Soccer

Which teams have appeared at the most CONCACAF Nations League finals?

The line-up for the 2024/25 CONCACAF Nations League finals is set, after last-eight wins for the USMNT, Mexico, Panama and Canada.

JAMIE SQUIREAFP

The United States and Mexico this week maintained their record of having qualified for every CONCACAF Nations League finals, while Panama added to their impressive CNL resumé and Canada returned to the semi-finals.

The USMNT, Mexico, Canada and Panama will vie for the Nations League trophy during March’s finals in Los Angeles, after the foursome all came through quarter-final ties during November international week.

How did Nations League finals teams qualify?

The USMNT, the Nations League’s defending champions, beat Jamaica home and away to secure a 5-2 aggregate triumph; Canada were also victorious in both legs against Suriname, as Jesse Marsch’s men progressed with a 4-0 overall win; after a narrow opening-leg win over Costa Rica, Panama claimed a 2-2 draw in the return game to reach the last four; and Mexico recovered from a 2-0 first-leg defeat in Honduras with a 4-0 thumping of the Central Americans.

By confirming their qualification for the Nations League finals, the four semi-finalists also stamped their ticket to the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which is to be played in the US and Canada in June and July next year.

USMNT and Mexico maintain CNL clean sweep

In the spring, the USMNT and Mexico will both be making their fourth appearance at the Nations League finals, having so far met in all three editions of the event.

Winners of every Nations League since its inception in 2019/20, the US defeated the Mexicans in the final in 2020 and 2024, either side of a semi-final victory over El Tri in 2023, in a notorious clash that saw four players sent off.

Nations League finals: total appearances by country (incl. 2024/25)

  • 4: USMNT, Mexico
  • 3: Panama
  • 2: Canada
  • 1: Honduras, Costa Rica, Jamaica

Can Panama make it onto the CNL podium?

Just behind the US and Mexico in the Nations League appearance charts are Panama, who have emerged as a consistent finals presence. Indeed, Los Canaleros have now reached the final four in three straight years.

In LA, Thomas Christiansen’s men will be tasked with making it beyond the semi-finals for the first time: thus far, the Panamanians have twice had to settle for fourth place. In 2023, Panama lost to Canada in the semis, before going down to Mexico in the third-place playoff; in 2024, they were beaten by the Mexicans in the last four, then lost out to Jamaica for third.

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Canada out to make up for lost time in CNL finals

Panama will face the USMNT in the 2024/25 semi-finals, while Mexico will take on a Canada team that has hitherto enjoyed scant success in the Nations League.

The Canucks will only be featuring at their second finals, having missed out in both 2019/20 and 2023/24. In their sole appearance so far, the Canadians followed up a 2-0 semi-final victory over the Panamanians with a final defeat, by the same scoreline, to the USMNT.

Given that they and the USMNT have avoided each other in the 2024/25 semi-finals, Canada could get their chance to avenge that loss in March’s final.

CONCACAF Nations League finals: when and where?

The 2024/25 CONCACAF Nations League finals are to be played on Thursday March 20 and Sunday March 23 2025, and will be held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Semi-finals:

March 20, 7:00 p.m. ET: USMNT vs Panama

March 20, 10:30 p.m. ET: Canada vs Mexico

Third-place playoff:

March 23, 6:00 p.m. ET: TBC

Final:

March 23, 9:30 p.m. ET: TBC

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