Why is Saudi Arabia at the Gold Cup? It’s the latest in the Kingdom’s soft power campaign | Karim Zidan

The Middle Easterners come Stateside this summer for a regional tournament appearance enabled by sportswashing

Last month, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) held an official draw in Miami, Florida for the 2025 Gold Cup, the premier biennial tournament for men’s football on the continent.

This summer, the Gold Cup will serve as the crucial litmus test for the US national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the vast majority of which will take place on home soil. The draw placed the Americans in Group D, alongside Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago … and Saudi Arabia.

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