While it didn’t have rows of fishbowls filled with ping-ping balls and an all-star cast of the region’s best players, the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup draw still provided some dramatics as the 12 participating teams were placed into the tournament’s three four-team groups.
The United States as hosts, Mexico as defending Gold Cup champions, and Honduras as the current Central American Cup holders were assigned as the top seed in each of the three groups. The remaining eight slots were announced by CONCACAF General Secretary Philippe Moggio to a gathering of representatives from every qualified country video a big video board erected in the Brocade Club at Levi’s Stadium, the site of the 2017 Gold Cup Final on July 26.