2025 CONCACAF Nations League Finals

Not to be confused with the 2025 CONCACAF Nations League final, the final match of the Nations League.

2025 CONCACAF Nations League Finals
Tournament details
Host countryUnited States
DatesMarch 20–23
Teams4
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions Mexico (1st title)
Runners-up Panama
Third place Canada
Fourth place United States
Tournament statistics
Matches played4
Goals scored9 (2.25 per match)
Top scorer(s) Raúl Jiménez (4 goals)
Best player(s) Raúl Jiménez
Best goalkeeper Luis Malagón
← 2024
2027 →

The 2025 CONCACAF Nations League Finals was the final tournament of the 2024–25 edition of the CONCACAF Nations League, the fourth season of the international football competition involving the men's national teams of the 41 member associations of CONCACAF. It was held from March 20 to 23, 2025 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, United States.[1]

The three-time defending champions United States were eliminated by Panama in the semi-finals.

Mexico secured their first title by defeating Panama 2–1 in the final.

Format

The Nations League Finals were contested by the four quarter-finals winners of League A. The tournament took place over four days and was played in single-leg knockout matches, consisting of two semi-finals on March 20, and a third place play-off and final three days after on March 23, 2025.[2]

In the CONCACAF Nations League Finals, if the scores are level at the end of normal time 30 minutes of extra time will be played. If the score is still level after extra time, the winner will be determined by a penalty shoot-out.[2]

Venue

900km
559miles
1
Location of the host city of the 2025 CONCACAF Nations League Finals.

SoFi Stadium, located in Inglewood, California, in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, was announced as the venue for the 2025 and 2027 CONCACAF Nations League Finals on October 9, 2024.[1][3]

City Stadium
Inglewood
(Los Angeles Area) 		SoFi Stadium
Capacity: 70,240

Qualified teams

The four quarter-finals winners of League A qualified for the Nations League Finals.

Match Winners Date of qualification Appearances Previous best CNL Finals performance Rankings
Total Last CONCACAF
Feb. 2025[4] 		FIFA
Dec. 2024[5]
QF1  Panama November 18, 2024 3rd 2024 Fourth place (2023, 2024)
4
36
QF2  United States November 18, 2024 4th 2024 Champions (2021, 2023, 2024)
2
16
QF3  Canada November 19, 2024 2nd 2023 Runners-up (2023)
3
31
QF4  Mexico November 19, 2024 4th 2024 Runners-up (2021, 2024)
1
19

Seeding

The four teams were ranked based on their results in the two quarter-finals legs to determine the semi-final matchups. The first seed played the fourth seed and the second seed played the third seed.[6]

Seed QF Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 QF3  Canada 2 2 0 0 4 0 +4 6
2 QF2  United States 2 2 0 0 5 2 +3 6
3 QF1  Panama 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1 4
4 QF4  Mexico 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 3
Source: CONCACAF
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Squads

Main article: 2025 CONCACAF Nations League Finals squads

Each national team had to submit a final squad of 23 players, three of whom had to be goalkeepers, no later than ten days before the opening match of the tournament. If a player presented medical reasons or became injured severely enough to prevent his participation from the tournament before his team's first match, he could be replaced by another player.[2]

Bracket

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
 March 20 – Inglewood
 
 
 Canada0
 
 March 23 – Inglewood
 
 Mexico2
 
 Mexico2
 
 March 20 – Inglewood
 
 Panama1
 
 United States0
 
 
 Panama1
 
Third place play-off
 
 
 March 23 – Inglewood
 
 
 Canada2
 
 
 United States1

All match times are in EDT (UTC−4) as listed by CONCACAF (local times are in parentheses).[6]

Semi-finals

United States v Panama

The teams had faced each other 28 times previously, but this was their first-ever meeting at the CONCACAF Nations League.[7][8] Their most recent meeting was a friendly game in October 2024, won 2–0 by the United States, which marked the debut of coach Mauricio Pochettino at the helm of the USMNT. Meanwhile, their most recent competitive meeting was a 2024 Copa América Group C match on June 27, 2024, where Panama won 2–1.[9][10]

United States 0–1 Panama
Report Waterman 90+4'
Referee: Oshane Nation (Jamaica)
United States
Panama
GK 1 Matt Turner
RB 6 Yunus Musah
CB 3 Chris Richards  72'  79'
CB 13 Tim Ream (c)
LB 19 Joe Scally
CM 4 Tyler Adams
CM 11 Tanner Tessmann  68'
RW 8 Weston McKennie
AM 10 Christian Pulisic  90'
LW 21 Timothy Weah
CF 9 Josh Sargent  68'
Substitutions:
FW 16 Patrick Agyemang  68'
FW 12 Jack McGlynn  68'
DF 20 Mark McKenzie  79'
Manager:
Mauricio Pochettino
GK 22 Orlando Mosquera
CB 16 Carlos Harvey
CB 5 Edgardo Fariña
CB 3 José Córdoba
RWB 2 César Blackman  80'
LWB 15 Jorge Gutiérrez
RM 6 Cristian Martínez  90+2'
CM 8 Adalberto Carrasquilla
CM 20 Aníbal Godoy (c)
LM 7 José Luis Rodríguez  90+1'
CF 17 José Fajardo  70'
Substitutions:
FW 18 Cecilio Waterman  90+6'  70'
DF 19 Iván Anderson  80'
FW 10 Ismael Díaz  90+1'
MF 14 Janpol Morales  90+2'
Manager:
Thomas Christiansen

Man of the Match:
Cecilio Waterman (Panama)[11]

Assistant referees:[12]
Caleb Wales (Trinidad and Tobago)
Ojay Duhaney (Jamaica)
Fourth official:
Ismael Cornejo (El Salvador)
Fifth official:
Karen Diaz (Mexico)
Video assistant referee:
Daneon Parchment (Jamaica)
Assistant video assistant referee:
Benjamin Whitty (Cayman Islands)

Canada v Mexico

Canada 0–2 Mexico
Report Jiménez 1', 75'
Attendance: 50,295[13]
Canada
Mexico
GK 1 Dayne St. Clair
RB 2 Alistair Johnston  33'
CB 15 Moïse Bombito  18'
CB 13 Derek Cornelius
LB 19 Alphonso Davies (c)  22'
CM 7 Stephen Eustáquio  80'
CM 8 Ismaël Koné  67'
RW 20 Ali Ahmed  67'
AM 10 Jonathan David
LW 21 Jonathan Osorio  60'
CF 9 Cyle Larin  79'
Substitutions:
MF 14 Jacob Shaffelburg  60'
MF 17 Tajon Buchanan  67'
MF 6 Mathieu Choinière  67'
FW 12 Tani Oluwaseyi  79'
FW 11 Daniel Jebbison  80'
Manager:
Jesse Marsch
GK 1 Luis Malagón
CB 2 Israel Reyes  71'
CB 4 Edson Álvarez (c)
CB 5 Johan Vásquez  43'
RM 22 Roberto Alvarado
CM 8 Carlos Rodríguez  54'
CM 6 Érik Lira  89'
LM 23 Jesús Gallardo
RF 11 Santiago Giménez  80'
CF 9 Raúl Jiménez
LF 10 Alexis Vega  27'  54'
Substitutions:
FW 21 César Huerta  54'
MF 7 Luis Romo  54'
FW 16 Julián Quiñones  80'
MF 18 Luis Chávez  89'
Manager:
Javier Aguirre

Man of the Match:
Raúl Jiménez (Mexico)[14]

Assistant referees:
Walter Lopez (Honduras)
Christian Ramirez (Honduras)
Fourth official:
Selvin Brown (Honduras)
Fifth official:
Humberto Panjoj (Guatemala)
Video assistant referee:
Benjamín Pineda (Costa Rica)
Assistant video assistant referee:
Jesús Montero (Costa Rica)

Third place play-off

The teams had met in 43 previous matches, including three times at the CONCACAF Nations League (CNL) with one victory per side in the group stage of the 2019–20 League A and the United States' 2–0 triumph in the final of the 2022–23 edition.[15][16] Their most recent meeting was a friendly game won 2–1 by Canada in September 2024.[17]

Canada 2–1 United States
 Report Agyemang 35'
Canada
United States
GK 1 Dayne St. Clair
RB 2 Alistair Johnston
CB 15 Moïse Bombito  43'
CB 13 Derek Cornelius
LB 19 Alphonso Davies (c)  11'
CM 6 Mathieu Choinière  87'
CM 8 Ismaël Koné  67'
RW 20 Ali Ahmed  87'
AM 10 Jonathan David
LW 17 Tajon Buchanan  66'
CF 12 Tani Oluwaseyi  66'
Substitutions:
MF 23 Niko Sigur  11'
FW 9 Cyle Larin  66'
MF 14 Jacob Shaffelburg  66'
MF 7 Stephen Eustáquio  87'
MF 21 Jonathan Osorio  87'
Manager:
Jesse Marsch  54'
GK 1 Matt Turner
RB 5 Maximilian Arfsten
CB 20 Mark McKenzie
CB 2 Cameron Carter-Vickers
LB 19 Joe Scally  30'  46'
CM 4 Tyler Adams  69'
CM 8 Weston McKennie  69'
RW 14 Diego Luna
AM 10 Christian Pulisic (c)  69'
LW 21 Timothy Weah
CF 16 Patrick Agyemang  78'
Substitutions:
DF 17 Marlon Fossey  46'
MF 11 Tanner Tessmann  69'
FW 6 Yunus Musah  69'
MF 7 Giovanni Reyna  90+6'  69'
FW 23 Brian White  78'
Manager:
Mauricio Pochettino

Man of the Match:

Assistant referees:
Sandra Ramírez (Mexico)
Karen Díaz (Mexico)
Fourth official:
Keylor Herrera (Costa Rica)
Fifth official:

Video assistant referee:
Guillermo Pacheco (Mexico)
Assistant video assistant referee:
Jesús Montero (Costa Rica)

Final

Main article: 2025 CONCACAF Nations League final

The teams had met 30 times previously, including four CONCACAF Nations League (CNL) matches, all won by Mexico: 3–1 and 3–0 in the group stage of the 2019–20 League A, 1–0 in the third place play-off of the 2023 Finals and a 3–0 semi-finals win in the 2024 Finals, with the latter being their most recent encounter.[18][19]

This was the third CNL final for Mexico, while Panama was the first Central American nation to reach the deciding match of the competition.[20][21] The match crowned an unprecedented CNL champion after the elimination of the three-time defending champions United States in the semi-finals.[22][23]

Mexico 2–1 Panama
Jiménez 8', 90+2' (pen.) Report Carrasquilla 45+2' (pen.)
Attendance: 68,212[24][25]
Mexico
Panama
GK 1 Luis Malagón
RB 2 Israel Reyes
CB 3 César Montes
CB 5 Johan Vásquez
LB 23 Jesús Gallardo  90+6'
RM 22 Roberto Alvarado
CM 7 Luis Romo  63'
CM 4 Edson Álvarez (c)
LM 21 César Huerta  64'
CF 11 Santiago Giménez  90+6'
CF 9 Raúl Jiménez
Substitutions:
MF 18 Luis Chávez  63'
FW 10 Alexis Vega  64'
FW 17 Orbelín Pineda  90+6'
DF 14 Jesús Angulo  90+6'
Manager:
Javier Aguirre
GK 22 Orlando Mosquera
CB 16 Carlos Harvey
CB 5 Edgardo Fariña  90+3'
CB 3 José Córdoba
RWB 2 César Blackman
LWB 15 Jorge Gutiérrez
RM 6 Cristian Martínez  75'
CM 8 Adalberto Carrasquilla
CM 20 Aníbal Godoy (c)
LM 7 José Luis Rodríguez
CF 18 Cecilio Waterman  62'
Substitutions:
FW 17 José Fajardo  62'
MF 14 Janpol Morales  75'
FW 10 Ismael Díaz  90+3'
Manager:
Thomas Christiansen

Man of the Match:

Assistant referees:[26]
Luis Ventura (Guatemala)
Humberto Panjoj (Guatemala)
Fourth official:
Walter López (Guatemala)
Fifth official:
Keytzel Corrales (Nicaragua)
Video assistant referee:
Tatiana Guzmán (Nicaragua)
Assistant video assistant referee:
Benjamín Pineda (Costa Rica)

Statistics

Goalscorers

There were 9 goals scored in 4 matches, for an average of 2.25 goals per match.

4 goals

1 goal

Awards

CONCACAF announced the following squad as the best eleven of the Finals after the conclusion of the tournament.[27]

Raúl Jiménez was named best player of the tournament, scoring four goals in the finals. Luis Malagón was named best goalkeeper, making four saves and one clean sheet.[28]

Best XI
Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards
Luis Malagón Israel Reyes
Moïse Bombito
Johan Vásquez 		Tyler Adams
Edson Álvarez
Aníbal Godoy
Adalberto Carrasquilla 		Jonathan David
Cecilio Waterman
Raúl Jiménez

Controversy

In the 9th minute of the semi-final game between Mexico and Canada, Mexico's Edson Álvarez kicked Canada's Derek Cornelius on his foot inside Mexico's penalty box, but the referee Saíd Martínez did not award a penalty kick to Canada. A free kick was given in favor of Mexico instead. The VAR Benjamín Pineda did not intervene.[29][30][31]

References

  1. ^ a b "Hollywood Park and SoFi Stadium awarded 2025 and 2027 Concacaf Nations League Finals". Miami, FL: CONCACAF. October 9, 2024. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "CONCACAF Nations League Regulations 2024" (PDF). CONCACAF. April 17, 2024 [Approved on March 2024]. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  3. ^ Calhoun, Damian (October 10, 2024). "SoFi Stadium to host 2025 and 2027 CONCACAF Nations League Finals". www.dailynews.com. Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  4. ^ "CONCACAF RANKING INDEX (as of February 28, 2025)". CONCACAF. December 15, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  5. ^ "FIFA Men's Ranking 19 December 2024". FIFA. December 19, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Concacaf confirms Nations League Semifinals matchups and schedule". Miami, FL: CONCACAF. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  7. ^ "USA, Panama kick off 2025 Concacaf Nations League Finals". Miami, FL: CONCACAF. March 13, 2025. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  8. ^ "#107 United States vs. Panama" (PDF). CONCACAF. February 25, 2025. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  9. ^ "Musah and Pepi fire USA past Panama as Mauricio Pochettino wins in debut". The Guardian. October 13, 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  10. ^ "Mauricio Pochettino offers USMNT something crucial in debut win: hope". The Guardian. October 13, 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  11. ^ CONCACAF [@CNationsLeague] (March 20, 2025). "Un gol que vale una final" [A goal worth a final] (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved March 20, 2025 – via Twitter.
  12. ^ Da Silva, Alexander (March 20, 2025). "Panamá-USA: Un nuevo duelo por llegar a la final" [Panama-USA: A new duel to reach the final] (in Spanish). Panamanian Football Federation. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  13. ^ "Mexico 2-0 Canada (Mar 20, 2025) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  14. ^ CONCACAF [@CNationsLeague] (March 20, 2025). "Jugador estrella" [Star player] (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved March 21, 2025 – via Twitter.
  15. ^ "Canada and USA meet for Nations League Third Place". Miami, FL: CONCACAF. March 22, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  16. ^ "Canada vs. United States" (PDF). CONCACAF. March 21, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  17. ^ Steiner, Ben (March 23, 2025). "USMNT vs. Canada: Why Rivalry Third-Place Match Means More for World Cup Hosts". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  18. ^ "Mexico and Panama battle for first CNL trophy". Miami, FL: CONCACAF. March 22, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  19. ^ "Mexico vs. Panama" (PDF). CONCACAF. March 21, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  20. ^ "México va por su primer título de la Liga de Naciones ante una Panamá que dio la sorpresa" [Mexico goes for its first Nations League title against surprise package Panama] (in Spanish). Proceso. Associated Press. March 22, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  21. ^ Suárez, Santiago (March 23, 2025). "Previa México vs. Panamá: pronósticos y todo sobre la gran final de la CONCACAF Nations League 2025" [Mexico vs. Panama: predictions and everything about the grand final of the CONCACAF Nations League 2025] (in Spanish). Récord. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  22. ^ "Panama to face Mexico in Concacaf Nations League Final on March 23 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles". Los Angeles, CA: CONCACAF. March 20, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  23. ^ Robles, Javier (March 22, 2025). "México y Panamá disputarán una final inédita en la Nations League" [Mexico and Panama to contest an unprecedented Nations League final] (in Spanish). El Informador. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  24. ^ García Méndez, Sebastián (March 23, 2025). "México es campeón de la Liga de Naciones de la CONCACAF por primera vez; Raúl Jiménez vuelve a ser el héroe" [Mexico is CONCACAF Nations League champions for the first time; Raul Jimenez is the hero again] (in Spanish). El Universal. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
  25. ^ Garcia, Arturo (March 23, 2025). "Fin del maleficio: Raúl Jiménez le da el título de la Nations League a México" [End of the jinx: Raúl Jiménez gives Mexico the Nations League title] (in Spanish). California: Tribuna. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
  26. ^ Da Silva, Alexander (March 23, 2025). "Panamá-México: La final del SoFi parte II" [Panama-Mexico: The SoFi Final Part II] (in Spanish). Panamanian Football Federation. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  27. ^ "Jiménez, Waterman, David headline CNL Finals Best XI". CONCACAF. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
  28. ^ "Jiménez, Malagón, Romero earn 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League honors". CONCACAF. March 24, 2025. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
  29. ^ Callaghan, Joe (March 21, 2025). "Raúl Jiménez puts Mexico into Nations League final, and Canada into US clash". The Guardian. Retrieved March 29, 2025. How Canada weren't awarded a spot-kick on nine minutes was a mystery. Captain Edson Álvarez swung a boot at a ball which Derek Cornelius got to first. SoFi's giant infinity screens signalled that VAR was checking just as Martinez signalled a restart.
  30. ^ "Técnico de Canadá apuntó contra Said Martínez por no pitar penal ante México: "Es imperdonable que no lo mire"". diez.hn. Diez. Retrieved March 29, 2025. El momento de mayor controversia se dio apenas en el minuto 9, cuando Edson Álvarez intentó despejar un balón dentro del área, pero terminó pateando a Derek Cornelius, quien había ganado la posición y tocado el balón antes.
  31. ^ "¿Concacaf quiere al Tri en la FINAL? Aficionados reaccionan a la PATADA de Edson Álvarez en el área en Canadá-México". foxsports.com.mx. Fox Sports. March 20, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2025. El Canadá vs México no se salvó de la polémica arbitral pues Edson Álvarez pateó a Derek Cornelius dentro del área, pero no se marcó penal.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.