CONCACAF has formally disclosed the schedule for the First and Second Spherical matches of the CONCACAF Qualifiers resulting in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The qualification course of will contain three distinct rounds and embrace 32 FIFA-affiliated CONCACAF Member Associations.
The draw for the Second Spherical of the competitors happened, grouping 30 nations into six units of 5 groups, with help from two regional legends, Paulo Wanchope Watson of Costa Rica, and Ricardo “Bibi” Gardner of Jamaica.
It’s value noting that Canada, Mexico, and america, the co-hosts of the FIFA World Cup 2026, have already secured their spots within the event.
First Spherical: 4 Member Associations (two match dates in March 2024)
The First Spherical options the lowest-ranked 4 CONCACAF Member Associations, as per the FIFA World Rating as of December 21, 2023. The 4 groups on this spherical are, in rating order, Turks and Caicos Islands, British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands, and Anguilla. The First Spherical fixtures are decided based mostly on the crew’s rating place, and they’re as follows:
- Play-off 1: Turks and Caicos Islands vs. Anguilla
- Play-off 2: British Virgin Islands vs. US Virgin Islands
These home-and-away collection are scheduled to happen throughout the FIFA worldwide match window in March 2024, and the winners of every play-off based mostly on combination scores will advance to the Second Spherical.
Second Spherical: 30 Member Associations (4 match dates in June 2024 and June 2025)
The Second Spherical of the CONCACAF Qualifiers contains the 2 winners from the First Spherical and the remaining 28 CONCACAF Member Associations. The 30 nationwide groups are divided into six teams of 5 groups, as decided throughout the Qualifiers’ draw on January 25, and the teams are as follows:
- Group A: Honduras, Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, Bermuda, Cayman Islands
- Group B: Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Bahamas
- Group C: Haiti, Curaçao, St. Lucia, Barbados, Aruba
- Group D: Panama, Nicaragua, Guyana, Montserrat, Belize
- Group E: Jamaica, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Dominica, Winner Play-off 2
- Group F: El Salvador, Suriname, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Winner Play-off 1
The Second Spherical matches shall be performed throughout the FIFA worldwide match home windows in June 2024 and June 2025, with every crew collaborating in 4 matches (two house and two away). After the completion of the Second Spherical, the group winners and runners-up (12 groups in whole) will advance to the Qualifiers’ third and closing spherical.
Closing Spherical: 12 Member Associations (six match dates in September, October, and November 2025)
The Closing Spherical of the CONCACAF Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will characteristic the group winners and runners-up from the Second Spherical, totaling 12 groups. These 12 groups shall be divided into three teams of 4 groups every. Every crew will play each different crew of their group each at house and away, amounting to 6 matches (three at house and three away).
The Closing Spherical matches are scheduled to happen throughout the FIFA worldwide match home windows in September, October, and November 2025. Following the conclusion of the Closing Spherical, the three group winners will safe direct qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026, becoming a member of the hosts Canada, Mexico, and america.
Furthermore, the 2 greatest runners-up from the Closing Spherical will symbolize CONCACAF within the FIFA Play-off Event. In whole, the CONCACAF area might probably have as much as eight groups collaborating within the FIFA World Cup, marking a historic achievement.
A separate draw shall be performed for the Closing Spherical following the conclusion of the Second Spherical.
The schedule for the First Spherical matches is as follows (house crew listed first):
- Friday, March 22, 2024: Anguilla vs. Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands vs. British Virgin Islands
- Tuesday, March 26, 2024: Turks and Caicos Islands vs. Anguilla, British Virgin Islands vs. US Virgin Islands
The schedule for the Second Spherical matches is as follows (house crew listed first):
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
(A) Antigua and Barbuda vs Bermuda
(B) Trinidad and Tobago vs Grenada
(C) Curaçao vs Barbados
(D) Nicaragua vs Montserrat
(E) Guatemala vs Dominica
(F) Suriname vs St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Thursday, June 6, 2024
(A) Honduras vs Cuba
(B) Costa Rica vs St. Kitts and Nevis
(C) Haiti vs St. Lucia
(D) Panama vs Guyana
(E) Jamaica vs Dominican Republic
(F) El Salvador vs Puerto Rico
Saturday, June 8, 2024
(A) Cayman Islands vs Antigua and Barbuda
(B) Bahamas vs Trinidad and Tobago
(C) Aruba vs Curaçao
(D) Belize vs Nicaragua
(E) Winner Play-off 2 vs Guatemala
(F) Winner Play-off 1 vs Suriname
Sunday, June 9, 2024
(A) Bermuda vs Honduras
(B) Grenada vs Costa Rica
(C) Barbados vs Haiti
(D) Montserrat vs Panama
(E) Dominica vs Jamaica
(F) St. Vincent and the Grenadines vs El Salvador
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
(A) Cuba vs Cayman Islands
(B) St. Kitts and Nevis vs Bahamas
(C) St. Lucia vs Aruba
(D) Guyana vs Belize
(E) Dominican Republic vs Winner Play-off 2
(F) Puerto Rico vs Winner Play-off 1
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
(A) Bermuda vs Cayman Islands
(B) Grenada vs Bahamas
(C) Barbados vs Aruba
(D) Montserrat vs Belize
(E) Dominica vs Winner Play-off 2
(F) St. Vincent and the Grenadines vs Winner Play-off 1
Friday, June 6, 2025
(A) Antigua and Barbuda vs Cuba
(B) Trinidad and Tobago vs St. Kitts and Nevis
(C) Curaçao vs St. Lucia
(D) Nicaragua vs Guyana
(E) Guatemala vs Dominican Republic
(F) Suriname vs Puerto Rico
Saturday, June 7, 2025
(A) Cayman Islands vs Honduras
(B) Bahamas vs Costa Rica
(C) Aruba vs Haiti
(D) Belize vs Panama
(E) Winner Play-off 2 vs Jamaica
(F) Winner Play-off 1 vs El Salvador
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
(A) Cuba vs Bermuda
(A) Honduras vs Antigua and Barbuda
(B) St. Kitts and Nevis vs Grenada
(B) Costa Rica vs Trinidad and Tobago
(C) St. Lucia vs Barbados
(C) Haiti vs Curaçao
(D) Guyana vs Montserrat
(D) Panama vs Nicaragua
(E) Dominican Republic vs Dominica
(E) Jamaica vs Guatemala
(F) Puerto Rico vs St. Vincent and the Grenadines
(F) El Salvador vs Suriname
These matches will contain a variety of CONCACAF nations competing for a coveted spot within the prestigious FIFA World Cup 2026, producing pleasure and anticipation amongst soccer followers throughout the area.
