Mexico comes into this year’s tournament as huge favorites. La Tri won the nation’s ninth Gold Cup in 2023, and followed that up with a triumphant victory in the CONCACAF Nations League this past year. They bring in a lot of the talent that has helped them win over the past couple of years with the hopes of competing for a trophy once again.

Defending champion Mexico overcame a slow start to defeat the Dominican Republic 3-2 on in a CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage match.

Even semi-seasoned soccer fans might look at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which kicks off Saturday night, and think, “OK, which international tournament is this, again?” To recap: This is the continental championship for North America,