Venues for 2015 Olympic Qualifying Championship Announced

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) has named the four venues that will host the 2015 Olympic Qualifying Championship, which is scheduled for October 1–13. The four stadiums are StubHub Center in Carson, California; Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah; Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado; and Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas.

“One of the great things about all of these venues has been the amazing support the fans have given the National Team,” said Andi Herzog, head coach of the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team. “We have seen how much of an impact our fans have, and we need them more than ever as we strive to represent the United States in the 2016 Olympics.”

The United States, Canada and Mexico will compete in the qualifying championship along with three nations to be determined from Central America and two to be determined from the Caribbean. The eight qualified nations will be divided into groups of four. The United States is seeded in Group A, which kicks off at Sporting Park on October 1.

Sporting Park and StubHub Center will also stage the second round of group matches on October 3–4 and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park will host all eight teams for the final games of the group phase on October 6–7. Rio Tinto Stadium will host the semifinals on October 10, as well as the final and third-place match on October 13. The two finalists will qualify to compete in soccer at the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, while the winner of the third-place match will earn the right to face South American Olympic qualifying runner-up Colombia in a playoff for an additional spot.