Costa Rica to host historic Gold Cup matches in 2019

Costa Rica will host group matches during the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which for the first time will play part of the regional tournament in Central America, sports authorities reported Monday.

Costa Rica will receive a Gold Cup doubleheader on June 16 with the two initial Group B matches of the tournament, revealed CONCACAF and authorities of the Central American country.

“We are very proud to bring the CONCACAF Gold Cup to Costa Rica, where fans have shown great emotion, passion and love for our game,” said CONCACAF president Victor Montaglini.

The remaining Gold Cup games will be played in cities across the United States and at a Caribbean location that has not yet been determined.

The announcement was made at Costa Rica’s National Stadium in La Sabana, San José, with the presence of Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado, Sports Minister Hernán Solano and the Costa Rican Football Federation.

President Alvarado expressed his hope that the 2019 Gold Cup games in Costa Rica will “perhaps open the door to do even more,” a suggestion that the country could someday be the main host of the tournament.

The Gold Cup, CONCACAF’s principal tournament between national teams, will begin on June 15, featuring 16 representatives from North and Central America, and the Caribbean.

“We always wanted to play the Gold Cup in our country, and now it will be a reality. This is something historic, and we hope everyone can enjoy it,” said Costa Rican central defender Kendall Waston during the announcement.