2009 Gold Cup to be Played in Record 13 Different U.S Cities
NEW YORK (Monday, 9 March 2009) – The 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ will be played in a record 13 different U.S. cities, opening at The Home Depot Center in Los Angeles on Friday, 3 July and concluding with the championship match Sunday, 26 July at Giants Stadium outside New York.
The 13 cities are more than twice than the number previously used for the continental championship and shy of only the 1982 FIFA World Cup™ in Spain and the 2002 FIFA World Cup™, which used 10 venues each in Japan and Korea Republic. The 1994 FIFA World Cup™ in the USA was played in nine different venues.
“By expanding the Gold Cup to 13 venues, it will give fans more opportunity to experience the championship in person,” said CONCACAF President Jack Warner.
The Gold Cup will make its first appearance in four cities: Columbus, Ohio; Phoenix; Philadelphia and Washington. A Gold Cup quarterfinal will be the first sporting event to be played at the Dallas Cowboys New Stadium.