The Final Round of the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers is set to begin on Thursday, with each team playing the first of three official matches en route to earn a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
For the first time in CONCACAF history, eight teams will be participating in the Final Round, raising the number of candidates from six. This way, more Central American and Caribbean teams got the chance to play for a spot in the World Cup, with three direct tickets for the competition and the possibility of one more via an international playoff against a team from another confederation.
Here is how the first batch of games in CONCACAF's Final Round will be played:
Canada vs Honduras
The Canucks return to a final stage of the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers after being unable to play the key games since the 1998 qualifiers. The Canadian side can be considered as favorites to win their first game of this edition against Honduras, a team that has struggled recently with their form and who have lost their last two competitive games without scoring a goal and conceding five times. In fact, Honduras have not been able to beat Canada in an away game since 2008, which may give fans an idea on how things could go down at BMO Field in Toronto.
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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Panama vs Costa Rica
Los Canaleros will try to prove their worth for a second straight time in the CONCACAF WCQs, following their historic run in the 2018 edition that saw them reach the World Cup for the first time ever. Facing them will be Costa Rica, a team that had to change managers after their disappointing performances in the CONCACAF Nations League and CONCACAF Gold Cup last summer. The presence of new coach Luis Fernando Suárez could be enough to shake things up for Los Ticos, especially when they make their way to Rommel Fernández Stadium, a place they have escaped with four points in their last three games.
Match details, result and original broadcast info
Panama 0 - 0 Costa Rica
September 2, 2021 9:05pmEstadio Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez (Ciudad de Panamá)This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
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Mexico vs Jamaica
El Tri will begin their quest for one more FIFA World Cup when they host Jamaica at Azteca Stadium. There will be good news and bad news for the Mexicans ahead of this game, as they have never lost a Qualifying game against the Reggae Boyz while playing at Estadio Azteca. The bad news for Gerardo Martino's men will be having to play this match behind closed doors due to the reprehensible behavior by their fans, who were banned from attending this game for repeatedly using a homophobic slur in a game earlier this year. On the other hand, it will take more than a miracle for Theodore Whitmore and his team to get their first win at the Azteca, especially after Premier League footballers were banned from playing this clash due to the state of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico. All in all, Whitmore will have nine absences for this game, including that of the top scorer in the Premier League, Michail Antonio.
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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El Salvador vs USA
Los Catrachos return to the final round after a 12-year absence, and what better way to make their presence felt than facing the Stars and Stripes for their first match of the Qualifiers. The team led by former USMNT international Hugo Pérez will try to leave a lasting impression in this competition and earn their first World Cup berth since 1982. On the other hand, Gregg Berhalter's men will try to live up to their reputation after winning the CONCACAF Nations League and CONCACAF Gold Cup, even if they have to deal with the absences of players like Christian Pulisic, who will not able to play with the national team due to the EPL quarantine rules caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Match details, result and original broadcast info
This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Remember, this will be the first of three international matches for all CONCACAF teams, which is why we encourage you to keep track of all the action in our dedicated FIFA Worldup Qualifying section.
