Costa Rica, Panama and Honduras advanced early this Saturday to the final round of the Concacaf qualifiers for the 2026 North American World Cup, as the penultimate matchday of the second stage concluded. Nicaragua, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname, and Curaçao also secured their spots in the next round, which will award three direct tickets to the World Cup and two playoff berths.
Panama, coached by Spanish-Danish manager Thomas Christiansen, defeated already-eliminated Belize 2-0 on the road and now leads Group D alongside Nicaragua, both with nine points. Costa Rica, led by Mexican coach Miguel “El Piojo” Herrera, crushed the Bahamas 8-0 away and now tops Group B with nine points, followed by Trinidad and Tobago (7).
Honduras won 1-0 against the Cayman Islands and remains at the top of Group A with nine points, followed by Cuba (6), who beat Antigua and Barbuda 1-0. “Our minds continue to betray us despite our efforts […] and they played the match of the year,” said Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda, commenting on the tight win over the Caribbean side.
On Friday, Guatemala secured its place in the next round by defeating the Dominican Republic 4-2 at home in Group E, while Nicaragua edged out Guyana 1-0 on home turf. “We feel immense joy. We’re still alive and have qualified for the next step on the World Cup journey,” said Guatemala’s coach, Mexican Luis Fernando Tena.
Guatemala and Nicaragua have never qualified for a World Cup. Suriname advanced to the next round as Group F leader (9 points), while the second spot in the group is still being contested by El Salvador (7) and Puerto Rico (4). In all-Caribbean Group C, Curaçao and Haiti also booked their places in the final round, both with nine points.
The Concacaf qualifiers have been an unprecedented contest among Central American and Caribbean teams, since North American powerhouses Mexico, the U.S., and Canada already have automatic berths as hosts. The decisive phase of the qualifiers will be played in three groups of four teams each, from September to November. The draw will be held on June 12.
The winners of each group will earn direct World Cup qualification, while the two best second-place teams will go to playoffs. On Tuesday, June 10, the final day of the second stage, the remaining three teams to enter the final phase will be determined.
Costa Rica will host Trinidad and Tobago (7), a contender for Group B’s second spot. The other is Grenada (4), who will play at home against Saint Kitts and Nevis. Panama will host Nicaragua, and Honduras will host eliminated Antigua and Barbuda.
Meanwhile, Cuba and Bermuda will face off to decide which team advances to the next round.
