There are only three matches left in CONCACAF regional World Cup qualifying and the picture is growing pretty clear. Only the top three earn automatic berths to the 2022 World Cup, while fourth-place advances to a play-in match against a team from Oceania.
Undefeated Canada (1st, 25 points) continues its march to a first FIFA men's World Cup berth since 1986, and after a perfect nine-point haul in the winter slate of matches, it is one victory away from clinching a berth to the November World Cup in Qatar.
Traditional powers USA and Mexico remain behind Les Rouges in the standings. The Americans (21 points) occupy second place after its home win over Honduras, and El Tri (21 points) only trails on goal difference (+9 vs. +6) after knocking off Panama at the Estadio Azteca.
MORE: How the USA can qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
With the top three teams seemingly in line for the three automatic berths, that leaves Panama (17 points) and Costa Rica (16 points) to battle it out for the fourth-place spot that brings with it a ticket to a World Cup play-in match in June. The Ticos have incredibly revived their World Cup hopes during the last three matches with seven points earned and no goals conceded.
Of the remaining teams, El Salvador (6th, 9 points) still has faint hope of catching fourth place, but one more misstep and they're out. Jamaica (7th, 7 points) and Honduras (8th, 3 points) are already eliminated and look to play the role of spoiler the rest of the way.
The first standings tiebreakers are (1) goal difference, (2) goals scored, and (3) most points obtained from matches between teams that are tied. The full list of tiebreakers and results for Matchdays 1-9 follow at the bottom of this post.
CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying Standings & Results
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|
| 1.* Canada | 25 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 5 | +14 |
| 2.* USA | 21 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 7 | +9 |
| 3.* Mexico | 21 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 8 | +6 |
| 4.* Panama | 17 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 13 | +1 |
| 5. Costa Rica | 16 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 7 | +1 |
| 6. El Salvador | 9 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 13 | -7 |
| 7. Jamaica (E) | 7 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 16 | -7 |
| 8. Honduras (E) | 3 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 22 | -17 |
*The top three teams earn direct berths to Qatar 2022, while fourth place will head to an intercontinental playoff against a nation from Oceania. Eliminated teams noted with an (E).
Matchday 11
| Date | Match | |
| Wed, Feb. 2, 2022 | Jamaica 0 , Costa Rica 1 | Highlights |
| Wed, Feb. 2, 2022 | USA 3, Honduras 0 | Highlights |
| Wed, Feb. 2, 2022 | El Salvador 0, Canada 2 | Highlights |
| Wed, Feb. 2, 2022 | Mexico 1, Panama 0 | Highlights |
Matchday 12
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stream |
| Thurs, March 24, 2022 | Costa Rica vs. Canada | TBD | TBD |
| Thurs, March 24, 2022 | Panama vs. Honduras | TBD | TBD |
| Thurs, March 24, 2022 | Jamaica vs. El Salvador | TBD | TBD |
| Thurs, March 24, 2022 | Mexico vs. USA | TBD | TBD |
Matchday 13
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stream |
| Sun, March 27, 2022 | Canada vs. Jamaica | TBD | TBD |
| Sun, March 27, 2022 | Honduras vs. Mexico | TBD | TBD |
| Sun, March 27, 2022 | El Salvador vs. Costa Rica | TBD | TBD |
| Sun, March 27, 2022 | USA vs. Panama | TBD | TBD |
Matchday 14
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stream |
| Wed, March 30, 2022 | Panama vs. Canada | TBD | TBD |
| Wed, March 30, 2022 | Jamaica vs. Honduras | TBD | TBD |
| Wed, March 30, 2022 | Mexico vs. El Salvador | TBD | TBD |
| Wed, March 30, 2022 | Costa Rica vs. USA | TBD | TBD |
CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying results & highlights
Matchday 1
| Date | Match | |
| Thurs, Sept. 2, 2021 | Canada 1 , Honduras 1 | Highlights |
| Thurs, Sept. 2, 2021 | Panama 0 , Costa Rica 0 | Highlights |
| Thurs, Sept. 2, 2021 | Mexico 2 , Jamaica 1 | Highlights |
| Thurs, Sept. 2, 2021 | El Salvador 0 , USA 0 | Highlights |
Matchday 2
| Date | Match | |
| Sun, Sept. 5, 2021 | Jamaica 0 , Panama 3 | Highlights |
| Sun, Sept. 5, 2021 | Costa Rica 0 , Mexico 1 | Highlights |
| Sun, Sept. 5, 2021 | El Salvador 0 , Honduras 0 | Highlights |
| Sun, Sept. 5, 2021 | USA 1 , Canada 1 | Highlights |
Matchday 3
| Date | Match | |
| Wed, Sept. 8, 2021 | Canada 3 , El Salvador 0 | Highlights |
| Wed, Sept. 8, 2021 | Panama 1 , Mexico 1 | Highlights |
| Wed, Sept. 8, 2021 | Costa Rica 1 , Jamaica 1 | Highlights |
| Wed, Sept. 8, 2021 | Honduras 1 , USA 4 | Highlights |
Matchday 4
| Date | Match | |
| Thurs, Oct. 7, 2021 | USA 2 , Jamaica 0 | Highlights |
| Thurs, Oct. 7, 2021 | Honduras 0 , Costa Rica 0 | Highlights |
| Thurs, Oct. 7, 2021 | Mexico 1 , Canada 1 | Highlights |
| Thurs, Oct. 7, 2021 | El Salvador 1 , Panama 0 | Highlights |
Matchday 5
| Date | Match | |
| Sun, Oct. 10, 2021 | Panama 1 , USA 0 | Highlights |
| Sun, Oct. 10, 2021 | Jamaica 0 , Canada 0 | Highlights |
| Sun, Oct. 10, 2021 | Costa Rica 2 , El Salvador 1 | Highlights |
| Sun, Oct. 10, 2021 | Mexico 3 , Honduras 0 | Highlights |
Matchday 6
| Date | Match | |
| Wed, Oct. 13, 2021 | USA 2 , Costa Rica 1 | Highlights |
| Wed, Oct. 13, 2021 | Canada 4 , Panama 1 | Highlights |
| Wed, Oct. 13, 2021 | Honduras 0 , Jamaica 2 | Highlights |
| Wed, Oct. 13, 2021 | El Salvador 0 , Mexico 2 | Highlights |
Matchday 7
| Date | Match | |
| Fri, Nov. 12, 2021 | Honduras 2 , Panama 3 | Highlights |
| Fri, Nov. 12, 2021 | USA 2 , Mexico 0 | Highlights |
| Fri, Nov. 12, 2021 | Canada 1 , Costa Rica 0 | Highlights |
| Fri, Nov. 12, 2021 | El Salvador 1 , Jamaica 1 | Highlights |
Matchday 8
| Date | Match | |
| Tues, Nov. 16, 2021 | Jamaica 1 , USA 1 | Highlights |
| Tues, Nov. 16, 2021 | Costa Rica 2 , Honduras 1 | Highlights |
| Tues, Nov. 16, 2021 | Panama 2 , El Salvador 1 | Highlights |
| Tues, Nov. 16, 2021 | Canada 2 , Mexico 1 | Highlights |
Matchday 9
| Date | Match | |
| Thurs, Jan. 27, 2022 | USA 1 , El Salvador 0 | Highlights |
| Thurs, Jan. 27, 2022 | Jamaica 1 , Mexico 2 | Highlights |
| Thurs, Jan. 27, 2022 | Honduras 0 , Canada 2 | Highlights |
| Thurs, Jan. 27, 2022 | Costa Rica 1 , Panama 0 | Highlights |
Matchday 10
| Date | Match | |
| Sun, Jan. 30, 2022 | Canada 2 , USA 0 | Highlights |
| Sun, Jan. 30, 2022 | Panama 3 , Jamaica 2 | Highlights |
| Sun, Jan. 30, 2022 | Mexico 0 , Costa Rica 0 | Highlights |
| Sun, Jan. 30, 2022 | Honduras 0 , El Salvador 2 | Highlights |
How CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying works
Eight nations from the CONCACAF region (North America, Central America and the Caribbean) are competing for three automatic berths to the 2022 Qatar World Cup in the final "octagonal" qualifying round.
The eight countries are facing off in a round-robin format with each team playing the other seven opponents once at home and once on the road. The 14 total matches for each national team began in September 2021 and will wrap up in March 2022.
The top three finishers will earn automatic berths to Qatar, while the fourth-place team will head to an intercontinental playoff in June with a final ticket to Qatar on the line. Here are the standings tiebreakers for teams even on points:
- Goal difference in all group matches
- Most goals scored in all group matches
- Most points obtained from group matches between teams concerned
- Goal difference from group matches between teams concerned
- Most goals scored in group matches between teams concerned
- Goals scored away from home (if two teams tied)
- Discipline points (based on yellow/red cards)
- Drawing of lots by FIFA
The Qatar World Cup will be played from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18, 2022.
