Concacaf has confirmed that Las Vegas will host the final round of the competition this summer.
Following the lead of Europe, the concacaf region wants a strong club competition format. If Europe has the Champions League and the Nations League, then this region aims to implement a local model for its own top competition, mirroring the League of Nations style at the national team level.
After a first edition disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, which was postponed at FIFA’s request due to the global health crisis and the packed international calendar, and with the United States crowned champion, the tournament is set to return in a World Cup year, aligning with Qatar 2022 preparations.
THOSE PARTICIPATING?
The Nations League 2022 format is organized across leagues based on the 2019 CNL group results, including a system of promotion and relegation between leagues.
League A:
- Group A: Mexico, Jamaica and Suriname
- Group B: Costa Rica, Panama and Martinique
- Group C: Canada, Honduras, Curacao
League B:
- Group A: Cuba, Guadeloupe, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados
- Group B: Haiti, Bermuda, Guyana, Montserrat
- Group C: Trinidad and Tobago, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Bahamas
- Group D: Guatemala, French Guiana, Dominican Republic, Belize
League C:
- Group A: Bonaire, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands, Sint Maarten
- Group B: Saint Kitts and Nevis, Aruba, Sint Maarten
- Group C: Saint Lucia, Dominica, Anguilla
- Group D: Puerto Rico, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands
LEAGUE A POSITIONING TABLE
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
LEAGUE A MATCH SCHEDULE
DAY 1
02/06/22 | Panama 2-0 Costa Rica
03/06/22 | Curaçao 0-1 Honduras
06/04/22 | Suriname 1-1 Jamaica
06/04/22 | El Salvador 3-1 Grenada
DAY 2
05/06/22 | Costa Rica 2-0 Martinique
06/06/22 | Honduras 1-2 Curacao
06/07/22 | Jamaica 3-1 Suriname
06/07/22 | Grenada 2-2 El Salvador
DAY 306/09/22 | Panama 5-0 Martinique
06/09/22 | Canada 4-0 Curaçao
06/10/22 | United States 5-0 Grenada
06/11/22 | Mexico 3-0 Suriname
DAY 4
06/12/22 | Martinique 0-0 Panama
13-06-22 | Honduras 2-1 Canada
14-06-22 | El Salvador 1-1 United States
14-06-22 | Jamaica 1-1 Mexico
DAY 5
03/23/23 | 6pm | Suriname vs Mexico
3/24/23 | 6pm | Grenada vs United States
03/25/23 | 5pm | Martinique vs Costa Rica
03/25/23 | 7pm | Curacao vs Canada
DAY 6
3/26/23 | 6pm | Mexico vs Jamaica
3/27/23 | 5:30 pm | United States vs El Salvador
3/28/23 | 6pm | Canada vs Honduras
3/28/23 | 8pm | Costa Rica vs Panama
SEMI-FINALS
3/15/23 | To define
3/15/23 | To define
LAST
3/18/23 | To define
HOW TO PLAY THE NATIONS LEAGUE
According to the competition’s level and FIFA ranking, teams are placed into three leagues or groups. The position within these zones is determined by a provisional scheduled series of matches played on four separate dates.
The tournament offers opportunities tied to the Gold Cup 2023 through the group stage. The first and second places in League A and the first place in League B secure their spots in the 17th Gold Cup edition.
A further 12 teams will have a chance to qualify through Gold Cup qualifying rounds, including the third-placed teams from League A, the runners-up from League B, and the winners from League C.
WHAT IMPLICATIONS DOES IT HAVE?
The trend mirrors a broader move toward friendlies being minimized to reduce intercontinental travel for national teams. Clubs prefer to limit injuries for players who travel with their national teams. FIFA has acknowledged these concerns, particularly from Europe, where distances and long commutes were criticized.
The Nations League idea aims to emulate UEFA’s approach within Concacaf, with regional teams facing each other on FIFA dates starting next year.
AND THE GOLDEN CUP?
Both competitions coexist. The invitation to the Gold Cup 2021 included participants from the Nations League, which will host its next edition in 2023.