Victor Montagliani has heralded the start of an "extraordinary chapter" for North and Central American football as Concacaf unveiled its comprehensive men’s competition calendar for the 2026–2030 cycle. The announcement, which outlines a revamped FIFA World Cup qualifying format and the expansion of the Nations League, is designed to cement the region's growth following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup next summer.
For nations across the Confederation, including a Bermuda side looking to rebuild after a challenging 2026 qualification campaign, the new roadmap provides a clear—if arduous—path to the sport's greatest stage.
The centerpiece of the calendar is a restructured qualification process for the FIFA World Cup 2030. In a bid to increase competitiveness across all 35 FIFA-affiliated associations, the qualifiers will be contested over three distinct rounds and a final "Play-In" tournament.
The stakes have never been higher, with up to seven Concacaf nations potentially earning a spot in the 48-team 2030 tournament. Six teams will earn direct berths, while a seventh could advance via a FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off.
The Qualifying Journey:
Round One (September–October 2027): 22 teams ranked 14–35 in the FIFA rankings will face off in home-and-away knockout matches.
Round Two (October 2027 – March 2028): The 11 survivors join the top 13 ranked nations in a 24-team group stage. Six groups of four will play home and away, with the top two from each group advancing.
Final Round (June 2028 – October 2029): 12 teams split into three groups of four. The top two in each group (six teams total) qualify directly for 2030.
Concacaf Play-In (November 2029): The two best third-place finishers from the Final Round meet in a direct elimination match to decide who represents the region in the Intercontinental Play-Off.
While the World Cup remains the ultimate goal, the Concacaf Nations League continues to be the bedrock of the region's elite competition schedule. Two further editions are scheduled for 2026/27 and 2028/29, maintaining the three-league system that has become the pathway to the Gold Cup.
Bermuda, currently competing in League B following a second-place finish in their 2024/25 group, will be among the nations eyeing a historic promotion to the top tier. For the first time, League B and League C will feature their own Finals, adding eight additional matches to the calendar to heighten the drama of promotion and relegation.
The League A Finals for 2027 will be hosted at the iconic SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, ensuring the Confederation’s premier domestic tournament maintains its high-profile status.
The calendar is a reflection of a Confederation that has spent the last four years preparing to host the largest World Cup in history. Montagliani expressed his gratitude to the 41 Member Associations for embracing a "football-first" approach that balances senior men’s, women’s, and club competitions.
"This calendar ensures that our members can continue to pursue their next goals through consistent elite competition," Montagliani said. "It will continue to elevate and transform the game across Concacaf."
With the 2026 World Cup acting as a catalyst for growth, the focus now shifts to ensuring that the period from 2027 to 2030 delivers on the promise of the region’s rising stars.
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