CONCACAF Announces Competitions Calendar from Fall of 2026 Through 2029

A new cycle from the Nations League, to the Gold Cup, finishing off with World Cup Qualifying

Miami, FL- The Confederation of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean Football has announced its new competition calendar after the 2026 World Cup ends; they will prepare for their three international team tournaments for the Nations League, the Gold Cup, and World Cup Qualifying for the 2030 World Cup.

CONCACAF Nations League

Once the World Cup ends this coming July, the brand new cycle begins for National Teams to prepare for the Gold Cup and World Cup Qualifying. The upcoming new combined September/October International window will give four games within two weeks to concentrate on International Football. The three leagues will have competitive matches against each other, reaching the Gold Cup automatically, the Gold Cup Qualifiers, the play-in matches, and determining which teams get promoted or relegated.

All Group Stage Matches will be played in September and October, and only League B will have group stage matches in November, while League A will have the Quarterfinals, and the play-in with League C in the 2026-27 season, and it will repeat for the 2028-29 edition

LEAGUE A: 16 TEAMS

The top four-ranked sides will begin in the November window, playing in the quarterfinals, then the lower 12-ranked teams will be drawn into two groups of six. They will compete in a “Swiss-style” league system, with each team playing four games, two at home and two away. The top two teams in each group will automatically go to the Gold Cup and the Quarterfinals. The third and fourth place finishers go to the Gold Cup Qualifiers, the fifth and sixth place finishers will go to the play-in and relegated to League B

LEAGUE B: 16 TEAMS

The 16 teams in League B will be drawn into four groups of four, playing home and away within their own groups. The Group Winners will automatically go to the Gold Cup and get promoted to League A. The two best second-place finishers in the four groups will head to the Gold Cup Qualifiers, and the last-place finishers in all four groups will be relegated to League C

LEAGUE C: 9 TEAMS

The nine teams in League C will be drawn into three groups of three and play each other two times, home and away. The three group winners and the best second-place team will be promoted to League B and will go to the Play-In matches.

Nations League Quarterfinals & Play-in

The League A top two winners in both groups will face the top four ranked teams in a goal aggregate series and qualify for the Gold Cup, and the Semi-Finals of the Nations League will be held at the Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The play-in will have a goal aggregate series as the third and fourth place finishers of League A will face the Three Group Winners and the best second place finishers of League C.

New additions to the Nations League

Just as teams from League A will be performing in the Semi-Finals and Final in the 2027 March International Window, Leagues B and C will now have their own Finals as well. Details of the Finals for League B and C will be shared at a later date.

Gold Cup

The Gold Cup is the confederation’s signature tournament for the National Teams across the region. The tournament is played biannually in 2027 and 2029. The Nations League also doubles as the qualification tournament for the Gold Cup. A Group Stage with four groups of four, then the knockout stage, involving 15 CONCACAF Nations and the guest team, Saudi Arabia, from the Asian Football Confederation.

Qualification Pathway to the 2030 World Cup

The new setup for the 2030 FIFA World Cup for the region of CONCACAF has been detailed and planned out, as 35 of the 41 nations will go through three rounds of World Cup Qualifying. It will begin in the fall of 2027 and continue all the way to the fall of 2029. Six automatic bids are up for grabs, and the best two out of three third-place teams will fight for the Intercontinental Playoffs.

FIRST ROUND:

22 teams ranked 14 through 35 will be paired in an eleven-goal aggregate series. They will play in the first half of the 2027 September/October International Window. 11 Round one winners will advance to the Second Round.

SECOND ROUND:

11 Round One winners will join the top-ranked 13 Teams and will be drawn in six groups of four. They will play six games, home and away, as the top two teams will advance to the Final Round of Qualifying. Matches will begin in the second half of the 2027 September/October and the entire month of November, and the 2028 March International Window.

FINAL ROUND:

The top twelve teams will be drawn into three groups of four. Top-ranked teams in Pot 1, second-ranked teams in Pot 2, third-ranked teams in Pot 3, and the fourth-ranked teams in Pot 4. Home and away with six matches in each group. The top two teams in each group go to the World Cup, and the best two of the three third-place teams will play each other for the intercontinental playoffs.

The matches begin in the 2028 June International Window and the 2029 September/October Window. The Confederational Playoffs for the best two of three third-place finishers will play in November to qualify for the Intercontinental playoffs.

CONCACAF News:

• CONCACAF Announces Schedule for Champions Cup First Round and Round of 16
• CONCACAF Champions Cup Draw is Complete
• 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup Draw is Filled and Ready to Go

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