why is it that Central American nations aren't given a chance? Is it money or is it politics...who knows.

Facts are other nations in Concacaf have never hosted it. I think Canada, CR, Guatemala should host it in the future.

[MoRado]

Gold Cup Costa Rica 2020!

[Desert_Eagle]

Gold Cup Costa Rica 2020!

I wouldnt mind costa rica hosting the next gold cup or canada, but i wouldnt want it to be played in places like honduras or el salvador or guatemala.

[MasterShake29]

Heck, they even played one of their World Cup Qualifiers in San Antonio.

IIRC, that was Dominica v Mexico, and was actually Dominica's home game.

The rest of your message is on target though.

[Sloan]

I may be wrong but, would other countries be able to provide support venues when the host country is not a participant...

[Jabinho]

I wouldnt mind costa rica hosting the next gold cup or canada, but i wouldnt want it to be played in places like honduras or el salvador or guatemala.
How about more than one country in Central America.. Perhaps a gold cup that has matches in several countries in Central America is a thought.. Just throwing that out there.. Perhaps a similar idea might work for the Islands also.. Of course the money wouldn't be as good but as the original poster stated, maybe that can't always be the only consideration.. Not that Concacaf will agree..;)

[Solid444]

I may be wrong but, would other countries be able to provide support venues when the host country is not a participant...

Costa Rica has a good league and they have several good stadiums. This is not the World Cup or even the Euro Cup. The Gold Cup has 3 groups, that means all you need is 3 stadiums. That is why I said that the Gold Cup could be held in Mexico City alone with great venues (Azteca, Olimpico and Azul). I dont know much about facilities in Central America, but i know Guatemala and Honduras have stable leagues, they should have 3 stadiums where an international game can be held. If you put Trinidad and Jamaica together, you have two stadiums where their national teams play, i dont think it would be too difficult to find another.

I dont see finding venues a good enough excuse for keeping it in the US. This is the Gold Cup, not the World Cup.

[X-Caper]

How come the Asia cup is able to be hosted in coutries like Kuwait, Sngapore and Qatar? More money would be made every time if it was hosted in Korea/Japan, that is guaranteed.

I think the coutries like Kuwait, Singapore and Qatar all have more coin to throw around that all of Carrib and Central America combined

[Onionsack]

While the US and Mexicio are probably the only 2 countries that could hold this tournment exclusivly..i see no reason why CONCACAF one of these years couldn't award it to a combination of central american nations...such as Costa Rica, Pananma, Guatemala, Honduras and El salvador and just split the games and sites between them.

[Captain Canuck]

You may be interested to know that in the aftermath of the new soccer stadium in Toronto being approved there was talk with the Canadian Soccer Association that Canada may be the hosts for the 2009 Gold Cup. There was no indication of whether this was by itself or as a co-host with the USA.

[denver_mugwamp]

While the US and Mexicio are probably the only 2 countries that could hold this tournment exclusivly..i see no reason why CONCACAF one of these years couldn't award it to a combination of central american nations...such as Costa Rica, Pananma, Guatemala, Honduras and El salvador and just split the games and sites between them.

Although I think it would be great to focus more attention on Central America, which is pretty much ignored in the US unless they have an earthquake or a hurricane, the truth of the matter is that CONCACAF is in it for the money. And there's a lot more money in the wallet of a Tico or Guatemalan living in the US, than there is in one living in his native land. In Honduras, how many people do you think would pay $35 to watch T&T play Cuba? Maybe 50?

[MoRado]

I'll love to see one GC in canada, one in the caribbean(T&T+JAM), and a couple in centralamerica (CRC+PAN or GUA+HON)