CONCACAF Nations League finalists decided

United States, Mexico, Canada and Panama all book their places in the finals of the 2022-23 Nations League, as CONCACAF announces a major shake-up of the competition format for the next edition

- STEVE MENARY

Panama and Canada will make their debuts in the finals of the CONCACAF Nations League in June after impressively topping their respective groups in League A. A1-0 win away to 2021 semi-finalists

Costa Rica, courtesy of a goal from Jose Fajardo, helped Thomas Christiansen’s Panama qualify with three wins out of four in Group B.

Group C also went to the final game but Canada were more decisive in dismissing their closest challengers Honduras, with a brace from Real Valladolid’s Cyle Larin securing a 4-1 win and denying the Central Americans a second successive finals appearance.

Panama and Canada will face each other in the semi-finals on June15 at the Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, which also hosted the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup final. The sponsor, unsurprisingly, given the game’s almost ubiquitous relationship with the region, will be Qatar Airways.

The other semi-final is a re-match of the 2021 Nations League final between holders United States and Mexico, providing the intriguing possibility of an all-North American final between two of the 2026 World Cup hosts, which FIFA would certainly relish.

In the lower tiers of the Nations League, Cuba and Haiti will return to the top tier in the next edition after winning their League B groups during the final two rounds of matches.