(Reuters) - The United States have been grouped with Canada and Cuba in Wednesday’s draw for the inaugural Nations League organised by the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF).
The region's top-ranked side Mexico will play Panama and Bermuda, Costa Rica face Haiti and Curacao, and Honduras were drawn alongside Trinidad and Tobago and Martinique in the other League A groups.
The competition, similar to that started by UEFA in 2018 and aimed at cutting down on meaningless friendlies, is part of a broad makeover by a confederation seeking to win back confidence of fans after it was ravaged by the FIFA corruption scandal.
At a gala ceremony in Las Vegas on Wednesday, CONCACAF’s 41 teams were drawn into three leagues, with the winners of the four League A groups competing for the Nations League title.
The top four sides in Leagues B and C will be promoted and the bottom four in A and B relegated for the next edition.
The group matches will be played in September, October and November 2019, with the finals taking place the following year.
(Reporting by Andrew Downie; Editing by Peter Rutherford)