The 2023 Concacaf Nations League trophy will be awarded Sunday evening when the United States and Canada meet in this year’s final at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, the first of two regional titles decided this summer.
How to watch and stream
- USA: Paramount+, Univision
- Canada: OneSoccer
When
- Sunday, June 18 - 8:30 pm ET/5:30 pm PT
Where
- Allegiant Stadium - Las Vegas, Nevada
These neighbors are handling quick turnarounds after winning Nations League semifinals on Thursday, also contested at the glittering NFL venue. Canada secured a comfortable 2-0 win over Panama, while the US raced to a 3-0, controversy-filled victory over Mexico.
Canada are eyeing their first title since lifting the 2000 Gold Cup, a 23-year gap that Les Rouges fans hope ends six months removed from topping Concacaf qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The USMNT are defending Nations League champions, hoping to regain momentum and continue building on their progress from the last World Cup cycle.
Might these two Concacaf powers also meet in the Gold Cup Final on July 16 at SoFi Stadium?
The highlights from Thursday night’s 3-0 win over Mexico: Christian Pulisic scored twice after a turbulent season at Chelsea, in-demand striker Ricard Pepi added an insurance goal, and Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner was rarely tested.
The lowlights from Thursday night’s 3-0 win over Mexico: Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie and FC Barcelona fullback Sergiño Dest were both shown red cards, meaning two of the program’s top talents won’t be available for selection.
All the while, U.S. Soccer announced Friday that Gregg Berhalter is back as USMNT head coach after a six-month period where interims have steered the program. The second such leader, B.J. Callaghan, oversaw the victory vs. El Tri after the first, Anthony Hudson, departed for a job in the Middle East. Callaghan will remain in charge through Sunday's game and the Gold Cup.
Taken in stride, the USMNT have a clear task in their sights: Beat Canada for the first time since 2021 and they’ll add another trophy to their coffers. To get there, Celta de Vigo midfielder Luca de la Torre and Borussia Mönchengladbach fullback Joe Scally might fill in for McKennie and Dest, respectively. New striker Folarin Balogun, building off his debut, could score his first USMNT goal, too.
Canada were business-like in Thursday’s 2-0 win over Panama, getting a first-half goal from Lille striker Jonathan David before Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies iced the game with a second-half tally. Unsurprisingly, head coach John Herdman called them “bloody good players” in his postgame press conference.
Canada can also derive confidence from how they fared against the USMNT during ‘22 World Cup qualifying, earning a 1-1 draw on the road and beating them 2-0 on home soil. There's even belief stemming from any advantages that should arise via the USMNT's absences, both injury-related and suspension-related.
One more note: Canada are hoping to send longtime captain Atiba Hutchinson out with a bang. The 40-year-old midfielder has stated he’ll retire after the Nations League, ending a stellar career that included a decade-long run at Turkish top-flight side Beşiktaş.
For the CanMNT, there’s a real chance to make a statement about who’s atop the region. Can they seize the moment?
