CONCACAF Gold Cup Futures Odds, Picks: MEX, USA Favored Entering Quarters
Entering Sunday's quarterfinal match vs. Costa Rica, Patrick Agyemang (right) and the USA have 2-to-1 odds to win the Gold Cup, per DraftKings.
Entering Sunday's quarterfinal match vs. Costa Rica, Patrick Agyemang (right) and the USA have 2-to-1 odds to win the Gold Cup, per DraftKings.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
While the USA roster participating in this year's CONCACAF Gold Cup hardly resembles the first-choice XI that we'll see in action at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it's no surprise to see the Americans among the favorites to win the Gold Cup.
With group play in the books, eight teams are still alive in the final major international tournament before the 2026 World Cup here in the States next summer.
Gold Cup Quarterfinal Schedule, Betting Odds
Below is the schedule for the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup. Below are the odds via DraftKings, as of June 25, for all four quarterfinal matchups (all times ET):
Panama vs. Honduras, Sat., 7:15 p.m. (PAN -145 // Draw +285 // HON +400)
Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia, Sat., 10:15 p.m. (MEX -210 // Draw +310 // SA +600)
Canada vs. Guatemala, Sun., 4 p.m. (CAN -300 // Draw +390 // GUA +800)
USA vs. Costa Rica, Sun., 7 p.m. (USA -170 // Draw +300 // CR +450)
The setup of the bracket means the winner of Canada-Guatemala will take on the winner of USA vs. Costa Rica, while the other semifinal matchup will pit the winners of Panama-Honduras and Mexico-Saudi Arabia.
Both Gold Cup semifinal matches will take place on Wednesday, July 2 (7 p.m. and 10 p.m.), followed by the Gold Cup final at NRG Stadium in Houston on Sunday, July 6.
CONCACAF Gold Cup Winner Odds Entering QF
Odds (DK, BetMGM) Mexico +150 USA +200 Canada +500 Panama +800 Saudi Arabia +1400 Costa Rica +1600 Honduras +2500 Guatemala +5000
DraftKings and BetMGM both expect the Gold Cup to once again come down to a battle between USA and Mexico. In fact, as of June 27, the Gold Cup winner odds for all eight quarterfinalists are identical at the two sportsbooks.
Gold Cup Betting Analysis, Picks, Best Bets
Anyone familiar with CONCACAF shouldn't be surprised to see that oddsmakers expect one of the three North American powers -- Mexico, USA or Canada -- to win this tournament.
USA and Mexico have alternated as tournament winners of the last seven Gold Cups, with El Tri winning in 2023, 2019, 2015 and 2011, while the Americans won in 2013, 2017 and 2021. This year marks the 18th edition of the Gold Cup, with Mexico (9), USA (7) and Canada (1) having won all 17 previous Gold Cups.
USA Gold Cup Betting News, Outlook
It's an understatement to call the USA squad at this Gold Cup shorthanded. Key pieces who are out include Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest, Yunus Musah, Tim Weah, Weston McKennie and Gio Reyna.
Under former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, who was hired to replace Gregg Berhalter following a disappointing showing at least year's Copa America on U.S. soil, the young American squad took down Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti in Gold Cup group play, but it has been far from dominant.
And the less said about how this team looked against Turkey and Switzerland in two pre-Gold Cup friendlies, which extended its losing streak under Pochettino to four matches, the better.
Mexico Gold Cup Betting News, Outlook
Mexico, like USA, has endured a tumultous last few years, including a group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup and an early elimination from last year's Copa America.
But under Manager Javier Aguirre -- who is in his third stint as coach of the Mexican national team -- El Tri emerged from group play as the betting favorite over the USA and Canada after beating the Dominican Rebuplic and Suriname and drawing Suriname in the group stage.
Canada Gold Cup Betting News, Outlook
Canada is expected to handle Guatemala in the quarters. That would likely set up a must-see Canada-USA clash in the Gold Cup semifinals (assuming USA beats Costa Rica). The Canadians not only reached knockout play in the Copa America last summer, but made it to the semifinals, where they lost to Argentina after knocking off Venezuela in the quarters.
Two months ago, Canada lost to Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals on March 20, but beat USA 2-1 in the third-place match.
Well-known Canadian manager Jesse Marsch has been a vocal critic of US Soccer in recent years, and even without Bayern star Alphonso Davies (who is dealing with a torn ACL), Canada will have the best player on the field in Jonathan David if we do get a USA vs. Canada semifinal matchup.
2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup Best Bets
Mexico's (+150) chance to reach the final without playing either the USA or Canada in the semis makes it the safest bet to win its second straight tournament at the expense of its North American rivals.
Playing Panama can be a headache in CONCACAF for any opponent (just ask the USA, which lost to Los Canaleros in the semifinals of the 2023 Gold Cup and again in group play during the 2024 Copa America), but I do like Mexico to find a way past Panama if those two meet in the Gold Cup semifinals.
Panama might be a tempting longshot in that one, though, after three decisive wins in group play, including a 4-1 beatdown of Jamaica on Tuesday night.
But if I have to give a pick and a best value play, I'm going with Mexico as the pick (1 unit) and Canada as the best longshot/value play at +500 (0.25 units) -- Panama is not getting enough respect, but I'm not quite willing to back them to get through El Tri.
The Canadians have given the full-strength versions of USA plenty of trouble in recent years, and I expect Marsch to have his side ready to pounce on this uninspiring version of the USMNT.
I'd love to be wrong, but USA has just not been good enough lately, and this squad does not have anything resembling the talent advantage it typically boasts. With that in mind, fading this American side under Pochettino is the right move until we're proven otherwise.
Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Less than a year away from hosting the World Cup, and the US looks far too much like the bickering Red Sox than a serious contender
This 2026 World Cup, which includes seven matches at Gillette Stadium — dubbed Boston Stadium for the tournament — represents the biggest moment for the careful choreography of soccer social climbing by the US since hosting the seminal 1994 World Cup. The American Dream was that the next time the US men hosted the World Cup they would be in a position to talk about lifting it. However, that looks risible. Advertisement Turmoil and disarray surround the program as the clock ticks closer to the first 48-team World Cup and American soccer's stress test. The US was reeling entering the CONCACAF Gold Cup this month, suffering four straight losses between the Nations League and friendlies. It marked the first time since the Dark Ages (1988) that the team dropped four consecutive matches on home soil. Advertisement However, the US can pick up some positive momentum with a strong showing in the ongoing Gold Cup. The Red, White, and Blue won their group (3-0-0) and face regional rival Costa Rica on Sunday in Minneapolis in the quarterfinals of the 16-team tournament. But the Gold Cup field is as close to the World Cup field as Luke Kornet is to Bill Walton. And the squad the US is fielding feels more experimental than aspirational. After a long season with AC Milan, Christian Pulisic (middle) chose not to make himself available for the US men's national team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Maurizio Lagana/Getty That decision brought Pulisic under fire from former US men's team players, including co-all-time leading scorer Landon Donovan. It's giving serious Rafael Devers-Craig Breslow vibes. In addition to Pulisic's absence, his AC Milan teammate Yunus Musah also asked out of the Gold Cup. Injuries to dynamic defender Sergiño Dest, striker Folarin Balogun, and left back Antonee Robinson robbed the roster of other top-flight talents. Plus, more starting-caliber players (Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, and Gio Reyna) missed this tour of US duty due to the odious and extraneous FIFA Club World Cup. Advertisement Although ranked 16th in the FIFA world rankings, the US is currently closer to northern neighbor Canada than global powerhouses Argentina, Spain, and France. After a 2-1 victory in the CONCACAF Nations League third-place match in March, Canada downed the US in consecutive matches for the first time since 1985. Jonathan David and Canada currently have a two-game winning streak against the US, the latest win coming in March in the third-place game of the CONCACAF Nations League. Michael Owens/Getty How's that for a 51st state? This hardly sounds like the stuff of a giant leap for the beautiful game in the US next year. Rather, it's the continuation of US soccer stagnation, a frustrating trend because the talent pool is better and deeper than ever. Long before America had Project 2025, we had The US advanced to the Round of 16 in 1994. Since then, they've been beyond that just once — advancing to the They delivered a perfunctory performance in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, reaching the Round of 16 despite only winning one match, 'We can show that we can hang with the best teams in the world, some of the best players in the world, and that's a lot of progress for US Soccer,' said team captain Tyler Adams. 'We're moving in the right direction for sure, but we need to keep pushing because we're not there yet, but we're close.' Advertisement They don't feel that close, although much can change in 11½ months in international soccer. Still, the US men struggle to live up to the lofty status of their female counterparts. They're Rosie the Riveting with the ball at their feet, playing an aesthetically appealing and successful brand of soccer (four World Cup wins). So, there's nothing intrinsic to our nation preventing soccer success. An ideal model for the US men would be another country wrapped in red, white, and blue, France. Marshalling their cultural and demographic diversity, Les Bleus are a top-five world team with a history of legendary players. That mantle handed to the magnetic Kylian Mbappé. The French didn't qualify for the World Cup the last time it was here. But since 1998, they've captured two World Cups and lost in the final twice on penalties, including to Argentina in 2022. If we can emulate their military parades, we should also be able to emulate their soccer program. The 2026 World Cup stands as a tremendous stepping stone for US soccer, but between now and kickoff, the US men's program has to stop finding stumbling blocks. Christopher L. Gasper is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at
Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- Chicago Tribune
Today in Chicago History: Divvy debuts downtown
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on June 28, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) Vintage Chicago Tribune: Chicago Cubs who have hit for the cycle1950: The Chicago Cubs' Roy Smalley hit for the cycle against the St. Louis Cardinals. Vintage Chicago Tribune: Pelé, Hamm, Beckham, Rapinoe, Messi and more. When soccer's big names came to play1998: With hundreds of young fans screaming her name, Mia Hamm notched her eighth career hat trick — three goals in a 20-minute span — when the United States women's national team defeated Germany 4-2 at Soldier Field. 2010: Decades after torture allegations were first leveled against former Chicago police Cmdr. Jon Burge's 'Midnight Crew,' a federal jury convicted him on all three counts of obstruction of justice and perjury for lying in a lawsuit about the torture of suspects in attempts to obtain confessions. He was sentenced to prison and released in 2014. Burge died in 2018. Also in 2010: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Chicago's gun ban was 'unenforceable,' stating Americans nationwide have a constitutional right to have a handgun at home for self-defense, even in cities which until then had outlawed handguns. Yet, the court stopped short of overturning the ban. 2013: Divvy began its bicycle-sharing program in Chicago. Community group retrieves over 60 Divvy bikes from Lake Michigan since JuneThere were some initial technical glitches, but its operations expanded from 68 docking stations to a presence in every city ward. 2019: Cookie Monster from 'Sesame Street' visited the Art Institute of Chicago, Wrigley Field, The Bean and Navy Pier to celebrate the program's 50th anniversary. 'I'm excited to have Cookie Monster in Chicago, going to all the landmarks and taking pictures. … My Chicago home and my 'Sesame' work life are coming together,' said Highland Park resident David Rudman, puppeteer of Cookie Monster for 20 years. Also in 2019: Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Illinois Gaming Act into law, looking to bring in an additional $350 million in annual state revenue, and opening the door to sports wagering and other growth opportunities for gambling operators. Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Christian Pulisic Breaks Silence After USMNT Decision
Christian Pulisic Breaks Silence After USMNT Decision originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Wednesday marked exactly one year until the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Advertisement On Tuesday night, the United States Men's National Team suffered an embarrassing 4-0 loss to Switzerland in the send-off match before the start of the CONCACAF Gold Cup — the final major tournament before the World Cup begins. USMNT captain Christian Pulisic watched the four-goal defeat from home. He opted to sit out the Gold Cup this summer so he could get extra rest after a long season for AC Milan, a decision that brought plenty of criticism his way. In his first public interview about his summer plans, Pulisic revealed that if he had his way, he would have been playing against Switzerland on Tuesday. United States Men's National Team forward Christian Pulisic (left) and USMNT head coach Mauricio Kamin-Oncea, Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images "I did want to be a part of at least the two friendlies," Pulisic said in an interview with former USMNT players Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies and Tony Meola on Thursday. "I did speak with the coaches and I asked. I wanted to be part of the team in whatever capacity I could. Advertisement "They said no," Pulisic revealed of head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his national team staff. "They said they only wanted one roster and that's coach's decision. I fully respect that. I didn't understand it, but it is what it is.' Pulisic, who has 32 goals and 18 assists in 76 appearances for the national team, emphasized that resting this summer was the best decision for him and the team in the long term, with an eye toward the 2026 World Cup on home soil. The 26-year-old spoke about several topics during the lengthy interview, including his response to the criticism about commitment from USMNT legend Landon Donovan, which Pulisic's dad called out on social media. "Some of these guys were my idols; I respect them so much as players," Pulisic admitted. "It's tough especially when privately the way they talk to me and want to show support and be your friend and everything, and then it goes and they say something slightly different publicly." Advertisement USMNT's first game of the Gold Cup is on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET against Trinidad and Tobago on Fox. The World Cup kicks off in 364 days. Related: Christian Pulisic's Girlfriend Sends Clear Message Amid USMNT Absence Related: Christian Pulisic Turns Heads with Reaction to Criticism Amid USMNT Absence This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
