April 10, 2023

Soccer

Houston’s NRG Stadium, Shell Energy Stadium to host 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup

Tournament will be played in 15 stadiums across 14 cities; Houston is only city with 2 venues selected

Miami, FL (Monday, April 10, 2023) – Concacaf has today announced the 15 stadiums in 14 metropolitan areas that will host matches of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup, including two stadiums in Houston. NRG Stadium, home to the Houston Texans, and Shell Energy Stadium, the home of Houston Dynamo FC and the Houston Dash, are each slated to host matches in this summer’s tournament.

The 17th edition of Concacaf’s flagship competition for men's national teams will be played between June 16 – July 16 and will crown the best national team in the region. Today’s announcement comes after the Confederation confirmed that Our Final, on Sunday, July 16, was awarded to Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium.

Houston is the only city with two stadiums selected to host matches in the tournament. The 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup is a key part of a series of championship sporting events brought to Houston through the efforts of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, including the 2023 NCAA Men’s Final Four, the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship, the 2024 Junior Olympic Games and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Harris County-Houston Sports Authority CEO Janis Burke said: “With our  large, diverse and incredibly passionate soccer community and a pair of world-class soccer stadiums, it’s no surprise that Houston has not one, but two venues selected to host matches in this summer’s Gold Cup tournament. It’s such an amazing time to be a sports fan in Houston. Our organization is proud to lead the bid efforts and to work with our sports teams to continue bringing these type of amazing events to our region.”

This summer marks the seventh time NRG Stadium will host the Gold Cup. NRG Stadium was the most attended Gold Cup venue in 2021, when Mexico defeated Canada 2-1 in a semifinal match in front of over 70,000 fans.

Lone Star Sports and Entertainment General Manager David Fletcher said: “We are honored to once again host the Concacaf Gold Cup at NRG Stadium. Houston is home to the best soccer fans in the country, and we look forward to providing them another edition of this world-class event. Our community is excited to see this Friday’s draw and welcome participating teams to our vibrant city very soon.”

The 2023 edition of the Gold Cup is the sixth tournament to feature matches at the recently-renovated Shell Energy Stadium. The venue has hosted every edition of the competition since 2013.

Houston Dynamo Football Club Chief Operating Officer Jessica O’Neill said: “We are excited to showcase a newly renovated venue for the Gold Cup this summer and offer fans an enhanced experience as they support their national team at Shell Energy Stadium. We take pride in ensuring that the hospitality of Houston is enjoyed by all who will join us for these world-class competitions.”

The 2023 Gold Cup is a key part of the region’s vibrant summer of football, which will also include the Final of the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League on June 4, and the Concacaf Nations League Finals in Las Vegas, NV, between June 15-18. 

Regarding this exciting 2023 Gold Cup announcement, Concacaf President and FIFA Vice President, Victor Montagliani, said: “The Concacaf Gold Cup is our flagship competition and showcases the very best of men’s national team football in the region. With each passing edition this competition has reached new heights on and off the pitch and I am certain the 2023 tournament will deliver outstanding football and capture the imagination of fans across our confederation and beyond.

“The 15 host cities and venues we have selected all have strong track records of hosting elite football, and world class events. I want to thank each and every one of them for their commitment to Concacaf, to our Gold Cup and to our sport. This is a tremendous time for football in the region with Nations Leagues, men’s and women’s Gold Cups, and other exciting national team and club competitions taking place over the next three years as we head towards the FIFA World Cup 2026.”

“I look forward with great anticipation to watching the Gold Cup Prelims in June and enjoying compelling football involving all the Gold Cup teams right through to the Final and crowning a champion in Los Angeles on July 16.” 

Fans interested in purchasing tickets to the session at NRG Stadium may join the waitlist at LSSE.net

2023 Gold Cup Draw

To kick off the 2023 Gold Cup, Concacaf will conduct the competition’s official draw on Friday, April 14, 2023, at SoFi Stadium. 

The live in-person event will begin at 12:00 pm PT/local time (3:00 pm ET) and will include the participation of Concacaf President and FIFA Vice President, Victor Montagliani, the head coaches of the national teams participating in the 2023 Gold Cup and important guests.

The draw will be available for fans across the region to view on One Soccer (CAN), FS2 (USA), TUDN (USA and MEX), ESPN (Central America and Caribbean), and other regional broadcasters. For other territories, the event will be available on Concacaf GO, Concacaf Facebook page, and Concacaf YouTube channel (all subject to territory restrictions).

For more details regarding the draw, including the procedures and seeded nations, click here. 

The 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup is sponsored by Modelo, Qatar Airways, Toyota and Valvoline.

About Gold Cup

The Concacaf Gold Cup is the Confederation’s premier competition for men’s national teams, crowning a champion every two years. Initially involving eight teams, the Gold Cup expanded into a competition that includes a 12-team Preliminary Round and 16-team Group Stage, all which qualify via the Concacaf Nations League. The tournament has been contested on 16 previous occasions. Mexico owns a tournament-record eight titles, followed by the United States with seven and Canada with one. For more information about the Concacaf Gold Cup, click here. 

About Concacaf

The Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) is one of FIFA’s six continental confederations, servicing 41 Member Associations, from Canada in the north to Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana in the south. Concacaf means football first. Our members are united by a shared vision: Love For Our Game, as well as a unique mission, to develop, promote and manage football throughout the region with integrity, transparency, and passion in order to inspire participation in the game.

About Lone Star Sports and Entertainment

Lone Star Sports & Entertainment is an event management company founded in 2003 that is closely affiliated with the NFL’s Houston Texans. Since its founding, LSSE has established itself as the leading sports event promoter in Houston. In addition to producing annual college football events such as the TaxAct Texas Bowl, LSSE has emerged as a premier promoter for international soccer matches, including the Copa de Lone Star, Copa America Centenario, the 2010 MLS All-Star Game featuring Manchester United, the 2006 FC Barcelona U.S. tour, the International Champions Cup, the 2003 and 2008 matches between the United States and Mexico, and the 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2019, 2021 and 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cups.