# CONCACAF Cup

The CONCACAF Cup (officially the CONCACAF Cup presented by Scotiabank for sponsorship reasons) was an international soccer play-off match to determine CONCACAF's entry into the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. The 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup winner United States played against the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup winner Mexico on October 10, 2015, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, United States.
CONCACAF decided that its representative team in the Confederations Cup would be defined in a single match, in which an official title would also be awarded. Mexico won the match 3–2 after extra time, winning the title and also qualifying for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.

## Background

Even though the CONCACAF Gold Cup takes place on a biennial basis, under previous guidelines prior to 2013, only the champions of the Gold Cup that was held two years before the FIFA Confederations Cup qualified as CONCACAF's representative. The decision to face the champions of the two previous editions was made to give the same importance to each edition of the Gold Cup.
CONCACAF announced the introduction of a playoff and super cup match on April 5, 2013, where a trophy would also be awarded. Starting from the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, the CONCACAF representative would be decided by a playoff between the two CONCACAF Gold Cup champions prior to the Confederations Cup. Then CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb stated this "will allow the champion of every single Gold Cup edition to have the same competitive opportunity to represent CONCACAF in the worldwide competition." In the case where the same national team wins both Gold Cup editions, the playoff would not be played and the team qualifies directly to the Confederations Cup.
Following CONCACAF's decision to end their affiliation with Traffic Sports USA due to the 2015 FIFA corruption case, Major League Soccer's sister company Soccer United Marketing was chosen as commercial representative for the match.

## Qualification

* United States — Qualified as 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup champions, after beating Panama 1–0 in the final on July 28, 2013.
* Mexico — Qualified as 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup champions, after beating Jamaica 3–1 in the final on July 26, 2015.

## Format

CONCACAF originally announced on July 23, 2015, that the playoff would be played as a single match on October 9, 2015, in the United States. After the conclusion of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup on July 26, CONCACAF announced the Rose Bowl in Pasadena as the venue. The date was later amended to October 10 in order "to allow fans in attendance to enjoy a day-long of festivities, including Futbol Fiesta, a free, interactive fan zone outside the Rose Bowl."

## Ticketing

On August 27, 2015, CONCACAF announced the ticket allocation process for the match. Both the United States Soccer Federation and the Mexican Football Federation received 30% of the tickets each, which was distributed through supporter groups. Another 30% was sold through a lottery where the general public could apply. The final 10% was given to local teams and sponsors. This system was to prevent the crowd being dominated by either team's supporters despite being on U.S. soil similar to previous Gold Cup finals.

## Squads

Each team could select up to 23 players for their squads. On September 15, 2015, CONCACAF announced the provisional team lists. The final 23-player squads were announced by CONCACAF on October 5, 2015.

### Mexico

On October 1, the final squad was announced.
Head coach: Ricardo Ferretti
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Club |
| 1 | 1GK | Alfredo Talavera | (1982-09-18)September 18, 1982 (aged 33) | Toluca |
| 2 | 2DF | Israel Jiménez | (1989-08-13)August 13, 1989 (aged 26) | UANL |
| 3 | 2DF | Jose Rivas | (1984-10-18)October 18, 1984 (aged 30) | UANL |
| 4 | 2DF | Rafael Márquez | (1979-02-13)February 13, 1979 (aged 36) | Hellas Verona |
| 5 | 2DF | Diego Reyes | (1992-09-19)September 19, 1992 (aged 23) | Real Sociedad |
| 6 | 2DF | Jorge Torres Nilo | (1988-01-16)January 16, 1988 (aged 27) | UANL |
| 7 | 2DF | Miguel Layún | (1988-06-25)June 25, 1988 (aged 27) | Porto |
| 8 | 3MF | Jonathan dos Santos | (1990-04-26)April 26, 1990 (aged 25) | Villarreal |
| 9 | 4FW | Raúl Jiménez | (1991-05-05)May 5, 1991 (aged 24) | Benfica |
| 10 | 3MF | Jesús Corona | (1993-01-06)January 6, 1993 (aged 22) | Porto |
| 11 | 4FW | Carlos Vela | (1989-03-01)March 1, 1989 (aged 26) | Real Sociedad |
| 12 | 1GK | Moisés Muñoz | (1980-02-01)February 1, 1980 (aged 35) | América |
| 13 | 1GK | Jonathan Orozco | (1986-05-12)May 12, 1986 (aged 29) | Monterrey |
| 14 | 4FW | Javier Hernández | (1988-06-01)June 1, 1988 (aged 27) | Bayer Leverkusen |
| 15 | 2DF | Héctor Moreno | (1988-01-17)January 17, 1988 (aged 27) | PSV Eindhoven |
| 16 | 3MF | Héctor Herrera | (1990-04-19)April 19, 1990 (aged 25) | Porto |
| 17 | 3MF | Javier Güémez | (1991-10-17)October 17, 1991 (aged 23) | América |
| 18 | 3MF | Andrés Guardado | (1986-09-28)September 28, 1986 (aged 29) | PSV Eindhoven |
| 19 | 4FW | Oribe Peralta | (1984-01-12)January 12, 1984 (aged 31) | América |
| 20 | 3MF | Javier Aquino | (1990-02-11)February 11, 1990 (aged 25) | UANL |
| 21 | 3MF | Carlos Esquivel | (1982-04-10)April 10, 1982 (aged 33) | Toluca |
| 22 | 2DF | Paul Aguilar | (1986-03-06)March 6, 1986 (aged 29) | América |
| 23 | 3MF | Elías Hernández | (1988-04-29)April 29, 1988 (aged 27) | León |

### United States

On October 3, the final squad was announced. On October 9, it was announced that Bobby Wood would replace Alejandro Bedoya due to illness.
Head coach: Jürgen Klinsmann
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Club |
| 1 | 1GK | Brad Guzan | (1984-09-09)September 9, 1984 (aged 31) | Aston Villa |
| 2 | 3MF | DeAndre Yedlin | (1993-07-09)July 9, 1993 (aged 22) | Sunderland |
| 3 | 2DF | Brad Evans | (1985-04-20)April 20, 1985 (aged 30) | Seattle Sounders FC |
| 4 | 3MF | Michael Bradley | (1987-07-31)July 31, 1987 (aged 28) | Toronto FC |
| 5 | 2DF | Matt Besler | (1987-02-11)February 11, 1987 (aged 28) | Sporting Kansas City |
| 6 | 2DF | Tim Ream | (1987-10-05)October 5, 1987 (aged 28) | Fulham |
| 7 | 2DF | DaMarcus Beasley | (1982-05-24)May 24, 1982 (aged 33) | Houston Dynamo |
| 8 | 4FW | Clint Dempsey | (1983-03-09)March 9, 1983 (aged 32) | Seattle Sounders FC |
| 9 | 3MF | Gyasi Zardes | (1991-09-02)September 2, 1991 (aged 24) | LA Galaxy |
| 10 | 3MF | Danny Williams | (1989-03-08)March 8, 1989 (aged 26) | Reading |
| 11 | 4FW | Bobby Wood | (1992-11-15)November 15, 1992 (aged 22) | Union Berlin |
| 12 | 1GK | Tim Howard | (1979-03-06)March 6, 1979 (aged 36) | Everton |
| 13 | 3MF | Jermaine Jones | (1981-11-03)November 3, 1981 (aged 33) | New England Revolution |
| 14 | 2DF | Ventura Alvarado | (1992-08-16)August 16, 1992 (aged 23) | América |
| 15 | 3MF | Kyle Beckerman | (1982-04-23)April 23, 1982 (aged 33) | Real Salt Lake |
| 16 | 2DF | Michael Orozco | (1986-02-07)February 7, 1986 (aged 29) | Tijuana |
| 17 | 4FW | Jozy Altidore | (1989-11-06)November 6, 1989 (aged 25) | Toronto FC |
| 18 | 4FW | Chris Wondolowski | (1983-01-28)January 28, 1983 (aged 32) | San Jose Earthquakes |
| 19 | 3MF | Graham Zusi | (1986-08-18)August 18, 1986 (aged 29) | Sporting Kansas City |
| 20 | 2DF | Geoff Cameron | (1985-07-11)July 11, 1985 (aged 30) | Stoke City |
| 21 | 2DF | Jonathan Spector | (1986-03-01)March 1, 1986 (aged 29) | Birmingham City |
| 22 | 1GK | Nick Rimando | (1979-06-17)June 17, 1979 (aged 36) | Real Salt Lake |
| 23 | 3MF | Fabian Johnson | (1987-12-11)December 11, 1987 (aged 27) | Borussia Mönchengladbach |

## Match summary

| Mexico | United States |
| GK | 12 | Moisés Muñoz |
| RB | 22 | Paul Aguilar | 21' |
| CB | 15 | Héctor Moreno | 43' |
| CB | 5 | Diego Reyes |
| LB | 7 | Miguel Layún |
| DM | 4 | Rafael Márquez (c) | | 76' |
| CM | 16 | Héctor Herrera |
| CM | 18 | Andrés Guardado | | 80' |
| RF | 9 | Raúl Jiménez |
| LF | 19 | Oribe Peralta | 35' |
| CF | 14 | Javier Hernández | | 98' |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 1 | Alfredo Talavera |
| GK | 13 | Jonathan Orozco |
| DF | 2 | Israel Jiménez |
| DF | 3 | José Rivas | | 76' |
| DF | 6 | Jorge Torres Nilo |
| MF | 8 | Jonathan dos Santos |
| MF | 10 | Jesús Corona | | 98' |
| MF | 17 | Javier Güémez | 95' | 80' |
| MF | 20 | Javier Aquino |
| MF | 21 | Carlos Esquivel |
| MF | 23 | Elías Hernández |
| FW | 11 | Carlos Vela |
| Manager: ||
| Ricardo Ferretti ||
| GK | 1 | Brad Guzan |
| RB | 23 | Fabian Johnson | | 111' |
| CB | 20 | Geoff Cameron |
| CB | 5 | Matt Besler | 52' |
| LB | 7 | DaMarcus Beasley |
| DM | 15 | Kyle Beckerman |
| RM | 13 | Jermaine Jones |
| LM | 9 | Gyasi Zardes | | 78' |
| AM | 4 | Michael Bradley (c) | 87' |
| CF | 17 | Jozy Altidore | | 98' |
| CF | 8 | Clint Dempsey |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 12 | Tim Howard |
| GK | 22 | Nick Rimando |
| DF | 3 | Brad Evans | | 111' |
| DF | 6 | Tim Ream |
| DF | 14 | Ventura Alvarado |
| DF | 16 | Michael Orozco |
| DF | 21 | Jonathan Spector |
| MF | 2 | DeAndre Yedlin | | 78' |
| MF | 10 | Danny Williams |
| MF | 19 | Graham Zusi |
| FW | 11 | Bobby Wood | | 98' |
| FW | 18 | Chris Wondolowski |
| Manager: ||
| Jürgen Klinsmann ||
| Assistant referees: Juan Francisco Zumba (El Salvador) Leonel Leal (Costa Rica) Fourth official: Marlon Mejía (El Salvador) | Match rules 90 minutes of regular time. 30 minutes of extra time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. Twelve named substitutes, of which up to three may be used. | Match notes  35' originally charged to R. Jiménez, changed to Peralta at half-time. |

## Abolition of the Confederations Cup

A 2019 edition was initially planned, featuring the winners of the 2017 and 2019 Gold Cups. In November 2016, CONCACAF announced that the television rights for the 2019 edition have been sold to Fox Sports. On July 26, 2017, with their victory in the final of the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the United States ensured they would participate at a minimum in the 2019 CONCACAF Cup should they fail to win the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
However, on March 15, 2019, FIFA announced that the Confederations Cup would be abolished, with an expanded FIFA Club World Cup taking place instead. This therefore also meant there would be no future editions of the CONCACAF Cup.