World Cup 2030 CONCACAF qualifying: rounds, dates and places
CONCACAF published its 2030 World Cup qualifying format on February 6, 2026, the first confederation to do so. With no host nation this time, all 35 member associations — including the USA, Mexico and Canada — enter a three-round competition that runs from September 2027 to October 2029, followed by a play-in for the inter-confederation play-off.
Updated
The format at a glance
| Round | Teams | Format | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round one | 22 (ranked 14–35) | 11 home-and-away knockout ties | First half of the September–October 2027 window |
| Round two | 24 (13 top-ranked + 11 round-one winners) | 6 groups of 4, home and away; top two advance | Second half of September–October 2027, November 2027, March 2028 |
| Final round | 12 | 3 groups of 4, home and away; winners and runners-up qualify | June 2028 and September–October 2029 |
| Play-in | 2 best third-placed teams | Home-and-away tie | November 2029 |
Six teams qualify directly for the 48-team World Cup and the play-in winner goes into FIFA's inter-confederation play-off. CONCACAF's own announcement and ESPN's report both give these numbers; the confederation's calendar also confirms that the whole competition sits inside FIFA international windows.
Round one: knockout for the lower-ranked teams
The 22 associations ranked 14th to 35th in the CONCACAF ranking are paired highest against lowest — 14 v 35, 15 v 34 and so on — and play home-and-away ties in the first half of the September–October 2027 window. The 11 winners move into round two; the 11 losers are out. Which teams fall on either side of the 13/14 line depends on the CONCACAF ranking at the time of the draw, which the confederation has not yet dated.
Round two: six groups of four
The 13 highest-ranked associations enter here and are joined by the 11 round-one winners for six groups of four, played home and away across the second half of the September–October 2027 window, November 2027 and March 2028. The group winners and runners-up — 12 teams — go through to the final round. Under the 2026 format the top six ranked teams skipped straight to the final round; for 2030 nobody is exempt from round two, so the USA, Mexico and Canada would all play group football from autumn 2027.
Final round and play-in
The 12 survivors are split into three groups of four, again home and away, played in the June 2028 window and the September–October 2029 window. The three group winners and three runners-up take CONCACAF's six direct places. The two best third-placed teams meet in a home-and-away play-in in November 2029; the winner represents CONCACAF in the inter-confederation play-off, whose 2030 format and venue FIFA has not yet announced.
For comparison, the 2026 competition (with the three hosts exempt) had three groups of four in the final round, three direct qualifiers and two play-off entrants. Six direct places in 2030 is the same total CONCACAF received in 2026 once the hosts are counted.
Key dates
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Not yet announced | Round one and round two draws |
| September–October 2027 | Round one ties; round two begins |
| November 2027 | Round two continues |
| March 2028 | Round two ends |
| June 2028 | Final round, first window |
| September–October 2029 | Final round, second window |
| November 2029 | Play-in for the inter-confederation play-off |
World Cup 2030 CONCACAF qualifying FAQ
How many CONCACAF teams qualify for World Cup 2030?
Six qualify directly — the winners and runners-up of the three final-round groups — and a seventh goes into the inter-confederation play-off via the November 2029 play-in.
Do the USA, Mexico and Canada have to qualify for 2030?
Yes. None of them is a host in 2030, so all three enter at round two in September–October 2027, along with the other top-13 ranked associations.
When does CONCACAF qualifying start?
In the September–October 2027 international window, when the 22 lowest-ranked teams play round one and round two begins in the same window.
When is the CONCACAF final round?
In the June 2028 window and the September–October 2029 window, followed by the play-in in November 2029.
Have the CONCACAF qualifying draws been made?
No. CONCACAF has confirmed the format and windows but not yet the draw dates.
Related
Details marked TBC had not been confirmed by the organiser when this page was last updated (September 10, 2026).