The U.S. and Mexico will face off in the Gold Cup final tonight at NRG Stadium, with it being the “first time the final of the tournament will be played in Houston.” It also comes “with less than one year to go until Houston hosts its first World Cup matches.” The U.S. faced Guatemala in the semifinals in St. Louis and played in front of a crowd “composed mostly of fans cheering for Guatemala.” USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino said that the team is “likely to face a similar disadvantage at NRG Stadium.” Expectations are that the “majority of the crowd will be Mexico fans.” Tonight’s final will be the 22nd game the Mexico national soccer team has played at NRG Stadium (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/5).
Sunday will be the eighth time the U.S. and Mexico have met for the championship of the Gold Cup, and in D.C., Steven Goff writes while their “rivalry is not the best in the world,” it is “up there.” The neighboring nations have “engaged in decades of searing matches, often with a chance to win a trophy or improve chances of qualifying for the World Cup.” The winner of tonight’s match will “carry momentum into the run-up to the 2026 World Cup,” which the countries are hosting along with Canada (WASHINGTON POST, 7/6).
