MIAMI — On Thursday, Saudi Arabia was officially invited to participate as a guest in the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the tournaments scheduled in 2025 and 2027. This announcement comes just a week after the nation was selected to be the host for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

The Gold Cup, which features 16 teams, serves as the championship event for soccer in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. The upcoming edition of the tournament will take place from June 14 to July 6 of next year, across 14 venues spread over 11 locations in the United States and Canada.

In previous editions of the Gold Cup, the United States opted to send less experienced squads in both the 2021 and 2023 tournaments, allowing their Europe-based stars some much-needed time off following their club season commitments.

Historically, several nations have been invited as guest participants in this prestigious tournament. Notable past invitees include Brazil, which appeared in 1996, 1998, and 2003; Colombia, which participated in 2000, 2003, and 2005; and Ecuador in 2002. Other guests have included Peru (2000), Qatar (2021, 2023), South Africa (2005), and South Korea (2000, 2002).

In terms of victories, Mexico holds the record with nine Gold Cup titles, including the most recent championship in 2023. The United States follows with seven titles, with their last win in 2021, while Canada claimed the trophy in 2000.

As for the teams qualifying for the upcoming Gold Cup, Canada, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, and the United States have all secured their spots. The official draw to determine the matchups will take place on April 10.