Everything is in place for CONCACAF to determine its final representatives for the 2026 World Cup. The final qualifying round will take place during the FIFA windows in September, October, and November 2025, featuring 12 national teams competing for a spot in the world’s biggest tournament.
The format will be classic and intense: three groups of four teams playing in a home-and-away round-robin format. Each team will play six matches. The top team from each group will qualify directly for the World Cup, while the two best runners-up will advance to an intercontinental playoff, where they’ll compete for two additional spots. For the first time ever, CONCACAF could have up to eight teams in a men’s World Cup.
In June, CONCACAF held the draw for the final round in Miami. Here’s how the groups look:
- Group A: Panama, El Salvador, Guatemala, Suriname
- Group B: Jamaica, Curaçao, Trinidad & Tobago, Bermuda
- Group C: Costa Rica, Honduras, Haiti, Nicaragua
Each team will play six matches between September 4 and November 18, 2025. The first matchday will feature Guatemala vs. El Salvador and Suriname vs. Panama, while the final round of matches will be played simultaneously to prevent any unfair advantages.
Key dates include November 13 and 18, with several direct matchups likely to determine the final group standings. While exact kickoff times for October and November games have yet to be confirmed, it’s already clear the drama will go down to the wire.
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Beyond automatic qualification
With United States, Mexico, and Canada already qualified as hosts, five World Cup spots are still up for grabs in the region. Three will be awarded directly through this group stage, while the final two could be earned in March 2026 intercontinental playoffs that may prove historic for some nations.
This final stage isn’t just about qualification—it’s about cementing CONCACAF’s growing role in the most ambitious World Cup ever. In 2026, there will be more teams, more venues, and more Central American and Caribbean flags on the global stage.
Final round match schedule (Local times)
Thursday, September 4, 2025
7:30 PM – Suriname vs. Panama | Franklin Essed Stadium, Paramaribo
10:00 PM – Guatemala vs. El Salvador | Cementos Progreso Stadium, Guatemala City
Friday, September 5, 2025
6:00 PM – Bermuda vs. Jamaica | Bermuda National Sports Centre, Devonshire
8:00 PM – Trinidad & Tobago vs. Curaçao | Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain
8:00 PM – Haiti vs. Honduras | Ergilio Hato Stadium, Willemstad
10:00 PM – Nicaragua vs. Costa Rica | National Stadium, Managua
Monday, September 8, 2025
8:30 PM – El Salvador vs. Suriname | Cuscatlán Stadium, San Salvador
9:30 PM – Panama vs. Guatemala | Rommel Fernández Stadium, Panama City
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
8:00 PM – Jamaica vs. Trinidad & Tobago | National Stadium, Kingston
8:00 PM – Curaçao vs. Bermuda | Ergilio Hato Stadium, Willemstad
10:00 PM – Costa Rica vs. Haiti | National Stadium, San José
10:00 PM – Honduras vs. Nicaragua | Chelato Uclés National Stadium, Tegucigalpa
Thursday, October 9, 2025
Honduras vs. Costa Rica
Nicaragua vs. Haiti
Friday, October 10, 2025
El Salvador vs. Panama
Suriname vs. Guatemala
Curaçao vs. Jamaica
Bermuda vs. Trinidad & Tobago
Monday, October 13, 2025
Costa Rica vs. Nicaragua
Honduras vs. Haiti
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Panama vs. Suriname
El Salvador vs. Guatemala
Jamaica vs. Bermuda
Curaçao vs. Trinidad & Tobago
Thursday, November 13, 2025
Guatemala vs. Panama
Suriname vs. El Salvador
Trinidad & Tobago vs. Jamaica
Bermuda vs. Curaçao
Haiti vs. Costa Rica
Nicaragua vs. Honduras
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Panama vs. El Salvador
Guatemala vs. Suriname
Jamaica vs. Curaçao
Trinidad & Tobago vs. Bermuda
Costa Rica vs. Honduras
Haiti vs. Nicaragua
