Explained: Why Saudi Arabia is competing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup

When the draw for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup is made, eagle-eyed viewers will notice that Saudi Arabia is one of the teams in the mix alongside the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The team from the Asian Football Confederation will be aiming to make history this summer by becoming the first non-CONCACAF team to win the continental tournament.

So, why exactly is Saudi Arabia in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup? GOAL brings you everything you need to know.

Why is Saudi Arabia competing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup?

Saudi Arabia was invited to compete as a guest team in the 2025 and 2027 Gold Cup tournaments by CONCACAF.

The news of Saudi Arabia's involvement in the competition was announced in December 2024, shortly after Saudi Arabia was selected as the host nation for the 2024 World Cup. Confirming the invitation, CONCACAF explained that they would work in partnership with the AFC and the Saudi Football Association to share knowledge and expertise.

CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani said: "We are very pleased that through our relationship with the Asian Football Confederation, we have been able to collaborate with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and their President Yasser Al-Misehal, both on and off the pitch, and we look forward to welcoming one of Asia’s top men’s national teams to compete with the best in CONCACAF."

READ MORE: Guide to every team at the Gold Cup 2025

Which other guest teams have played in the CONCACAF Gold Cup?

The North and Central American Confederation actually has a tradition of inviting non-CONCACAF teams to compete in the Gold Cup.

Prior to Saudi Arabia's involvement in the Gold Cup, Qatar was a guest team in the 2021 and 2023 editions of the competition. Qatar reached the semi-finals in 2021, losing out to the USMNT, then bowed out at the quarter-final stage in 2023 after a heavy defeat against Panama.

The practice of inviting teams from other associations began in 1996 when Brazil took part. On that occasion, the Selecao was represented by an Under-23 team and reached the final, where they were defeated by a strong Mexico side. Brazil also played in the 1998 edition, with a squad that included Romario and Edmundo, and later featured in the 2003 tournament, where they were once again finalists.

Colombia, Peru and Ecuador have also represented CONMEBOL in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, while South Korea represented the AFC on two occasions. South Africa played in the 2005 edition and remain the only African nation to compete. There have been no European guest teams.

The 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup was notable for including three guest teams - Colombia, South Korea and Peru.

READ MORE: Full list of CONCACAF Gold Cup winners