World Cup chances clearer for Concacaf nations after October Qualifying matches | OneFootball

MIAMI — The Final Round of the Concacaf Qualifiers to the 2026 FIFA World Cup closed out an important October FIFA International match window.

The Final Round of the Concacaf Qualifiers will determine the region’s remaining participants in the FIFA World cup 2026, joining co-hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The three group winners will secure direct berths, and the two best second-place teams will advance to the FIFA Play-off Tournament.

Here is how each nation’s hopes stand after the latest round of encounters:

Group A

Suriname continued its push towards the World Cup, with a pair of hard-fought draws against Guatemala and Panama, that has them atop the group with six points. Stanley Menzo became the Suriname head coach with the longest unbeaten beaten streak in World Cup Qualifying with four wins and four draws in the last eight matches.

After defeating El Salvador 1-nil, Panama counted on a stoppage-time equalizer against Suriname to salvage a point. In his 28th game in charge of Los Canaleros, Thomas Christiansen reached nine straight matches without a defeat at the helm (6 wins, 3 draws). Panama is tied with Suriname with six points heading into a pivotal November window.

Guatemala followed up a 1-1 draw at Suriname with a massive 1-nil victory over El Salvador to stay in the mix with five points. Los Chapines snapped a four-match winless streak and also earned the country’s first-ever World Cup Qualifying win on Salvadoran soil.

El Salvador’s struggles continued with a pair of 1-nil losses in a winless October window that has them at the bottom of the group. La Selecta is on a stretch of nine games without a win (6 losses, 3 draw), their worst home streak in Qualifying history. The nation also lost three consecutive home qualifies for the first time ever.

Group B

Jamaica is back in command of the pack with nine points thanks to a 4-nil rout of Bermuda, despite losing to Curaçao 2-nil in the first match of the window. Shamar Nicholson scored his seventh career goal in the qualifiers, marking the first time he has scored five goals in a single edition. Nicholson also tied the legendary Theodore Whitmore for third place among Jamaica’s all-time scorers in Qualifying.

Curaçao is in second place of the group on eight points following the win over Jamaica and a 1-1 draw against Trinidad and Tobago. Kenji Gorré’s goal helped the nation extend its best-ever unbeaten run in World Cup Qualifying to nine matches (6 wins, 3 draws).

Trinidad and Tobago racked up four points in the October window with a win and a draw, improving to five points, to keep its World Cup hopes alive as the third place in the group.

Bermuda has officially been eliminated from World Cup contention following four consecutive defeats in the Final Round. The latest results came against Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. The Gombey Warriors will seek a winning exit to close its campaign during the November fixtures.

Group C

Honduras enjoyed an unbeaten October window, playing a scoreless draw against Costa Rica and earning a 3-nil over Haiti. Romell Quioto joined the La H’s all-time scorers with his ninth goal in Qualifiers, tying Jerry Bengtson for fifth on the nation’s list in the competition. Los Catrachos set a new milestone in Qualifying with its sixth consecutive clean sheet. Goalkeeper Edrick Menjívar has been crucial with 13 saves during the run.

Costa Rica is in second place of the group with six points after an integral 4-1 win over Nicaragua. Manfred Ugalde, the tournament’s assist leader with seven, scored his third goal and continues to be the pivotal piece for Los Ticos. Honduras and Costa Rica play in a match that could hold major implications in the final tilt of the November window.

Haiti’s hopes remain alive after a win and loss in the window, but they have some ground to make up in November where they play Costa Rica to start. Les Grenadiers momentarily took the lead in the group with a 3-nil victory in Nicaragua, improving to five points, but fell to third place after its loss in Honduras.

Nicaragua is on the brink of elimination after losses to Haiti and Costa Rica during the latest window. La Azul y Blanco is unable to qualify as the first-place side in the group but still has mathematical chances to finish as one of the best second place sides and advance to the FIFA Play-Off Tournament.