MIAMI, Florida – League A of the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League kicks off this Thursday with a new look in the third edition of the tournament.
Unlike the first two installments of League A of the CNL in which 12 teams were divided into four groups of three teams and the group winners advanced to the CNL Finals, this time around League A has been expanded to 16 teams, beginning with 12 teams divided into two groups of six and the top two teams from each group advancing to a quarterfinal stage, joining the four top-ranked teams in the Concacaf Rankings as of March 2023: United States, Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica.
Of those eight quarterfinal teams, six will advance to the 2024 Copa America to be played in the United States: the four quarterfinal winners and the two winners of the Play-In matches.
However, the journey to reach the 2024 Copa America begins in the group stage.
Group A
Headlining the group is 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup runners-up Panama. Not only did the Canaleros reach their third Gold Cup Final over the summer, but they also took part in the 2022-23 CNL Finals in Las Vegas, going toe-to-toe with Canada and Mexico in their two matches. 2023 Gold Cup Best Player Award winner Adalberto Carrasquilla will be one of the ones to watch.
Two other Central American nations will join Panama in Group A, Guatemala and El Salvador. The Chapines won promotion from League B in 2022-23 thanks in part to Rubio Rubin’s three goals and used that momentum to deliver a record-setting performance in the 2023 Gold Cup by winning their group for the first time ever and reaching the quarterfinals.
El Salvador are in League A for the second edition in a row after a second-place finish in their group last campaign. No matter the competition, El Salvador are a tough foe either home or away and no doubt they will be eager to rebound from their group stage elimination in the Gold Cup.
Joining the three aforementioned Central American teams is a trio of Caribbean sides: Curacao, Martinique and Trinidad and Tobago.
This new edition is a chance for Curacao to turn the page after finishing third in their League A group in 2022-23 and then getting eliminated in the 2023 Gold Cup Prelims by Saint Kitts and Nevis. It will be Curacao’s third successive campaign in League A.
Martinique are another side making a third straight appearance in League A. Les Matinino were third in their group in 2022-23 but did reach the 2023 Gold Cup group stage. After an opening 2-1 win over El Salvador, Martinique were unable to reach the knockout stage, but certainly a bright spot was Patrick Burner, who had three goals.
Trinidad and Tobago are back in League A for a second time after earning promotion from League B. The Soca Warriors came up just short of advancing to the knockout round of the Gold Cup, but a new opportunity to take a step forward awaits in this 2023-24 CNL.
Group B
Group B features a Caribbean-rich five teams, along with Honduras, headed up by 2023 Gold Cup semifinalists Jamaica, who are led by explosive playmakers and English Premier League players Leon Bailey, Demarai Gray and Bobby Reid. The Reggae Boyz finished unbeaten in the last CNL with a win and three draws to claim second in their League A group.
Haiti have jumped back up to League A after spending the 2022-23 CNL in League B. Carnejy Antoine led all players in League B with five goals and Haiti will be keen to return to action after narrowly missing out on the Gold Cup quarterfinals.
A familiar face returns as the Head Coach of Honduras, as Reinaldo Rueda takes the reins for a second time in what will be the third straight League A campaign for the Catrachos, who barely missed out on the Gold Cup knockout stage.
Cuba, Suriname and Grenada round out the rest of the group. Cuba earned promotion from League B and will be in League A for a second time. Aricheell Hernandez was excellent in the 2022-23 CNL with four goals, but found things tough in the Gold Cup, which ended in the group stage for the Cubans.
After finishing third in their League A group in the last edition, Suriname’s Gold Cup group stage bid came up just short in the Prelims in a penalty shootout loss to Puerto Rico, so a fresh crack at League A will be warmly welcomed.
It was a similar story for Grenada, who lost to Guyana in a penalty shootout in the Gold Cup Prelims after having finished third in their 2022-23 League A group.
