CONCACAF qualifiers reach a dramatic finish as Panama and Costa Rica chase World Cup dreams

The road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached its most intense stretch in North and Central America, and for Panama and Costa Rica, it’s now or never.

With just two matchdays left in CONCACAF qualifying, both nations are fighting to avoid heartbreak and claim one of the final tickets to the biggest sporting event ever held on home soil.

What’s at stake for Panama and Costa Rica?

Panama’s dream of returning to the World Cup for the first time since 2018 is alive, but far from guaranteed. The team must win both of its remaining matches and hope Suriname drops points to secure a direct berth.
If not, a playoff path remains open, though it would mean a dangerous detour through the intercontinental route.

For Costa Rica, the situation is even tighter. The Ticos must beat Haiti this Thursday and then Honduras next Tuesday to qualify directly. Any slip would send them toward the playoff, a worrying scenario for a nation used to playing on football’s biggest stage.

The crucial match schedule in PST

Thursday, November 13

Suriname vs El Salvador — 2:00 p.m.
Trinidad & Tobago vs Jamaica — 4:00 p.m.
Bermuda vs Curaçao — 4:00 p.m.
Guatemala vs Panama — 6:00 p.m.
Nicaragua vs Honduras — 6:00 p.m.
Haiti vs Costa Rica — 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, November 18

Costa Rica vs Honduras — 5:00 p.m.
Haiti vs Nicaragua — 5:00 p.m.
Panama vs El Salvador — 5:00 p.m.
Guatemala vs Suriname — 5:00 p.m.
Trinidad & Tobago vs Bermuda — 5:00 p.m.
Jamaica vs Curaçao — 5:00 p.m.

Which other nations are still alive?

Beyond Panama and Costa Rica, several teams remain in contention.

Guatemala, Jamaica, and Honduras all have mathematical chances to qualify directly, while Curaçao, Trinidad & Tobago, and El Salvador are clinging to faint hopes of reaching the playoff.

Three direct spots are up for grabs across 11 nations, with two more advancing to the intercontinental playoffs, set for a draw on November 20.

A region on edge and a generation’s defining moment

For fans in Central America and the Caribbean, this final window isn’t just about qualification, it’s about legacy.

Costa Rica, once the region’s World Cup standard-bearer, now faces the risk of missing out entirely.

Panama, the new powerhouse in the making, carries the hopes of a nation eager to return to football’s grandest stage.

In a qualification cycle defined by drama, the November window could rewrite regional football history, and for Panama and Costa Rica, it might just decide who keeps the dream alive and who wakes up to heartbreak.