For these Games, the men competed in an eight-team tournament, which is a drop from 12 at the 2007 games. Preliminary matches commenced on October 19. The teams were grouped into two pools of four teams each for a round-robin preliminary round. The top two teams in each pool advanced to a four-team single-elimination bracket.
Mexico won the gold medal for the fourth time in this competition, defeating six-time gold-medalists Argentina in the tournament's final. Uruguay took the bronze medal.
The highest finisher from each the Caribbean and Central American regions will qualify, along with the best qualifying team from either region.[2]
Guatemala later withdrew due to issues of discipline within the team. They were replaced by Trinidad and Tobago, after Honduras and Panama who finished ahead of Trinidad and Tobago declined to participate.[3]
The men's tournament is a full international tournament with a U-22 age limit. Each nation must submit a squad of 18 players September 2011. A minimum of two goalkeepers (plus one optional alternate goalkeeper) must be included in the squad.[1]
Match was moved to October 25, because of a volcanic eruption spewed ash clouds in Chile which prevented the team from Uruguay to travel to Guadalajara in time.[5]
