Joey Garrison

jgarrison@tennessean.com

Nashville has been named one of 14 U.S. cities that will host matches in next year's CONCACAF Gold Cup, the latest sign of soccer's momentum in Middle Tennessee.

Nissan Stadium on July 8 will host the opening Gold Cup match of U.S. Men's Soccer National Team against an opponent still to be determined. The stadium will host a separate match between two other teams on the same day.

The Gold Cup, held every two years, is the main soccer competition between national teams in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. It will be the first time that a Gold Cup match has taken place in Nashville.

Nashville is in the middle of a hot streak for soccer, having hosted a string of recent international games that generated large crowds at Nissan Stadium. The most recent took place in October when 40,287 attended a match between the Mexico national team and New Zealand.

It marked the second-largest crowd to watch a soccer match in Nashville, trailing only the 44,835 people who attended a U.S.-Guatemala game last year.

“Bringing another U.S. Men’s National Team match to Nissan Stadium, and the first Gold Cup matches in Music City, further proves that Nashville is a destination for world-class soccer now and for years to come,” said Butch Spyridon, president of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., the entity that made the bid to host a Gold Cup match on behalf of Nashville. “This is another milestone announcement for Nashville."

It comes as Nashville last week was named one of 10 finalists to land one of four expansion slots targeted by Major League Soccer. In addition, Nashville recently was awarded a team in the United Soccer League, Nashville Soccer Club, that plans to begin play in 2018.

“We’re excited to bring the Gold Cup to new markets across the country," CONCACAF General Secretary Philippe Moggio said. "These cities have all proved ready and eager to host our region’s marquee soccer championship, and welcome world class international soccer next summer."

The Nashville CVC unveiled Nashville's Gold Cup participation with video announcements Monday from former Titans running back Eddie George and the Nashville-based rock band Kings of Leon.

"Let's show the world that next July Music City's also Soccer City," George said in the video. "See you there, and go USA!"

Nashville had coveted a Gold Cup match in previous years, but past bids to be a host city were turned down.

Nashville is one of four first-time cities that will host 2017 Gold Cup matches. Others are Santa Clara, Calif., Cleveland and San Antonio.

Return cities that will play hosts to 2017 Gold Cup games are: Arlington, Texas; Houston; Philadelphia; San Diego; Tampa, Fla.; Harrison, N.Y.; Pasadena, Calif.; Denver; Frisco, Texas; and Glendale, Ariz.

A field of 12 national teams will compete in the Gold Cub. So far, seven have qualified: Canada, Curacao, French Guiana, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico and the U.S.

"Nashville earning a Gold Cup game is more proof that this is a Major League Soccer town," said Will Alexander, co-organizer of Nashville MLS Steering Committee, a group of business and political heavyweights led by businessman Bill Hagerty that is pursuing an MLS team in Nashville.

"Attendance here for major events like U.S. national team matches and the recent Mexican national team friendly has always been exceptional. This Gold Cup match is another opportunity for Nashville to prove itself on the international stage. The organizing committee will be actively involved in making the game a major success."

The MLS Steering Committee must meet a Jan. 31 deadline to formally apply for a team, which would begin play some time after 2020. Nashville SC still needs to secure stadium plans before it can begin play.

“Nashville’s continued growth as a soccer city is evident in today’s announcement,” Nashville SC CEO Court Jeske said.

In his previous executive role as vice president of international business for Soccer United Marketing, the commercial arm of Major League Soccer, Jeske oversaw the last four Gold Cups as tournament organizer.

Jeske said Nashville SC and CONCACAF Gold Cup would be partners in the coming months ahead of the July match, calling it "one of our duties as the professional club."

"It's the most important national team event that we can host other than the World Cup," Jeske said. "It's a great sign that CONCACAF has chosen Nashville because they have specifically been seeking out soccer markets, and Nashville certainly is that."

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236 and on Twitter @joeygarrison.