A well-recognized face has been added to the U.S. males’s nationwide group’s Concacaf Gold Cup group following a call made by the federation on Monday evening.

Trinidad & Tobago will take Nicaragua’s place within the upcoming match after Concacaf eliminated Nicaragua from the competitors for a extreme violation of the relevant FIFA/Concacaf laws by fielding an ineligible participant in eight males’s nationwide group matches. As well as, Nicaragua has been relegated to League B for the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League.

Trinidad & Tobago’s place within the Gold Cup preliminary spherical will now be taken by Antigua & Barbuda. The Soca Warriors may also take Nicaragua’s spot in League A of the 2023-24 Nations League as a part of Concacaf’s ruling.

Richard Rodriguez is the reported participant in query after making 19 mixed appearances for Nicaragua so far. Rodriguez, 30, was born in Uruguay, however by no means featured for his nation of delivery.

Trinidad & Tobago was eradicated within the group stage of every of the final two Gold Cup tournaments. The Soca Warriors’ best-ever end got here in 2000, the place they completed third within the competitors.

The choice additionally pairs the USMNT again up with Trinidad & Tobago in aggressive motion for the primary time since 2017. Trinidad & Tobago defeated the Individuals 2-1 in World Cup Qualifying that cycle, a end result which eradicated the USMNT from qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

The Individuals defeated T&T 7-0 in pleasant motion in January 2021. Jamaica and a preliminary spherical winner may also be a part of the USMNT and T&T in Group A of the Gold Cup later this month.