The new hope in North America was evident at this year’s Gold Cup, which, while still plagued by questionable administrativia, was an overall success. Initial question marks around expanding the tournament were dispelled by strong play from debutants such as Bermuda, and shock performances from Curacao, and Haiti – both of whom qualified for the knockout stages. Together Bermuda, Curacao, and Haiti collected 16 points in the group stage – two more than Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Honduras combined. The tournament also saw the most goals-per-match since 2011 – outstripping last year’s total by nearly a goal-a-game. In part this was a consequence of lesser sides being railroaded, but it would be folly to suggest this was true across the board; in five matches Jamaica (the fourth ranked side in CONCACAF) managed only six goals, while Haiti slotted home nine. Perhaps most importantly, what became clear in the 2019 Gold Cup is that a number of traditionally strong sides are presently undergoing distinct periods of transition, and as a result are struggling for form. All of Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, and Jamaica were underwhelming – their once prominent cores aging out of the squad with no ready-made replacements available to supplement. This left a vacuum below Mexico, and the USA, and Curacao, Haiti, and Canada rose to fill it.