CONCACAF won't invite guest teams to next year's Gold Cup, which will be played June 6-24 in the United States.
Teams from South America, Africa and Asia have competed in the last six competitions. Brazil's U-23 team was runner-up in 1996 and 2003, and Colombia finished second in 2000. Brazil also sent a national team in 1998 when it fell to the USA in the semifinals for its only loss to the Americans in a full international. Other non-CONCACAF countries invited were South Korea, South Africa, Ecuador and Peru.
The 2007 finals will remain a 12-team tournament, meaning an extra team from Central America and the Caribbean will advance. The USA, Mexico and Canada qualify automatically. The top five teams from Central America's UNCAF Cup (Feb. 8-18 in El Salvador) and top four teams in the Caribbean's Digicel Cup (Jan. 31-Feb. 11 in Trindad & Tobago) will complete the field.
Caribbean qualifying, which enters the second phase in November, has already produced one surprise. St. Vincent & the Grenadines beat Jamaica in Jamaica, and the Reggae Boyz were eliminated, finishing behind Haiti and SVG in their first-phase group.