Gold Cup 2025 kicks off with major stars absent

The 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup — the final international tournament before the 2026 World Cup — kicks off this weekend with an intriguing new format.

The three upcoming World Cup hosts — United States, Mexico, and Canada — face significant challenges as they must compete without several key players who are participating in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Mexico enters as defending champions with positive momentum after winning the Concacaf Nations League — yet still needs to prove their regional dominance following their 2022 World Cup disappointment.

• United States missing Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Giovanni Reyna
• Canada without Alphonso Davies
• Mexico relying on Raúl Jiménez and young talent Santiago Gimenez

This tournament also features guest team Saudi Arabia coached by Hervé Renard, and the debut of Dominican Republic strengthened by striker Mariano Díaz.

Panama under Thomas Christiansen arrives with a “giant killer” reputation after defeating the United States in recent tournaments — making them one of the strong title contenders.