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Schedule announced for U.S.-based Copa Centroamericana

CostaRica1-Uruguay2014 (Getty)

By RYAN TOLMICH

Prior to hosting the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2016 Centennial Copa America, the United States will play host to another international tournament: the 2014 Copa Centroamericana.

The Central American Football Union announced the scheduling of the seven team tournament with games scheduled to be played in Washington, D.C., Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles. It’s the first time the tournament is being held in the USA.

The seven participants will be divided into two groups, with Group A being made up of Nicaragua, Panama, and World Cup quarterfinalist Costa Rica. Meanwhile, Group B will feature Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

The tournament will be used to determine the four automatic qualifying positions into the 2015 Gold Cup, while the fifth-place team will play a two-leg playoff against the fifth-place team from the 2014 Caribbean Football Union Caribbean Cup. In addition to Gold Cup qualification, the tournament’s champions will clinch a spot in the 2016 Copa America.

Check out the schedule for the 2014 Central American Cup after the jump:

Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014 – RFK Stadium, Washington D.C.
5:00 p.m.                 Costa Rica vs. Nicaragua
7:00 p.m.                 Honduras vs. Belize
9:00 p.m.                El Salvador vs. Guatemala

Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014 – Cotton Bowl, Dallas
5:00 p.m.                 Costa Rica vs. Panama
7:00 p.m.                 Guatemala vs. Belize
9:00 p.m.                 Honduras vs. El Salvador

Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2014 – BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston
6:00 p.m.                 Panama vs. Nicaragua
8:00 p.m.                 El Salvador vs. Belize
10:00 p.m.               Honduras vs. Guatemala

Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014 – Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
4:00 p.m.                 Third Place Group A vs. Third Place Group B
7:00 p.m.                 Second Place Group A vs. Second Place Group B
10:00 p.m.               First Place Group A vs. First Place Group B

Who do you see as favorites in the 2014 Copa Centroamericana? Plan to attend any of the games?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

    • 12 Gold Cups so far. All 12 have been hosted by the USA, with only 2 co-hosted with Mexico. Safe to say 2015 will be in the USA.

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    • The smart money says it is. Emphasis on money.

      I hope we can get another bunch of games in the mid-atlantic again. RFK in 2011 and M&T Bank in 2013 were both tons of fun.

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      • I saw the 2013 Baltmore game (Honduuras? vs USA) and it was not as much of a home game as would have liked. Hopefully will be better in 2015. IF there is any USA game in east, i will be there

  1. how much?

    cause Im def going to the games in L.A.

    that’s how I’m gonna enjoy my day

    hpp[efullly it will be an A squad

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  2. I know these markets will attract a lot of spectators, but it would have been nice to see Atlanta (or even Birmingham, AL) get some consideration in place of Houston or DC. But that’s purely for selfish reasons.

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    • Have you guys ever been to RFK when El Salvador is in town? It’s practically a home game for them, and they’re easily the most insane fans I’ve ever been around.

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    • Look who’s playing at RFK… Honduras and El Salvador. Most of our region’s foreign-born population is from those two countries. The first group of immigrants from those countries in the 1980’s kids, who are second generation/bilingual, better educated, better integrated with the broader culture, and often more affluent also root for those teams when not playing against the U.S. (see the McDonald’s World Cup commercial where the dad roots for Mexico but the son and his friends root for the U.S.)

      A healthy minority of our immigrants are from Guatemala. RFK is known as El Salvador’s home stadium except during World Cup qualifying. There’s so much money to made here.

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      • I take that back (partially). Sept 1-9 are FIFA dates, but that may not be enough time to make it worthwhile begging extra bodies from clubs.

    • I believe they do any time another federations sells a ticket on our soil

      USSF has literally struck gold in this dept

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      • Yep, it’s basically another line item on the USSF revenue statement. It’s quite profitable to let other feds sell to our residents… without having to lift a finger.

      • I take that back (partially). Sept 1-9 are FIFA dates, but that may not be enough time to make it worthwhile begging extra bodies from clubs.

      • Kind of makes up for them getting to have ‘home’ games against our team on US soil for so many years.

  3. Placing the games in the US gives a truer result than putting it in Central America. Better fields, and large crowds that don’t have officials literally fearing for their safety if they disappoint the hometown fans.

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    • It’s all about the money. The US seems to be a popular place to stage tournaments.

      Pretty much all Gold Cups
      2014 Copa Centroamericana
      2016 Centennial Copa America

      And how many friendlies have there been in the USA by both CONCACAF and CONMEBOL teams where there the home team?

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      • Everything is not about money. Just watch. If the Copa America Centenario gets world cup like coverage (messi, james rodriguez, luis suarez, neymar…unbelievable marketable lineups), there will be a serious journalistically-driven backlash to the acceptance of Mexico’s fan base, and their homophobic chant. And it wont be “anti soccer” journalist who write articles painting a scenario of Michael Sam playing in an NFL game where every kickoff was met with the f&g word chanted by fans. There are sports journalist in this country who write about sports and culture. This is a different country my little latin american soccer friends, and the rest of the country will be asking “do we want to be part of this?” If US Soccer and ESPN want to avoid a disaster, they’ll have to put the Mexican federation on notice…no more friendlies on US soil in 2015 unless you direct fans not to chant p@@@

      • With Gold Cup qualification, and more importantly, the ability to clinch a spot in the 2016 Copa America we’ll see A-squads for all the matches.

    • dang, I just booked a flight to NY on the 12th. I would have change that had I know they were playing this triple-header locally in LA.

      Reply

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