The time has come for a new edition of the CONCACAF Nations League to take place, and while there might be some familiar faces playing for the title, the current fixtures will surely keep fans guessing if there will be a change of guard after what goes down in coming days.
It has been two years since the end of the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League, which saw the USMNT claiming a narrow win over Mexico in an electric title match. This time, the biggest rivalry in CONCACAF history is not going to be played to decide the winner, but it will have a lot to do with the outcome of the competition.
There will be a big difference between what we were used to see in this competition, and it has to do with teams from a specific region. Usually, Costa Rica or Honduras were among those fighting for the titles in CONCACAF, but this time, Panama made it to the final rounds at Los Ticos' expense to mark the dawn of a new era.
With that in mind, let's look at the specifics for the final four games in the CONCACAF Nations League.
Which teams will be playing in the 2022-23 CONCACAF Nations League finals?
United States: The USMNT will play the role of hosts and were also able to reach the semi-finals as the top-seeded team thanks to their performance in Group D, where they earned ten points in four games. The Stars and Stripes are keen on winning this title for the second time in a row, although their options to do so suffered a little setback last week, when the U.S. Soccer Federation confirmed B.J. Callahan as their interim manager for the summer. The Yanks defeated El Salvador and Grenada to earn their spot in the final four.
Panama: Shockingly, Los Canaleros earned the second seed in the final four with a nearly perfect group stage, which included beating Costa Rica twice in Group B and earning ten points, missing out on the top seed by just four goals. The team coached by Thomas Christiansen made it this far without conceding any goals in their previous four games, which will surely come in handy for them if they can keep their goal unscathed in the semi-finals.
Canada: The Canucks did not reach this stage unbeaten, as they lost one game against Honduras but eventually found a way to dominate Group C with nine points and a track record that included eleven goals scored and only three conceded. John Herdman's men will return to the decisive stage of a CONCACAF tournament with hopes to lift the trophy for the first time in a while, fueled by the presence of some of their top players who were also able to perform in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Mexico: Usually one of the strongest teams in the region, Mexico have not been as dominant as they once were, making it to the final four as the fourth-ranked team with two wins and two draws in their Group. El Tri was unable to beat Jamaica in their two group fixtures, which complicated their path to the title and came close to eventually being eliminated under new coach Diego Cocca. With a lousy performance in the FIFA World Cup and with their fans being disgruntled by their recent outings, redemption will only come for the green and white with a win in this competition, but that might be easier said than done judging their current form.
When will the 2022-23 CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals take place?
Both fixtures are scheduled to be played on Thursday, June 15. The opening match of the evening will be Panama vs Canada, with kickoff being set for 19:00 ET (16:00 local time). Once that clash comes to a close, USA vs Mexico will take place at 22:00 ET (19:00 local time).
On which dates will the remaining games of the 2022-23 CONCACAF Nations League be played?
Both the third-place match and the title game of this year's CONCACAF Nations League will take place on Sunday, June 18. The consolation match between those who lose the semis will begin at 18:00 ET (15:00 local time). Once that match concludes, everything will be set for the CONCACAF Nations League final, which has been scheduled to kick off at 21:00 ET (18:00 local time).
Where can I watch or stream matches for the 2022-23 CONCACAF Nations League?
United States: Univision, TUDN USA, TUDN App, TUDN.com, Univision NOW, Paramount+.
Canada: OneSoccer, fuboTV Canada.
Mexico: Azteca 7, ESPN Mexico, TUDN En Vivo, Canal 5 Televisa, Azteca Deportes En Vivo, Star+, ViX, TUDN, VIX+.
Panama: Vix, Star+, Flow Sports App, Flowsports.co, ESPN Norte.
Argentina: ESPN3 Argentina, Star+.
Brazil: NOW NET e Claro, ESPN4, Star+.
Portugal: Sport TV1, Sport TV Multiscreen.
Denmark: Viaplay Denmark.
For detailed coverage of all games, have a look at each match by following the links below.
