MIAMI – The four men’s national teams participating in the 2025 Concacaf Nations League Finals are counting down the days to take their respective chances at lifting this year’s trophy.

The semifinals take place on March 20 as the United States begins its title defense in search of a fourth consecutive crown when it meets Panama, who seeks to make history as the first Central American side to reach the final. Canada and Mexico, the two runners-up in the competition’s history, will meet for the other place in the championship match as each seeks its first title.

The four nations were represented at the 2025 CNL Finals Media Day last Wednesday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, USA - the site of the 2025 and 2027 CNL Finals.

 

Canada: “It would show that we've truly arrived”

Canada will make its second appearance in the CNL Finals and first since 2023 after missing the previous edition. The Reds will seek to return to the championship match, as they did in their only other appearance in the final four.

This will be the first CNL Finals coached by Jesse Marsch, who was appointed last May and coached Canada to a fourth-place finish in the 2024 Copa America. The American manager sees the CNL as a chance to win a trophy and bring the Canucks further in the forefront of Concacaf contenders.

“I think it would show that we've truly arrived,” Marsch said about what winning the CNL trophy would mean for Canada. “They know that they're taken seriously in the region. Even here, talking to all three opponents, I think they have a high level of respect for our team. We certainly have a high level of respect for them. But respect is one thing, and then winning is another.

“We have an opportunity to achieve something great for our group and have a big goal to pursue. In the end, it'll be a continued boost for us. But regardless, I know we're on the right path,” added Marsch.

Canada will look to the likes of Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Alistair Johnston, Moïse Bombito, Cyle Larin, Stephen Eustáquio and others to lead the nation to glory. Marsch listed Ismaël Koné, Nathan Saliba, and Ali Ahmed as potential young players who could have a breakout moment in the competition.

 

Mexico: “To try to bring joy back to the fans”

 Mexico will aspire to win the Concacaf Nations League for the first time, having played in the championship game on two previous occasions. Mexican manager Javier Aguirre has returned for a third stint and hopes to usher his nation to a new accomplishment.

Santiago Giménez, Raúl Jiménez, and Hirving Lozano headline the attacking options for Aguirre. Along with the likes of Edson Álvarez, Orbelín Pineda, and César Huerta, Mexico hopes to put together its first championship squad in CNL play.

“That the coach is calm, that he makes good decisions, that he is capable of making a good team on and off the pitch, and that we are at the level of the fans, who are magnificent,” said Aguirre about what he needs to do to make this Mexico side the best in its history.  “So, there are several factors, that is why I was hired, to try to bring joy back to the fans or to get back in touch with them, that they feel proud of what they see on the pitch, that the players feel proud of wearing the national shirt.”

Mexico will look to the CNL Finals to begin the year in a championship fashion as it gears up to defend its reign in the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer. El Tricolor will aspire to a record 10th Gold Cup title, and second with Aguirre, in the run up to kicking off the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil.

“The goal is the 2026 World Cup, to have the best World Cup in history, if possible,” said Aguirre. “The best sporting experience I have had in 50 years is the World Cup in my home. It brings tears to my eyes. My national anthem, my people, my country. And that is what I want to convey to the players.”

Panama: “We can be the first Central American team to qualify for a final”

Panama will seek to make history by becoming the first nation from Central America to win the tournament. Los Canaleros will participate in its third consecutive CNL Finals, all of which have been coached by Thomas Christiansen.

Under Christiansen, Panama finished runners-up at the 2023 Gold Cup where it came close to collecting its first Concacaf title at the senior men’s national team level. Adalberto Carrasquilla, César Blackman, Yoel Bárcenas, Eric Davis and Aníbal Godoy are a handful of names that bring CNL Finals experience and have led Panama to its recent success.

“Hopefully, we can be the first Central American team to qualify for a final,” said Christiansen. “The most important thing [to the players] is to convey what you want and the experience of the previous games we had in the Final Four. With that analysis, give them all the possible tools to overcome themselves and, of course, their opponents.”

Panama has fallen to the runners-up of the past two competitions in the semifinals, losing to Canada in 2023 and Mexico in 2024, and meets the three-time defending champions, the United States. 

A silver lining for Panama is that it has gotten the better of the U.S. in the two previous official meetings between the two. Panama outlasted the Stars and Stripes 5-4 on penalties, following a 1-1 draw, in the 2023 Gold Cup semifinals and earned a 2-nil outright victory in the 2024 Copa America group stage.

“We always want to compete,” said Christiansen. “There is always rivalry, be it Costa Rica, Mexico, the United States, or even Canada. If you want to be competitive, you have to look for it as a rival, and you always have to try to win it.”

 

 USA: Pochettino has created a sense of togetherness

The United States is the only nation to have lifted the Concacaf Nations League trophy, winning all three previous editions. The Stars and Stripes now look to make it four in a row and first under Argentine manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Pochettino was appointed head coach of the USMNT last September and debuted with a 2-nil friendly win against Panama, the U.S.’s opponent in the semifinals, before winning 5-2 agg. against Jamaica in the Nations League quarterfinals.

“Mauricio has installed himself in this team, and he's created a sense of togetherness with these players, and you can actually see that within their displays and then within their last results in game play,” said U.S. Soccer’s Vice President of Sporting Oguchi Onyewu.

“Mauricio demands a high level of concentration and efficacy when we play, but he also brings a sense of calm to the players, and then they know that they have the ability to express themselves on the field and feel free within their game place. So that freedom meshed with the level of concentration, I think it's going to promote and produce a high level of performance from our national teams, and it already has.”

The former USMNT defender has described the CNL as a ‘winner takes all’ competition and said, ‘Panama is no small opponent.’ Onyewu also mentioned that the U.S. is weary of Panama following the two previous meetings in official competition.

Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, Yunus Musah, Timothy Weah, Brenden Aaronson, and Antonee Robinson are part of the nucleus that has helped the USA to three CNL Finals victories. Matt Turner, Chris Richards, Tyler Adams, and Johnny Cardoso have also tasted CNL success, giving Pochettino plenty of experience across all lines of the team.

“Us, Canada, and Mexico only have Nations League and Gold Cup in terms of tournament form for [World Cup] preparation,” said Onyewu. “I think these kinds of tournaments, where you don't have the luxury of error, really highlight the concentration levels of our players and the importance of each game and each decision on the field. So, we're looking forward to our first game against Panama and hopefully playing in the finals after that.”