2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League explained

Tourney Name:CONCACAF Nations League
Year:2023–24
Num Teams:41
Champion:USA
Count:3
Second:MEX
Third:JAM
Fourth:PAN
Matches:93
Goals:317
Top Scorer: Axel Raga
(8 goals)
Player: Giovanni Reyna[1]
Goalkeeper: Matt Turner
Young Player: Omari Glasgow
Prevseason:2022–23
Nextseason:2024–25

The 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League was the third season of the CONCACAF Nations League, an international association football competition involving the men's national teams of the 41 member associations of CONCACAF. The group stage was held in September, October, and November 2023, and the Finals were played from 21 to 24 March 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The competition saw a format change, with League A now featuring sixteen teams in two groups of a Swiss system, followed by a quarter-final round. In addition, the Nations League also served as qualification for CONCACAF teams for the 2024 Copa América, which is being held between June and July of this year in the United States.

The United States were the two-time defending champions and successfully defended their title in the final.

Format

On 28 February 2023, CONCACAF announced a format change for the 2023–24 season of the CONCACAF Nations League. As a result, no teams were relegated from the 2022–23 season.[2] [3]

The size of League A was increased from twelve to sixteen teams, and now featured a quarter-final round. The twelve lowest-ranked teams in the CONCACAF Rankings of March 2023 entered the group stage, now using a modified group format. The teams were divided into two groups of six teams, with each team playing four matches against group opponents (two at home and two away). The top four teams advanced to the quarter-finals, and were joined by the four top-ranked teams in the CONCACAF Rankings of March 2023. The teams advancing from the group stage were drawn into ties against the top-ranked teams, which were played on a two-legged home-and-away basis. The four quarter-finals winners advanced to the Nations League Finals, which retained its previous format of a semi-final round, third place play-off and final match to determine the champions.

League A also determined the six CONCACAF teams which qualified as guests for the 2024 Copa América in the United States. The quarter-finals winners qualified directly to the tournament, while the losers advanced to a qualifying play-off, featuring two single-leg matches.

League B remained unchanged, featuring sixteen teams divided into four groups of four. Each team played six matches in a double round-robin home-and-away format (three at home and three away). Following the format change, League C was reduced from thirteen to nine teams and from four to three groups. Teams were divided into three groups of three teams, with each team playing four matches in a double round-robin home-and-away format (two at home and two away).[2]

Promotion and relegation resumed for the 2023–24 season, with the fifth and sixth placed teams in League A and the fourth-placed teams in League B being relegated for the next season. The group winners of Leagues B and C were promoted, as were the best second-placed team of League C.[2]

Tiebreakers

The ranking of teams in each group was determined as follows (Regulations Article 12.4):[4]

  1. Points obtained in all group matches (three points for a win, one for a draw, zero for a loss);
  2. Goal difference in all group matches;
  3. Number of goals scored in all group matches;

If two or more teams still tied based on the above criteria, their rankings were determined as follows:

  1. Points obtained in the matches played between the teams in question;
  2. Goal difference in the matches played between the teams in question;
  3. Number of goals scored in the matches played between the teams in question;
  4. Number of away goals scored in the matches played between the teams in question (if the tie was only between two teams);
  5. Lowest number of disciplinary points in all group matches (only one deduction could be applied to a player in a single match):
    • Yellow card: 1 points;
    • Indirect red card (second yellow card): 3 points;
    • Direct red card: 4 points;
    • Yellow card and direct red card: 5 points;
  6. Drawing of lots.

Entrants

All of CONCACAF's 41 member associations entered in the competition. Teams were divided into leagues based on their results of the 2022–23 season, while the pots were determined by the CONCACAF Ranking of March 2023.[5] The four top-ranked teams in League A received a bye to the quarter-finals. The group stage draw was held on 16 May 2023, 19:00 EDT, in Miami, Florida, United States.[2] [6] [7] The pots were confirmed on 2 May 2023, with League A split into six pots of two teams, League B split into four pots of four teams and League C split into three pots of three teams.[8]

Nicaragua originally qualified for promotion to League A as winners of League B Group C, but were disqualified due to fielding an ineligible player. As a result, they were replaced by Trinidad and Tobago as the best runner-up in League B on 12 June 2023. Nicaragua replaced Trinidad and Tobago in League B.[9]

Key
Promoted in previous season
+ League A
PotTeamRank
1,9391
1,9192
1,7963
1,7434
11,6955
1,4826
21,4797
1,4058
31,4039
1,33010
41,24612
1,17613
51,17114
1,07916
61,25411
79125
+ League B
PotTeamRank
11,06717
1,08615
99418
96619
294920
92321
91322
86323
379524
79026
78027
72628
471529
68130
53034
41337
+ League C
PotTeamRank
162731
57232
56433
246135
43536
37738
322439
19340
16341

Schedule

Below was the schedule of the 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League.[2] [10] The fixture dates for the group matches were confirmed on 6 July 2023.[11]

RoundDates
League ALeague B and C
Matchday 17–9 September 2023
Matchday 210–12 September 2023
Matchday 312–14 October 2023
Matchday 415–17 October 2023
Quarter-finals, 1st legMatchday 516–18 November 2023
Quarter-finals, 2nd legMatchday 619–21 November 2023
Semi-finals21 March 2024
Third place play-off24 March 2024
Final

League A

See main article: 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League A.

Nations League Finals

See main article: 2024 CONCACAF Nations League Finals.

Semi-finals

----

Final

See main article: 2024 CONCACAF Nations League final.

League B

See main article: 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League B.

Group D

League C

See main article: 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League C.

Ranking of second-placed teams

Top goalscorers

League A
RankPlayerGoals
1 Shamar Nicholson5
2 Rangelo Janga3
Anthony Lozano
Bobby Decordova-Reid
Demarai Gray
José Fajardo
Reon Moore
League B
RankPlayerGoals
1 Omari Glasgow7
2 Dorny Romero6
Gerald Díaz
Ricardo Rivera
5 Ange-Freddy Plumain5
6 Thierry Gale4
Kelsey Benjamin
Tiquanny Williams
League C
RankPlayerGoals
1 Axel Raga8
2 Rovien Ostiana5
Stanley Segarel
4 Luka Chalwell3
Billy Forbes

Top Scorer Award

An official "Top Scorer Award" was also handed out by CONCACAF, utilising a points system that took into consideration which league the player in question was a part of and weighed their goals accordingly. Each goal scored in League A was awarded 2 points, goals in League B 1.5 points, and goals in League C 1 point. With seven goals for Guyana in League B, Omari Glasgow won the award with a total of 10.5 points.[1]

RankPlayerGoalsFactorPoints
1 Omari Glasgow71.510.5
2 Shamar Nicholson5210
3 Dorny Romero61.59
Gerald Díaz
Ricardo Rivera

Notes and References

  1. News: Reyna, Turner, Glasgow earn Concacaf Nations League honors. CONCACAF. 25 March 2024. 25 March 2024.
  2. Web site: CONCACAF announces formats for men's national team competitions for the 2023–2026 cycle . . 28 February 2023 . 28 February 2023.
  3. Straus . Brian . Concacaf Revamps Nations League, Unveils Copa America and World Cup Qualifying . . 28 February 2023 . 16 May 2023.
  4. Web site: CONCACAF Nations League regulations . res.cloudinary.com . CONCACAF.
  5. Web site: CONCACAF Ranking Index . . 30 March 2023 . 30 March 2023.
  6. News: Reidy . Paul . Concacaf Nations League 23/24 draw to be staged on 16 May . . 3 May 2023 . 15 May 2023.
  7. News: Draw delivers groups for 2023/24 CONCACAF Nations League presented by Qatar Airways . CONCACAF . 16 May 2023 . 16 May 2023.
  8. News: CONCACAF confirms details for 2023/24 CONCACAF Nations League official draw . . 2 May 2023 . 2 May 2023.
  9. 12 June 2023 . Concacaf Disciplinary Committee decision regarding Nicaragua and the Eligibility of Players . CONCACAF . 12 June 2023.
  10. Web site: Men's International Match Calendar 2023–2030 . 6 April 2023 . . 3 July 2023.
  11. Web site: CONCACAF announces schedule for 2023/24 CONCACAF Nations League presented by Qatar Airways . . 6 July 2023 . 6 July 2023.