Mexico to host 2024 CONCACAF U-20 Championship

27/02/2024 02:30

The 2024 CONCACAF U-20 Championship will be heading to Mexico.

Irapuato and Celaya, in the State of Guanajuato will serve as hosting cites for the youth competition, CONCACAF announced Monday. The tournament will take place from July 19 to August 4 and will qualify four countries for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

“The Concacaf Men’s U-20 Championship is a very important competition for the continued development of the best young players in our region. It provides them with a platform to compete with the best in Concacaf, and to qualify to play on the global stage at a  FIFA U20 World Cup,” said Concacaf General Secretary Philippe Moggio. 

“We are very excited to work hand in hand with the Mexican Football Federation, the Government of Guanajuato, and all local stakeholders, to offer the participating national teams and fans an unforgettable tournament,” added Moggio.

The 2024 CONCACAF U-20 Championship will kick off with a group stage of 12 teams, with the lowest remaining six from the federation rankings reaching through a qualifying phase. Each team in the group stage will play three matches, with the top-two finishers and the two best third place teams advancing to the quarterfinals.

The tournament’s semifinalists and finalists will automatically for the U-20 World Cup in 2025. Mikey Varas’ U.S. Under-20 men’s national team squad are reigning champions after defeating the Dominican Republic in the 2022 final.

Honduras (2), Mexico (3), Panama (4), Costa Rica (5), and the Dominican Republic (6) round out the top-six ranked nations while the United States sits at No. 1.

The tournament draw is scheduled to take place this April at the CONCACAF headquarters in Miami, Florida.