Second Round Looms for Concacaf's World Cup 26 Aspirants
Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, and Panama among the Favorites
By Nicholas Mendola and Joe Prince-Wright
March 27, 2024 01:30 PM
The 2026 World Cup is coming to North America, and the qualification process for Concacaf teams is heating up. On Monday, Concacaf announced the qualifying format for the 2026 World Cup, which will see 12 teams from the region compete for three automatic berths and one play-off spot.
The 12 advancing teams are drawn into three groups of four teams, with the winners of each group automatically qualifying for the World Cup. The fourth-placed teams from each group will enter a play-off round, with the winner advancing to an intercontinental play-off.
A record nine teams will qualify for the 2026 World Cup from Concacaf, up from six in the previous cycle. This is due to the expansion of the tournament to 48 teams, as well as the allocation of more spots to Concacaf due to its improved FIFA ranking.
Among the favorites to qualify are Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, and Panama. These teams have all been ranked in the top 50 of the FIFA World Rankings in recent years and have a history of success in Concacaf competitions.
Other teams to watch include El Salvador, Guatemala, and Canada. El Salvador has been on the rise in recent years and is currently ranked 69th in the FIFA World Rankings. Guatemala has a strong tradition in Concacaf and is currently ranked 136th in the FIFA World Rankings. Canada, as the co-host of the 2026 World Cup, will be automatically qualified for the tournament but will still compete in the qualification process for seeding purposes.
The Concacaf World Cup 2026 Qualifiers will begin in June 2025, with the final round of matches scheduled for March 2026. The draw for the group stage will be held in April 2025.
With the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams, Concacaf has a great opportunity to send a record number of teams to the tournament. The qualification process will be competitive and unpredictable, but the region's top teams should be confident in their chances of reaching the World Cup.
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