2026 World Cup Bubble Watch: CONCACAF Qualifying Resumes with 32 Teams Competing for 16 Spots
The CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament is set to resume in June, with the three co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup – Canada, Mexico, and the United States – already qualified automatically. The remaining teams will compete for the remaining spots in the tournament, which will be held across 16 nations. The qualifying format for the tournament is as follows: after a four-team play-in round that reduces the field from 32 to 30 teams, the 30 teams are divided into six groups of five. The top two teams in each group advance to a decisive third round, where the 12 second-round survivors are drawn into three groups of four. The three winners of those groups qualify for the World Cup, and the two best runners-up head to the intercontinental playoffs.
- Canada
- Mexico
- United States (all automatically)
The bubble teams, who are still in contention for a spot in the tournament, include:
- Honduras
- Costa Rica (note: this should be "Costa Rica" corrected to "Costa Rica")
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Curacao
- Haiti
- Panama
- Nicaragua (note: this should be "Nicaragua" corrected to "Nicaragua")
- Guatemala (note: this should be "Guatemala" corrected to "Guatemala")
- Jamaica
- Suriname (note: this should be "Suriname" corrected to "Suriname")
- El Salvador (note: this should be "El Salvador" corrected to "El Salvador")
The long shot teams, who have a slim chance of making it to the tournament, include:
- Cuba
- Cayman Islands
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bermuda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Grenada
- Bahamas
