World Cup Qualifying 2026 - CONCACAF

[JS96]

Costa Rica look in trouble. Some real boilovers in these groups.

 

[Brenton1986]

This is where we sit into deadline day on Wednesday in Concacaf as all games at 12pm Melbourne Time.

 

[Kitwally]

Don’t think Suriname and Curacao have ever made the World Cup? Would be great if they can

 

[GoAussies]

Costa Rica look in trouble. Some real boilovers in these groups.

CR need to win against Honduras and rely on Haiti to drop points against Nicaragua to qualify directly.

Otherwise their fallback of being among the best 2 second place getters is tough as they still need to win against Honduras and rely on El Salvador to win away against Panama or Guatamala to win at home against Suriname.

As the regions 3rd power it would be a huge shock if they miss the WC with 6 CONCACAF reps and 2 playoff teams, it definitely doesn't help to have 6 games in this final stage rather than 10 or 14 as per previous campaigns.

 

[BA81]

Don’t think Suriname and Curacao have ever made the World Cup? Would be great if they can

They never have - but that’ll change now that they & other former -colonies can finally use players from their diasporas.

 

[NicCarBel]

Going to do the same here as I’ve been doing in the UEFA thread, and outlining the key matches on the final day:

Group A:
* Guatemala v Suriname
* Panama v El Salvador
- Suriname and Panama are tied on 9 points, with Suriname 3 goals ahead in GD. Panama must better Suriname’s result, or defeat El Salvador by 3 more goals than Suriname defeats Guatemala by (in the event both teams win

Group B
* Jamaica v Curacao - a Curacao win/draw will see them qualify directly. Jamaica victory will see them jump Curacao and qualify directly.

Group C
* Costa Rica v Honduras
* Haiti v Nicaragua
- Nicaragua out of contention, with Haiti (+3) and Honduras (+1) tied on 8 points, and Costa Rica (+2) on 6 with the goal differences in brackets. Haiti must better Honduras result to qualify directly, and in the event both teams both win, will need to win by 3 goals. For Costa Rica, the only way forward is to defeat Honduras, with Haiti failing to defeat Nicaragua.

Group C is also interesting given that the two second placed teams with the best results will make the intercontinental playoffs, meaning that essentially a defeat for either team knocks them out completely. The best hope for Group C’s runner up to make the playoffs is if Curacao defeat Jamaica.

 

[JS96]

So finally giving this a good read. I think Costa Rica will win but Haiti may also win their game.

Curacao Jamaica in a showdown. Suriname hopefully qualify.

 

[NicCarBel]

POTS (Subject to change with CONCACAF, although doing my best to predict/cover bases here)

POT 1

• USA
• Canada
• Mexico
• Spain
• Argentina
• France
• England
• Brazil
• Portugal
• Netherlands
• Belgium
• Germany

POT 2

• Croatia
• Morocco
• Colombia
• Uruguay
• Switzerland
• Japan
• Senegal
• Iran
• Korea
• Austria
• Ecuador
• Australia

POT 3

• Norway
• Panama *
• Egypt
• Algeria
• Paraguay
• Tunisia
• Scotland
• Ivory Coast
• Uzbekistan
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• South Africa

POT 4

• Jordan
• Cape Verde
• Ghana
• New Zealand
• CONCACAF 2*
• CONCACAF 3*
• UEFA 1
• UEFA 2
• UEFA 3
• UEFA 4
• Intercontinental 1
• Intercontinental 2

* The main things that can change around depending on CONCACAF's qualification results are (in order of FIFA Ranking) This is why I've just named CONCACAF 2 and 3 for Pot 4 - and made a prediction of Panama qualifying, as that's probably the most likely outcome:

• In Group 3 - If Costa Rica qualifies, they will be in Pot 3
• In Group 1 - If Panama qualifies, they will be Pot 3
• In Group 3 - If Honduras qualifies, they will be Pot 3

All other outcomes in CONCACAF would lead to all 3 nations being placed in Pot 4, with Jordan going into Pot 3.

 

[JS96]

Haiti lead 2:0 and are on the cusp of qualifying. Panama lead also.

 

[NicCarBel]

Haiti, Curacao and Panama, wow!

 

[NoMates]

Haiti, Curacao and Panama, wow!

Haiti, Curacao and Panama, wow!

Who made the play offs?

 

[NicCarBel]

POT 1

• USA
• Canada
• Mexico
• Spain
• Argentina
• France
• England
• Brazil
• Portugal
• Netherlands
• Belgium
• Germany

POT 2

• Croatia
• Morocco
• Colombia
• Uruguay
• Switzerland
• Japan
• Senegal
• Iran
• Korea
• Austria
• Ecuador
• Australia

POT 3

• Norway
• Panama
• Egypt
• Algeria
• Paraguay
• Tunisia
• Scotland
• Ivory Coast
• Uzbekistan
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• South Africa

POT 4

• Jordan
• Cape Verde
• Ghana
• New Zealand
• Haiti
• Curacao
• UEFA 1
• UEFA 2
• UEFA 3
• UEFA 4
• Intercontinental 1
• Intercontinental 2

Intercontinental playoffs
SEEDED into Final Playoff:

• Iraq
• DR Congo

UNSEEDED - will playoff eachother, with the 2x winners each facing the Seeded nations for 2x spots into the World Cup

• Jamaica
• Suriname
• Bolivia
• New Caledonia

UEFA Playoffs
Pots for Playoff draw

POT 1	POT 2	POT 3	POT 4
Italy	Poland	Republic of Ireland	Romania
Denmark	Wales	Albania	Sweden
Turkey	Czech	Bosnia and Herzegovina	North Macedonia
Ukraine	Slovakia	Kosovo	Northern Ireland

Round 1
Pot 1 v Pot 4 (single leg, home venue of Pot 1)
Pot 2 v Pot 3 (single leg, home venue of Pot 2)
Round 2
Winner of Matches 1 v Winner of Matches 2 (home venue determined by random draw)

 

[JS96]

1974 2026

Haiti are going back to the #FIFAWorldCup!

 

[GoAussies]

Suriname were out of the playoffs as at the 92nd minute trailing 3-0, a late goal saw them draw level with fellow group runner up Honduras on a +3 goal difference and through to the playoffs on goals scored (9G 6A vs 5G 2A). With them in it and separated from Jamaica they will play either New Caledonia or Bolivia in the ICP semi final.

Iraq and DR Congo are seeded through to the ICP finals.

 

[JS96]

These smaller nations overcoming bigger ones is just reward. Jamaica Suriname playoff.

Suriname got in with a last second own goal. They'll be frustrated they couldn't get it done directly tonight.

 

[NicCarBel]

Suriname were out of the playoffs as at the 92nd minute trailing 3-0, a late goal saw them draw level with fellow group runner up Honduras on a +3 goal difference and through to the playoffs on goals scored (9G 6A vs 5G 2A). With them in it and separated from Jamaica they will play either New Caledonia or Bolivia in the ICP semi final.

Iraq and DR Congo are seeded through to the ICP finals.

Good point about the Jamaica separation - I didn't even pick up on that, but it makes sense

 

[melbcityguy]

How the hell did Haiti make it through

 

[JS96]

Curaçao did what Indonesia had hoped to with Dutch developed players.

 

[JS96]

How the hell did Haiti make it through

Amazing achievement. I don't like the expanded world cup but at least smaller nations showed the big ones up in qualifying and are deservedly there.

 

[JS96]