Feature

Our guide to the 2024 Women's Gold Cup

CONCACAF W Gold Cup

For the next three weeks, Emily Fox, Cloe Lacasse and Sabrina D'Angelo are all stateside to compete in the 2024 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup.

Kicking off on February 20 and running through to March 10, the inaugural competition has replaced the CONCACAF Women's Championship which ran for 33 years and last took place in 2022. 

The tournament will be contested by eight CONCACAF teams and four guest CONMEBOL nations, hosted across four American cities: Los Angeles, California; San Diego, California; Carson, California; and Houston, Texas. 

Here is everything you need to know about the Gold Cup.  

How the tournament works

The United States have been placed with Mexico, Argentina and the Dominican Republic in Group A, whilst Canada are up against Costa Rica, Paraguay and El Salvador in Group C. 

In the final group, 2022 Copa Femenina winners Brazil are grouped with Panama, Colombia and Puerto Rico. 

The knockout stage begins on March 2 with the quarter-finals in Los Angeles, with the winners of those fixtures going head to head in the semi-finals on March 6. The Gold Cup Final takes place on March 10 at San Diego's Snapdragon Stadium - home of the NWSL side, San Diego Wave. 

Contenders for the trophy

The USWNT lift the 2022 CONCACAF Trophy

As hosts and four-time World Cup winners, the United States will head into the tournament as inarguable favourites. However, after a hugely disappointing World Cup campaign last summer in Australia and New Zealand and a period of transition between coaches, other countries will spy an opportunity to unseat the juggernaut of international women's football. 

The United States and Canada are the only two nations to have ever won the CONCACAF Women's Championship - the Gold Cup's previous iteration. The USWNT have nine titles in total, with their last coming in 2022. Canada, meanwhile, have lifted the trophy twice: once in 1998 and once in 2010. 

But they face new competition from South America. Copa Femenina winners Brazil pose a big threat in the competition with a hugely talented squad, as do Colombia, after their fantastic run to the quarter-finals of the 2023 FIFA World Cup. 

Gunners in action

Cloe Lacasse in action for Canada

After finishing the February block of games in fine form for our Gunners, Cloe Lacasse and Sabrina D'Angelo will be hoping to make a splash for their national side ahead of this summer's Olympic Games. 

First up for Canada is El Salvador (February 23, 2am), with clashes against Paraguay (February 25, 10pm) and Costa Rica (February 28, 11pm). The Canadians will play all their group-stage matches at Houston's Shell Energy Stadium.

Lacasse only made her national debut in 2021, thanks to some electric form in front of goal for Benfica, and has since earned 28 caps for her country. After several bright appearances at the World Cup, Lacasse bagged two goals for Canada last year.

Sabrina D'Angelo in action for Canada

D'Angelo, meanwhile, has faced stiff competition for the Canadian number one jersey from Kailen Sheridan. The 30-year-old goalkeeper has made 14 appearances for her national team since 2016, with her most recent cap coming in Canada's 2-0 win over Brazil in October. 

Emily Fox for the US Women's National Team

Emily Fox kicks off her campaign with the USWNT against the Dominican Republic on February 21 at 3.15am, before ties against Argentina (February 24, 3.15am) and Mexico (February 27, 3.15am) 

The 25-year-old right-back has been a regular fixture in the US side since recovering from an ACL injury in 2021 and started all four games in the 2023 FIFA World Cup. Last year in the SheBelieves Cup, Fox played every minute of the tournament as the USA cruised to its sixth title.

How to watch

Viewers in the UK can watch matches live via CONCACAF GO and CONCACAF's YouTube channel. 

In the US, the tournament will be broadcast on CBS Sports and Paramount+ for English speakers and ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ for Spanish speakers. ESPN will also broadcast matches across Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.