Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama look to U-17 World Cup guided by new wave of coaches | OneFootball

MIAMI – The 2026 Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers saw three Central American nations, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama, book a place in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in November. 

Costa Rica, who commanded Group A with seven points, secured its 12th overall qualification to a FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Honduras is set for a seventh appearance after winning Group H with six points from a perfect 2-0-0 record.

Panama secured a third consecutive qualification, and fifth overall, by claiming the top spot in Group B with nine points from three wins. 

Each nation is making a successful return to the FIFA Under-17 World Cup after competing in the 2025 edition.

One noteworthy aspect of the three Central American representatives heading to the U-17 World Cup is that they are led by young managers driven by the goal of furthering the development of the future generation of players in their countries. 

Azofeifa: Costa Rica trying to cover all the bases

Costa Rica manager Randall Azofeifa examined in greater depth the preparations in the months heading into the competition, ensuring his team doesn’t lose focus despite achieving qualification.  

“We are trying to cover all the bases to ensure the best possible preparation,” Azofeifa told Concacaf.com. “The players are very excited and have high expectations. The group understands that this is always about giving their best, knowing that the World Cup is the most exciting, but also the toughest, part of this process.”

“The planning we are doing, with the opportunity to have friendly matches, is following a structured path. Now it's up to us to go to the World Cup, compete, push ourselves, and perform at the highest possible level,” he added. 

Azofeifa also spoke about his experience in his playing career, during which he featured at a U-17 FIFA World Cup and two FIFA World Cups, noting the excitement to be able to have a role in shaping the future of the game in Costa Rica.

“That 2001 Under-17 World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago was very important in my playing career. It helped me grow as a player and understand what I wanted from then on,” he shared. “Now, this opportunity to have my first experience as a coach at the highest level of this category is very exciting. I want the team to compete, I want us to perform at our best, and hopefully, to make Costa Rica proud.” 

Paz: A wonderful opportunity for Honduras

“This qualification represents a wonderful opportunity to gain exposure on the international stage, to compete at a different level, since, as we know, a World Cup is a major highlight of every footballer's career, regardless of age,” Honduras U-17 head coach Merling Paz told to Concacaf.com. 

“We are being provided with all the necessary tools to prepare in the best possible way through the internal training cycles we conduct monthly,” Paz added. “We also have several international trips planned. We believe that one of the most important contributions to this process is precisely having a greater number of international matches to arrive at the World Cup well-prepared.” 

For Paz, leading Los Catrachos to the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 will see him manage at a global competition for the first time, providing him with the opportunity to soak up knowledge and experience to continue aiding in the sport’s continued growth in Honduras.

“At a professional level, this gives me the opportunity to continue training, which is important because in the end we are all committed to the development and evolution of Honduran football” Paz said.

Baloy: Panama with desire to compete and grow

Panama head coach Felipe Baloy, who is regarded as an icon after representing the nation and scoring La Marea Roja’s first goal at a FIFA World Cup in 2018, shared a similar sentiment. 

“It really means a lot to them,” Baloy said. “You can see their desire to compete and grow as footballers. We hope our preparation is optimal. We've already started preparing for the South American Youth Games in April, and that gives us the opportunity to stay close, to keep competing, and to keep improving.”

Baloy also emphasized the importance of delivering a strong performance, and exhibited joy, in working with Panama’s future stars, while using the vast experience acquired as a player. 

"I'm truly proud and motivated to have this opportunity to teach and learn from all these young people," highlighted the historic center back for the Panamanian national team. “Sharing my experience as a player and now as a coach is my goal. We're going to work hard to guide them to an excellent performance in this new World Cup.”