Concacaf Announces Region’s 2026 to 2030 Men’s Senior National Team Competitions Calendar | OneFootball

Miami, FL – Concacaf has announced the calendar for the Confederation’s Men’s Senior National Team competitions taking place from 2026 to 2030. The four-year cycle between FIFA World Cups will feature multiple editions of the Concacaf Nations League and the Concacaf Gold Cup, as well as a revamped World Cup Qualifying format.

Regarding this important announcement, Concacaf President and FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani said: 

“Over the past four-plus years, our Confederation has had both the privilege and the responsibility of preparing our members to compete in and host the largest FIFA World Cup in history, a tournament in which a record number of our nations will participate. When the World Cup concludes next summer, an extraordinary chapter of growth and achievement for our region will come to a close, ushering in an exciting new period.

As we look ahead, the four-year calendar we have developed ensures that our members can continue to pursue their next goals through consistent elite competition, whether that means earning promotion in the Concacaf Nations League, qualifying for or winning the Concacaf Gold Cup, or ultimately reaching the pinnacle of our sport: the FIFA World Cup.

I want to express my sincere gratitude to our 41 Member Associations for their support in shaping and embracing our calendar. This calendar, together with our expanded ecosystems for Senior Women’s National Teams and men’s and women’s club competitions, is truly football-first and will continue to elevate and transform the game across Concacaf.”

CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE

The Concacaf Nations League was established by the Confederation in 2018 to provide all member associations with consistent opportunities to compete in official matches throughout the four-year cycle between FIFA World Cups. The competition promotes development and delivers an exciting, region-wide tournament experience for fans. 

Since its inception, four editions of the Concacaf Nations League have taken place, featuring intense competition for the title of Concacaf Nations League Champion, promotion and relegation across the three leagues, and qualification for major centralized tournaments.

The next two Concacaf Nations League editions are scheduled for 2026/27 and 2028/29. They will continue to be played under the existing three-league system and serve as the qualifying pathway to the Concacaf Gold Cup. The composition of each League will be determined based on the results of the preceding edition.

Furthermore, starting in 2026/27, the competition will also introduce Finals for Leagues B and C, adding eight additional matches and bringing the total to 118.

League A: 16 teams (Group Stage and Quarterfinals)

League A includes 16 teams and features Group Stage and Quarterfinals. In the Group Stage, the league’s 12 lowest-ranked teams, based on the Concacaf Rankings, will be split into two groups of six. They will compete in a “Swiss style” league system, with each team playing a total of four games, two at home and two away. 

After the Group Stage, the top two teams from each group will move on to the Quarterfinals, where they will compete against the league’s four highest-ranked teams. The fifth and sixth-place finishers will be relegated to League B. The Quarterfinals will be played over two legs, home and away, with the aggregate score winners advancing to the Concacaf Nations League Finals.  

League B: 16 teams (Group Stage)

League B includes 16 teams divided into four groups of four. Each team will play every other team in its group twice for a total of six matches per team. At the conclusion of play, the group winners (four teams) will be promoted to League A and advance to the league’s Finals, and the fourth-place finishers (four teams) will be relegated to League C.

League C: 9 teams (Group Stage)

League C includes nine teams divided into three groups of three. Each team will play every other team in its group twice for a total of four matches per team. At the conclusion of play, the group winners (three teams) and the best second-place finisher (one team) will be promoted to League B and advance to the league’s Finals.

Finals: Four teams per League (Semifinals, 3rd Place Match, and Final)

The Concacaf Nations League Finals will be staged at a centralized venue, with inaugural Finals for Leagues B and C set to debut in 2027.  In League A, the 2027 Finals will take place at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, while the 2029 edition will be hosted at a location to be announced. Additional details about the new Finals for Leagues B and C will be shared at a later date.

CONCACAF GOLD CUP

The Concacaf Gold Cup is the Confederation’s flagship competition for men’s national teams. Held biennially, it crowns the regional champion and showcases top talent from across North, Central America, and the Caribbean. The competition features a group stage followed by knockout rounds and is played in world-class venues.

The next two editions are scheduled for June/July 2027 and 2029. Teams will qualify for the 16-team tournaments through the Concacaf Nations League and the Concacaf Gold Cup Prelims, with detailed qualification procedures for each edition to be announced at a later date.

CONCACAF WORLD CUP QUALIFYING

The Concacaf Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2030 will feature the Confederation’s 35 FIFA-affiliated member associations and be contested over three rounds and a Play-In.

Round One will feature home-and-away knockout matches, followed by Group Stage play in the Second and Final Rounds, and culminating in a home-and-away Play-In. At the conclusion of the qualifiers, six member associations will earn direct berths to the 48-team FIFA World Cup 2030, while the Play-In winner will advance to a FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off. 

In total, up to seven Concacaf member associations could participate in the 24th edition of the men’s FIFA World Cup.

Round One: 22 teams (Direct Elimination)

Round One of the Concacaf Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2030 will be played during the first half of the September-October 2027 FIFA Window, featuring member associations ranked 14-35 in the FIFA Rankings. 

The 22 teams will be divided into 11 pairings, with the highest-ranked team facing the lowest-ranked team. After home-and-away play, the aggregate winner of each matchup (11 teams in total) will advance to Round Two.

Round Two: 24 teams (Group Stage)

Round Two of the Concacaf Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2030 will begin during the second half of the September-October FIFA Window, followed by matches in November 2027 and March 2028. This round will include the 11 winners from Round One and the 13 top-ranked member associations based on the FIFA Rankings. 

The 24 participants will be divided into six groups of four, with each team facing every other team in its group home and away for a total of six matches per team, three at home and three away. At the conclusion of Round Two, the six group winners and the six runners-up (12 teams in total) will advance to the Final Round.

Final Round: 12 teams (Group Stage)

The Final Round of the Concacaf Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2030 will be played in June 2028 and September-October 2029, featuring the Round Two group winners and runners-up. The 12 participants will be divided into three groups of four, with each team facing every other team in its group home and away for a total of six matches per team, three at home and three away. 

At the conclusion of the Final Round, the three group winners and three runners-up (six teams in total) will secure a berth in the FIFA World Cup 2030, while the two best third-place finishers will advance to a new Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers Play-In. 

Concacaf Play-In: Two teams (Direct Elimination)

The new Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers Play-In will take place in November 2029 and determine the Confederation’s representative for the FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off. The Play-In between the two best third-place finishers from the Final Round will be contested in a direct elimination format consisting of home-and-away matches, with the aggregate score winner securing Concacaf’s berth in the FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off.