The 2009 edition of the Concacaf Gold Cup is set to be played in a record 13 different U.S. cities, kicking off at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., on July 3 and concluding with the championship on July 26 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
The goal of the ambitious Coast-to-Coast plan, which is more than twice than the number previously used for the continental competition and totals four more venues that when the USA hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup, is simply to "give fans more opportunity to experience the championship in person," said Concacaf president Jack Warner on their official Web site.
The month-long, 12-team tournament will be played in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, East Rutherford (N.J.), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Oakland, Seattle and four cities – Columbus (Ohio), Phoenix, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. – that have yet to host a Gold Cup match since the tournament began in 1991.