The big moment has arrived in the Concacaf region. The third round of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26™ begins on Thursday with 12 teams spread across three groups in search of a coveted ticket to next year’s big dance.
The mission is simple: win the group and a place in the World Cup is yours. Second-place offers a second chance, with the two best-finishing runners-up progressing to the FIFA Play-Off Tournament in 2026.
Teams will play two matches each in the September, October and November windows, leaving very little margin for error. FIFA take a look at the teams in the groups and how the September window could shape things moving forward.
The three Central American sides are well acquainted with each other from recent Concacaf Gold Cup and Nations League fixtures, while Suriname are still a bit of a newcomer to the elite Concacaf scene.
Over the last several years, Panama have become the leading light of the Central American region, with final appearances in both the Gold Cup (2023) and Nations League (2024). After narrowly missing out on Qatar 2022, Thomas Christiansen’s bunch will feel good about their chances of reaching a second World Cup, with midfield maestro Coco Carrasquilla and right-back Michael Murillo leading the way.
They will get firm challenges though from their group opponents. Guatemala stunned many by making the Gold Cup semi-finals earlier this year and have a strong attacking force in Rubio Rubin and Oscar Santis. Los Chapines have never qualified for a World Cup, but they can send a big message if they win at home against El Salvador and then get a result in Panama.
Meanwhile, El Salvador have on their touchline a coach in Bolillo Gomez who has guided three different teams to World Cups (Colombia, Ecuador, Panama). The Colombian has the tactical nous to get results away from home, making La Selecta’s opener in Guatemala City a must-watch.
These are uncharted waters for Suriname, who have never reached the final round of Concacaf qualifying, but with a roster full of players based in Europe, they could be the surprise package. The group could be thrown into chaos if the faithful in Paramaribo witness a home victory versus Panama to begin things.
This all-Caribbean group sees Jamaica and Curaçao arriving as the ones to beat after their first-place finishes in their second-round groups, and the schedule is set up to separate themselves at the top by the close of the window.
Jamaica were very impressive with four wins from four matches, and head coach Steve McClaren has a number of game-changers at his disposal, led by the likes of Demarai Gray. The Reggae Boyz have not been to the World Cup since France 1998, and this represents their best chance at ending that drought.
Curaçao made history by reaching the final round of qualifying for the first time, the highlight thus far being a 5-1 win over Haiti. Dick Advocaat is at the helm of a team that can get ample production from Gervane Kastaneer, who had five goals in the previous round, and will be a tough test for any back line.
Trinidad and Tobago head into the window on the heels of disappointing Gold Cup performance in which they were unable to get out of their group. The Soca Warriors edged their way into this third round thanks to a superior goal difference over Grenada, so fans will be keen to see improvement in the opener at home against Curaçao.
Bermuda are also in new territory thanks to a dramatic 2-1 win in Cuba to advance to this stage. It will be tough sledding for the Gombey Warriors, but a good result at home against Jamaica to start would build confidence.
Similar to Group B, Costa Rica and Honduras could enjoy a six-point cushion over their rivals by the time the calendar rolls over to 10 September. Experience will no doubt play a major factor, much to the benefit of seasoned World Cup veterans Costa Rica. Los Ticos have reached the last three showpieces and are well-positioned to return thanks to a strong infusion of young players like Manfred Ugalde, Warren Madrigal and Brandon Aguilera, while Brazil 2014 heroes Keylor Navas and Joel Campbell will definitely still figure for head coach Miguel Herrera.
Reinaldo Rueda has Honduras playing some of their best football in years, evidenced by a semi-final finish in the Gold Cup. Midfielder Andy Najar is the lone member of Los Catrachos’ last World Cup side at Brazil 2014, but other key pieces like forwards Luis Palma and Choco Lozano makes Honduras a tough foe for anyone.
Unfortunately for Haiti, their home match to start this round will take place in Curaçao, so the normally boisterous fans in Port-au-Prince will not be a factor. Les Grenadiers failed to get out of their group at the Gold Cup, but overlooking experienced strikers Duckens Nazon and Frantzdy Pierrot would be unwise.
Nicaragua have also written themselves into the history books by reaching this stage, but now the heavy lifting will come, especially with Costa Rica and Honduras on the docket to start. Jaime Moreno played a big role in getting Los Pinoleros this far, and they’ll need him and all-time top scorer Juan Barrera to produce in order to stay in the mix.
