CONCACAF qualification for the 2026 World Cup is complete

All direct participants from the CONCACAF zone for the 2026 World Cup have been determined. Based on the group stage results, Curaçao, Haiti and Panama secured their tickets to the global tournament.

Curaçao will play at the World Cup for the first time in history and has become the smallest participant of the tournament — the country has a population of only about 150,000 people.
Haiti returns to the World Cup for the first time since 1974.

Notably, the USA, Mexico and Canada did not participate in this qualification campaign — as hosts of the tournament, they received automatic spots. This opened the way for many national teams that previously had not been considered favorites.

How the tickets were distributed

The decisive moment came in the Jamaica vs Curaçao match. The visitors held the necessary draw (0:0), guaranteeing them first place in Group B and direct qualification for the World Cup.

Suriname, which needed only to beat Guatemala to advance, unexpectedly lost 1:3 and dropped to second place in Group A.

According to the overall ranking of second-place teams, Jamaica and Suriname received tickets to the intercontinental playoff, where they will join DR Congo, Bolivia, New Caledonia and Iraq.

The playoff matches will take place in March 2026 in Mexico, at stadiums that will also host World Cup matches. The tournament will start in the summer of 2026 in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Two teams will qualify for the World Cup through the intercontinental playoff.

Final matchday results

Group A

Panama — 12
Suriname — 9
Guatemala — 8
El Salvador — 3

Guatemala — Suriname 3:1
Panama — El Salvador 3:0

Group B

Curaçao — 12
Jamaica — 11
Trinidad and Tobago — 9
Bermuda — 0

Jamaica — Curaçao 0:0
Trinidad and Tobago — Bermuda 2:1

Group C

Haiti — 11
Honduras — 9
Costa Rica — 7
Nicaragua — 4

Costa Rica — Honduras 0:0
Haiti — Nicaragua 2:0

Second-place ranking

Jamaica
Suriname
Honduras

Thus, Jamaica and Suriname will take part in the intercontinental playoff, where the remaining spots for the 2026 World Cup will be contested.