SAN JOSE – The prestigious CONCACAF Gold Cup, the continental football tournament for the Caribbean, North, and Central America, officially kicked off this Saturday. Curaçao is set to play its first match on Tuesday, June 17, as the team begins its campaign in Group B, alongside Canada, Honduras, and El Salvador. 

Under the guidance of renowned coach Dick Advocaat, Curaçao will face El Salvador in its opening match at 8:15 PM local time in San Jose, California. 

The team will return to the field on Saturday, June 21 at 7:00 PM (Curaçao time) to take on Canada in Houston, Texas, before concluding the group stage against Honduras on Tuesday, June 24 at 10:00 PM local time, again in San Jose. 

Path to the Knockout Rounds 

The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, with the tournament culminating in the Gold Cup final on Sunday, July 6, in Houston. 

Veteran Presence 

Coach Advocaat’s squad features six players with previous Gold Cup experience: 

Former captain Cuco Martina 

Goalkeeper Eloy Room 

Midfielder Leandro Bacuna 

Winger Kenji Gorré 

Striker Rangelo Janga 

Defender Jurrien Gaari 

Gaari etched his name in Curaçaoan football history during the 2019 Gold Cup, when his stunning injury-time goal against Jamaica secured Curaçao’s first-ever place in the tournament’s quarterfinals. 

Group Stage Overview 

Here are the full Gold Cup groupings: 

Group A: Costa Rica, Mexico, Suriname, Dominican Republic 

Group B: Canada, Honduras, El Salvador, Curaçao 

Group C: Panama, Jamaica, Guatemala, Guadeloupe 

Group D: United States, Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago, Saudi Arabia 

Note: Saudi Arabia is participating as a guest nation in preparation for hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup. 

Curaçao enters this year’s competition aiming to build on past success and once again leave its mark on the regional stage.