The CONCACAF region has a long and complex World Cup qualifying process to determine which teams advance to the FIFA World Cup tournament. With 41 member nations across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, determining which teams qualify requires an intricate structure of tournaments and matches.
Overview of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying
CONCACAF World Cup qualifying is split into three rounds: the first round, second round, and the hexagonal or “hex” round. The number of matches varies based on which round a team enters CONCACAF qualifying.
The first round features teams ranked 22 and below in CONCACAF playing home-and-away ties in a knock-out format. The second round sees the six first round winners joining teams ranked 7-20 in two groups of six teams each, again playing home-and-away round-robin matches.
The third round, or hexagonal round, has the top-ranked six teams in the CONCACAF region plus the two second round group winners playing home-and-away round-robin matches. The top three teams from the hexagonal round advance directly to the World Cup, while the fourth place team enters an intercontinental play-off.
Number of Matches in Each Round
First Round
The first round features 6 total matches between the lowest ranked CONCACAF teams. With 11 teams competing in home-and-away knock-out matches, this makes 6 total matches in the first round.
Second Round
The second round sees the six first round winners joining 14 other CONCACAF teams separated into two round robin groups of six teams each. With each team playing home-and-away within their group, this makes 60 total matches in the second round (6 teams x 2 games against each opponent x 5 opponents = 60 matches).
Hexagonal Round
The hexagonal round contains the top six CONCACAF teams by ranking plus the two second round group winners, making eight total teams. With each team playing home-and-away round robin matches within this group, this makes 28 total hexagonal round matches (7 opponents x 2 games against each = 14 matches per team, x 8 teams = 112 matches).
Total CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying Matches
Adding up the matches from all three rounds, the total number of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches is:
- First Round: 6 matches
- Second Round: 60 matches
- Hexagonal Round: 28 matches
This makes a total of 94 CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches played to determine which teams from the region advance to the FIFA World Cup tournament.
Breakdown of Matches by Round
Round | Number of Matches |
---|---|
First Round | 6 |
Second Round | 60 |
Hexagonal Round | 28 |
Total | 94 |
As shown in the table breakdown, the three rounds of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying require a total of 94 matches to determine the region’s participants in the FIFA World Cup tournament.
Number of Matches for Top Teams
While the total number of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches is 94, the number of games varies significantly for individual teams based on their ranking and which qualifying round they enter.
The top six ranked teams in CONCACAF only play a total of 10 matches each – 2 games against the other 7 teams in the hexagonal round. Teams ranked 7-20 play a minimum of 12 matches in the second round group stage. Teams entering in the first round play a minimum of 4 matches.
So the number of World Cup qualifying matches ranges from 4 to 10 for individual CONCACAF national teams, depending on their strength and ranking within the region.
Matches for Top Teams
- Top 6 teams: 10 matches (hexagonal round only)
- Teams ranked 7-20: 12 matches minimum (second round only)
- Lowest ranked teams: 4 matches minimum (first round only)
Schedule and Frequency of World Cup Qualifying Matches
CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches are played during FIFA international breaks, which are scattered periodically throughout a two-year process. The first round is contested first, followed by the second round, and finally the hexagonal to determine the World Cup participants.
The match schedule varies in each round. In the first and second rounds, ties are wrapped up in two-leg home-and-away series over a one to two month span. The hexagonal round sees double matchdays with teams playing twice in a short FIFA break.
In total, there are generally 10-12 international breaks over two years to complete CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. This includes 6-8 breaks for the hexagonal round.
Frequency of Matches
- First & Second Rounds: Home-and-away ties scheduled over 1-2 months
- Hexagonal Round: Double matchdays scheduled during 6-8 FIFA breaks over 18 months
- Total World Cup qualifying time period: Approximately 2 years
Impact of Match Frequency on Teams
The format of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying requires careful planning and management of team rosters and player workloads. Schedule congestion and frequent international travel can take a toll on players.
Teams need to communicate closely with clubs to monitor their players’ health and fitness. Squad rotation and proper rest between matches is crucial to avoid injuries and fatigue.
Matches are played in a compact schedule, often just 3-4 days apart. This requires strategic planning around training, recovery, and travel.
Home-and-away ties also force teams to adjust between playing styles and environments in different countries across the CONCACAF region.
In short, the high number and frequency of World Cup qualifying matches presents a major logistical challenge for CONCACAF national teams.
Home-Field Advantage
CONCACAF World Cup qualifying heavily utilizes a home-and-away tie format. This creates a home-field advantage for teams playing in front of their supporters.
In addition to fan support, home teams also benefit from familiarity with venues, weather, travel, and playing conditions. They avoid international travel, compared to opponents who must fly multiple time zones.
Home-and-away ties reward consistency and the ability to adapt to varying environments. Teams must strategize on the importance of winning at home while targeting road points.
The team with superior depth and tactics tends to prevail over two legs. But playing the second leg at home gives the home team an edge if the scoreline is close.
As a result, home-field advantage has a significant influence in determining which teams advance in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
Highest Scoring Teams and Players
The hexagonal round tends to feature the highest amount of scoring, as it contains the strongest CONCACAF teams.
In 2018 World Cup qualifying, the top goalscorers came from hexagonal round teams:
- Jozy Altidore (USA) – 8 goals
- Oribe Peralta (Mexico) – 6 goals
- Carlos Ruiz (Guatemala) – 6 goals
Mexico scored the most goals of any team with 17. The most prolific offenses came from the top-ranked teams that reached the hexagonal.
This follows the general trend of the strongest teams and players scoring the most goals in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. Players on teams that advance further are likely to score more goals.
Historic Upsets
While the top CONCACAF teams are favored to win World Cup qualifying matches, especially at home, upsets do occur. Some of the most famous upsets include:
- 1981: Honduras 2, Mexico 1 in World Cup qualifying
- 2001: Trinidad & Tobago 2, Mexico 1 in World Cup qualifying
- 2010: USA 2, Mexico 1 in World Cup round of 16
- 2013: Panama 2, USA 0 in World Cup qualifying
- 2021: Canada 2, Mexico 1 in Gold Cup
These upsets demonstrate that anything can happen in soccer. Underdog teams can beat giants, especially when playing at home. Upsets exemplify the passion of CONCACAF teams and fans.
Conclusion
CONCACAF’s World Cup qualifying process is a grueling marathon for its national teams. Spanning over two years, 94 total matches are played across three qualifying rounds.
The top teams play between 10-12 matches. The schedule is compact and frequent, requiring strategic roster management. Home-field advantage provides a major edge.
Despite the advantages for top teams on paper, upsets still occur thanks to the fighting spirit of underdogs when playing at home. This makes CONCACAF World Cup qualifying a dramatic and intense tournament.