Who will the USWNT play in the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup quarter-finals?

The United States Women’s National Team became the first nation to qualify for the knockout stages of the 2024 W Gold Cup after following up their opening 5-0 thrashing of the Dominican Republic by defeating Argentina 4-0 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California on Friday. The Stars and Stripes then faced up against Mexico in their final game in Group A, with a draw needed to ensure they finished in first place, but a 2-0 victory for La Tri changed the fates of the two teams and determined who each of them would face in the quarterfinals, the first knockout round. Let’s take a look at how it works.

Which teams make it through to CONCACAF W Gold Cup quarterfinals?

The W Gold Cup is unusual in that 12 teams are taking part, which complicates matters somewhat when it comes to the format. CONCACAF ultimately decided on three four-team groups, which means only four teams will go home before the quarterfinals get underway.

The top two teams from each group progress to the last eight, which is fairly common practice in major international tournament. But as there are only three groups, that leaves two spots still up for grabs, which will be taken by the two best-third place teams. They will be decided by the number of points won in the different groups (followed by goal difference, then goals scored if teams are still tied).

How are teams paired in the CONCACAF W Gold Cup last eight?

The eight qualifiers will then be ranked from one to eight based on their performance in the group stage, again using the criteria mentioned above.

The qualifier with the best record will face the one with the worst in the last eight, with second facing seventh, third taking on sixth and fourth playing fifth. There is nothing in the CONCACAF W Gold Cup regulations to stop teams who played each other in the group stage meeting again in the quarterfinals, which could theoretically happen depending on how they are ranked.

Who will the USWNT team face in the W Gold Cup quarterfinal?

The USWNT had clearly hoped, and expected, to beat Mexico in their last group game, and in doing so almost certainly finish the group stage as the top-ranked team, meaning they would face the eighth-raked team in the quarterfinals. Now, however, they it’s Mexico that finish top and the US team in second.

It’s still too early to say definitively which team each of them will play, but we will have the full picture and pairings following the results of Group B and C – Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. The quarterfinals will be played on 2 and 3 March, with the semifinals on 6 March and final on 10 March.