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CONCACAF Gold Cup preview: What you need to know this summer

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Which players are involved and who are the favourites? Check out our Gold Cup preview.

If you thought the conclusion of the Women's World Cup, Copa America and the European Under-21 Championship marked the conclusion of this summer's tournament action, then you're wrong. Tuesday sees the 13th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup kick off.

So where is it, who are the holders and the favourites, what's the format and which players can we expect to see lighting up the tournament? We've got everything you need to know right here in our Gold Cup preview...

Who are the hosts?

As ever, the United States take on hosting duties although Canada are also involved in 2015. All but one of the 14 venues are Stateside, with Toronto playing host to two matches, including Canada's potentially crucial final group game.

Group A

  • United States
  • Panama
  • Haiti
  • Honduras

The north-east of the United States is the home of five of the 14 venues and the final on July 26th will be played at the near-70,000 capacity Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The US play their group games at Frisco, Foxborough and Kansas City.

What’s the format?

The format is similar to that of the Copa America, with three groups of four feeding into a quarter-final stage. The top two from each group progress with the two best third-place teams also making the last eight.

Group B

  • Costa Rica
  • El Salvador
  • Jamaica
  • Canada

Unlike the Copa America, there will be 30 minutes of extra time played before the knock-out games go to penalties. CONCACAF's top-ranked teams, United States, Mexico and Costa Rica, were seeded to keep them apart in the group stages so they cannot meet until the business end.

Team USA celebrates their win against Panama during the CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer final on July 28, 2013
Image: Team USA celebrates their Gold Cup triumph against Panama in 2013

Who are the holders?

The United States lifted the trophy for the fifth time in 2013 as they won all six of their matches concluding in a 1-0 win over Panama in the final. As the top-ranked team with home advantage, they are among the most fancied to win once more.

Who else can win it?

Many of the bookmakers rate Mexico as favourites to regain the trophy this summer. However, their star-studded line-up was hit by a collarbone injury to Manchester United's Javier Hernandez on the eve of the big kick-off.

Image: Javier Hernandez fractured his collarbone on the eve of the tournament

The only other nation to ever win the Gold Cup is Canada, who shocked everyone in 2000, but it would be some effort to repeat that feat. The most likely new name to appear on the trophy would be Costa Rica after their heroic run to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

Premier League stars?

The loss of Hernandez robs the tournament of its most high-profile Premier League star but there is still plenty of interest elsewhere. Aston Villa's Brad Guzan and Tottenham's DeAndre Yedlin will be eyeing glory as part of the 23-man United States squad.

Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan
Image: Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan is part of Jurgen Klinsmann's US squad

Elsewhere, Carlos Gamboa might have failed to make an impact at West Brom last season but he showed what he's capable of for his country after starring for Costa Rica in Brazil, while Mexico's Miguel Layun is now a Premier League player with Watford.

Group C

  • Mexico
  • Guatemala
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Cuba

Perhaps most intriguing is the involvement of Leicester's Wes Morgan and Crystal Palace's Adrian Mariappa. The centre-backs have already competed in the Copa America for Jamaica but take their place in the Gold Cup squad too before returning to their respective clubs.

Anyone else to look out for?

As well as Morgan and Mariappa, there are a host of players from the English lower leagues in the Jamaica squad with the likes of Rodolph Austin, Simon Dawkins and Jobi McAnuff very familiar to fans of the Football League.

Hull veteran Maynor Figueroa is also in the Honduras squad, Fulham playmaker Bryan Ruiz lines up with Costa Rica, while former Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore will be hoping to score the goals for the United States.

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Clint Dempsey's stoppage-time winner against New York Red Bulls

But the big stars in Jurgen Klinsmann's squad are surely Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley. The latter has replaced the former as captain of his country after Dempsey was stripped of the armband following an incident for Seattle Sounders in which he tore up the referee's notebook.

Mexico, meanwhile, will be counting on former Arsenal forward Carlos Vela to make up for Hernandez's absence, while ex-Spurs player Giovani dos Santos needs to rediscover his best form after a quiet season at Villarreal.

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