Concacaf qualifiers: The two national teams that could secure a 2026 World Cup spot this Thursday
The Concacaf qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup enter their decisive phase with the final double matchday.
Between Thursday, November 13, and Tuesday, November 18, the region will determine which three national teams will join hosts United States, Mexico, and Canada at next year’s World Cup, as well as which two countries will fight for a spot in the Intercontinental Playoff in March.
Parity across all three groups is total, yet there is still a combination of results that could secure early qualification for Jamaica and Honduras with one matchday to spare.
Concacaf World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Standings Before the Final Double Matchday
Group A
- Suriname: 6 points (+1)
- Panama: 6 points (+1)
- Guatemala: 5 points
- El Salvador: 3 points
Group B
- Jamaica: 9 points
- Curaçao: 8 points
- Trinidad & Tobago: 5 points
- Bermuda: 0 points
Group C
- Honduras: 8 points
- Costa Rica: 6 points
- Haiti: 5 points
- Nicaragua: 1 point
The top team in each group will secure a direct berth to the 2026 World Cup, while the two best runners-up will play in the Intercontinental Playoff in March.
Concacaf World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Matches, Dates, and Times for the Final Double Matchday
Thursday, November 13
Group A
- Suriname vs El Salvador (5:00 p.m. ET)
- Guatemala vs Panama (9:00 p.m. ET)
Group B
- Trinidad & Tobago vs Jamaica (7:00 p.m. ET)
- Bermuda vs Curaçao (7:00 p.m. ET)
Group C
- Haiti vs Costa Rica (9:00 p.m. ET)
- Nicaragua vs Honduras (9:00 p.m. ET)
With this slate of games and the current standings, Jamaica and Honduras could clinch their World Cup berths as early as Thursday.
To do so, they not only need favorable results in their own matches but must also rely on outcomes from the other fixtures in their respective groups.
- If Jamaica defeat Trinidad & Tobago and Curaçao lose to Bermuda, the Reggae Boyz will secure their ticket to the World Cup.
- If Honduras beat Nicaragua and Costa Rica and Haiti draw, Reinaldo Rueda’s team will qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Tuesday, November 18
- Guatemala vs Suriname
- Panama vs El Salvador
- Trinidad & Tobago vs Bermuda
- Jamaica vs Curaçao
- Costa Rica vs Honduras
- Haiti vs Nicaragua
The final matchday is scheduled so that all six games are played simultaneously to avoid any competitive advantage, particularly since runners-up from each group must be compared to determine who advances to the Intercontinental Playoff.
All Qualified Teams for the 2026 World Cup
Hosts: Canada, Mexico, United States
AFC: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan
CAF: Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
CONMEBOL: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
OFC: New Zealand
UEFA: England
Ahead of November’s double matchday, 28 of the 48 teams that will compete at the World Cup have already secured qualification.
Between Thursday and Tuesday, Concacaf’s three direct qualifiers and UEFA’s remaining 11 berths will be decided, bringing the total to 42 nations.
This double matchday will also determine the two Concacaf teams, as well as one team from Asia and one from Africa, that will join Bolivia and New Caledonia in the Intercontinental Playoff, which offers two spots at the World Cup.
The final four places will come from UEFA’s playoff, contested by the 12 group runners-up and the four best Nations League teams that did not qualify through the regular qualifiers.
