2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup: Story Stream

The 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup starts on July 7 at Red Bull Arena with the opening games of Group A, and concludes on July 26 with the final at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.

Twelve teams have qualified and Mexico or the USA is expected to win. In its present "Gold Cup" incarnation, CONCACAF's regional championship has only once been won by a team that wasn't Mexico or the USA: Canada won the 2000 edition. In the Gold Cup, not getting to the final is a failure for El Tri or USMNT; a team that breaks the regional duopoly and makes the final can celebrate a successful tournament.

Despite the somewhat predictable outcome, Gold Cups offer their share of entertainment, as well as a chance to see teams from some of the regions smaller soccer programs. The likes of French Guiana, Curacao, and Martinique rarely get to play in matches that are broadcast to a national audience in the USA. Throw in the fact that several of the qualified sides have sent B-teams to the tournament, and the Gold Cup is mostly a chance to see CONCACAF's lesser-known and emerging talents.