Gold Cup 2013

<b>Qualification:</b>

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12 teams qualify for the competition:

- all 3 NAFU countries (United States, Canada and Mexico);

- 5 UNCAF countries from 2013 Copa Centroamericana (Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize and Costa Rica);

- 4 CFU teams from 2012 Caribbean Cup (Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti and Martinique).

<b>Group stage:</b>

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<b>Format:</b>

12 teams are distributed into 3 groups (Groups A-C) of 4 teams each.

Each team plays the others from its own group once - for a total of 3 games each, over 3 game weeks.

All matches from the Group stage and Knockout stage take place in 13 host cities in the United States.

<b>Scoring points:</b>

3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss.

<b>Table order:</b>

1. points won; 2. points in head-to-head matches; 3. goal difference in hth matches; 4. goals scored in hth matches; 5. total goal difference; 6. total goals scored; 7. draw.

<b>Qualification for the Knockout stage:</b>

1-2 place of each group: qualify for the Knockout stage

two best 3rd placed teams: qualify for the Knockout stage

<b>Tie-breakers for determining the 3rd placed teams ranking:</b>

1. points won; 2. total goal difference; 3. total goals scored; 4. draw.

<b>Knockout stage:</b>

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<b>Format:</b>

8 teams contest the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup winner in a knockout format.

<b>Quarter-finals:</b>

Teams are paired according to their Group stage standings:

1st in Group A vs 2nd in Group B (match 1);

2nd in Group A vs 3rd in Group B/C (match 2);

1st in Group B vs 2nd in Group C (match 3);

1st in Group C vs 3rd in Group A/B (match 4).

* - the 3rd placed teams are distributed among matches 2 and 4, so as to avoid meeting of two teams from the same group.

Winners are decided over one leg, with extra time and penalties if score is level after regular time.

<b>Semi-finals:</b>

4 teams are paired as follows:

winner match 1 vs winner match 2;

winner match 3 vs winner match 4.

Winners are decided over one leg, with extra time and penalties if score is level after regular time.

<b>Final:</b>

The two Semi-finals winners meet each other with the winner becoming 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup winner.

Winner is decided over one leg, with extra time and penalties if score is level after regular time.