With Mexico taking the CONCACAF Gold Cup title in a 3-1 win over Jamaica, they're officially set up for a match against the United States to see who goes to the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia. The competition pits the World Cup hosts, defending World Cup champions and the winners of the various continental cups against one another in a preview of sorts a year ahead of the world's biggest soccer competition.
Since the Gold Cup is played twice in the four years between Confederations Cup tournaments, that gives North America two potential entrants that have to be narrowed down to one. The United States won the Gold Cup in 2013 and could have won automatic entry to the Confederations Cup with back-to-back wins, but their disappointing fourth-place finish in this year's tournament set up a playoff..
That match is set for Oct. 9, and will almost certainly be played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, though CONCACAF has not made that official. That's going to be a large and excited crowd, where Mexico fans will likely outnumber USMNT supporters three-to-one. The Rose Bowl has always been a friendly place for Mexico over the years, and it's where they beat the United States to win the 2011 Gold Cup.
Playing in the Confederations Cup is a pretty big deal, and not just for the big payday the federations get for participating. It's a chance for some of the best national teams in the world to square off to see how they stack up, and see where things stand one year before the World Cup. The last time the United States made the Confederations Cup, they finished second in 2009, losing the final to Brazil, who have won the tournament three straight times.
In the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil, Mexico failed to escape the group stage, losing to Italy and Brazil before grabbing a win against Japan on their last matchday. Mexico are the only CONCACAF team to have won the Confederations Cup, having done so on home soil in 1999.
The time of the match hasn't been announced yet, nor have tickets gone on sale, but both things should be settled and announced soon.