2025 Gold Cup Kicks Off with Host USMNT as Favorites

Houston, Texas — The 2025 Gold Cup began on June 14 and will culminate with the final on July 6 at NRG Stadium. Sixteen national teams from North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and guest invitee Saudi Arabia are competing across 14 stadiums in the United States and Canada.

This year’s tournament marks an important event as the three hosts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — the USA, Canada, and Mexico — prepare for the main event next summer. Notably, the three hosts do not participate in qualifying, making this tournament their final competitive action until then.

Mexico enters the tournament as the defending champion, with an impressive history in the Gold Cup. The tournament itself offers a potential breakthrough for newer teams, as only Canada has previously won outside of the USA or Mexico in 2000.

The group stage is currently in effect, with teams aiming to qualify for the knockout rounds by finishing in the top two of their respective groups. Matches are broadcast on FOX, FS1, and FS2, with streaming options available through services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and fuboTV.

The U.S. men’s national team (USMNT), who hold seven Gold Cup titles, opened their campaign on June 15 against Trinidad and Tobago. With the team fielding a mix of seasoned players, such as captain Tim Ream, and young talent like Brian White and Diego Luna, they hope to overcome recent losses in friendlies.

In their last outings, the U.S. fell to Turkey and Switzerland prior to the Gold Cup, leading to increased pressure for a successful tournament start. Trinidad’s manager, Dwight Yorke, will aim to lead his team past the host nation, although T&T has struggled historically in the competition.

The knockout stage schedule, including dates and matchups, will be released once group play concludes. The final will take place at NRG Stadium, where anticipation builds for an exhilarating finish to the tournament.