CONCACAF’s qualification process for the 2026 World Cup is going to look quite unusual given the three spots allotted to hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States for the tournament.
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The Hexagonal and Octagonal are no more, replaced by a playoff first round and two rounds of group play,
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At least three nations will seal places at the tournament, and two remaining teams will be given places in the inter-confederation playoffs as up to five teams joins the Canucks, El Tri, and Yanks in the 2026 World Cup.
North and Central America (CONCACAF) 2026 World Cup qualification format
First round (March 22-26, 2024): Four teams, home and away
Second round (June 5, 2024 – June 10, 2025): 30 teams, six groups, top two from each group advance
Third round (begins Sept. 2025): 12 teams, three groups, top team from each group qualifies for World Cup, top two second-place teams advance to inter-confederation playoffs
North and Central America (CONCACAF) World Cup qualification schedule — First round fixtures, results
H
Anguilla vs Turks ands Caicos
U.S. Virgin Islands vs British Virgin Islands
March 26
Turks and Caicos vs Anguilla
British Virgin Islands vs U.S. Virgin Islands
North and Central America (CONCACAF) World Cup qualification standings, schedule — Second round groups
Fixtures begin in June 2024
Group A
Honduras
Antigua and Barbuda
Cuba
Bermuda
Cayman Islands
Group B
Costa Rica
Trinidad and Tobago
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Grenada
Bahamas
Group C
Haiti
Curacao
Saint Lucia
Barbados
Aruba
Group D
Panama
Nicaragua
Guyana
Montserrat
Belize
Group E
Jamaica
Guatemala
Dominican Republic
Dominica
U.S. Virgin Islands or British Virgin Islands
Group F
El Salvador
Suriname
Puerto Rico
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Turks and Caicos or Anguilla
North and Central America (CONCACAF) World Cup qualification schedule — Third round groups fixtures, results
TBD