Procedures for 2026 Central American Cup Draw
3 clubs from the Confederation’s seven Central American Member Associations have qualified for the tournament.
- Draw to take place on Tuesday, May 26
- 13 clubs have already secured a berth in the 20-team tournament
- Fans can follow the live event on Concacaf's YouTube channel starting at 8 p.m. ET
- Draw determines the path of each club to the Final in December
Miami, FL - Concacaf has announced the procedures that will govern the 2026 Concacaf Central American Cup draw. The draw for the fourth edition of this regional cup tournament, which serves as a qualifier for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, will determine the groups and the matchups that will shape each participating club’s path to the Final.
The official draw for the 2026 Central American Cup will be conducted on Tuesday, May 26, in Miami, FL. Fans can follow the made-for-TV event on Concacaf’s Broadcast partner networks and the confederation’s YouTube Channel starting at 8 p.m. ET.
The 2026 edition of the Concacaf Central American Cup – the fourth edition of this regional tournament – has already seen 13 Central American clubs secure their places. Notably, the field features the three-time champions LD Alajuelense from Costa Rica, who aim to retain the crown. Club Olimpia and FC Motagua from Honduras, LA Firpo and CD FAS from El Salvador, and Antigua y Municipal de Guatemala, new faces from Panamá Alianza FC, and the Belize representatives Verdes FC, among others, will also compete in 2026.
COMPETITION FORMAT AND DATES
The tournament will begin with a Group Stage comprising four groups of five clubs each. In this first round, clubs will play every club in their group once, for a total of four matches per club (two at home and two away) in the five scheduled weeks.
- Group Stage Week 1: July 28-30, 2026
- Group Stage Week 2: August 4-6, 2026
- Group Stage Week 3: August 11-13, 2026
- Group Stage Week 4: August 18-20, 2026
- Group Stage Week 5: August 25-27, 2026
After the Group Stage, the top two finishers in each group will advance to the Knockout Stage. This stage will feature home-and-away matches, beginning with the Quarterfinals, followed by the Semifinals and Play-In, and concluding with the Final, where Central America’s champion will be crowned.
Quarterfinals: September 8-10 and September 15-17, 2026
Semifinals and Play-In: October 20-22 and October 27-29, 2026
Finals: December 2 and December 6, 2026
Additionally, the semifinalists and the two play-in winners (a total of six clubs) will qualify for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup. The champion will also receive a bye to the Round of 16 in the Confederation’s premier 27-club competition.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE DRAW
Fans worldwide will be able to follow and enjoy the live event on Concacaf’s YouTube channel and through the Confederation's TV partner networks in the region.
Fans can also follow updates on the competition’s official social media platforms, including X (@TheChampions), Facebook (facebook.com/TheChampions), Instagram (@TheChampions), and TikTok (@Concachampions).
DRAW PROCEDURES
On Tuesday, May 26, Concacaf will conduct the tournament’s Group Stage draw. The draw will be executed using a single-blind system involving five pots.
The 20 participating clubs will be distributed into five pots according to their Concacaf Club Ranking as of May 25, 2026, as follows:
- Pot 1: Four highest-ranked clubs
- Pot 2: Four next highest-ranked clubs
- Pot 3: Four next highest-ranked clubs
- Pot 4: Four next highest-ranked clubs
- Pot 5: Four lowest-ranked clubs
The draw will begin by randomly selecting a sphere from Pot 1 and placing that club in Group A, position A1. This process will be replicated for all Pot 1 spheres, with clubs placed in sequential order in positions 1 of Groups B, C, and D.
The same procedure will be followed for Pots 2, 3, 4, and 5, using group positions 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. At the end of the draw, each group will contain one club from each pot and no more than two clubs from the same Member Association.
Concacaf will publish the confirmed Pots in the days leading up to the official draw.
PARTICIPATING CLUBS
Thus far, 13 clubs from the Confederation’s seven Central American Member Associations have qualified for the tournament. These clubs have or will qualify based on their performance in their domestic leagues. These clubs are (in order by country):
- Belize (1): Verdes FC
- Costa Rica (3): LD Alajuelense, CS Herediano, Deportivo Saprissa
- El Salvador (2): LA Firpo, CD FAS
- Guatemala (2): Antigua GFC, CSD Municipal
- Honduras (2): Club Olimpia, FC Motagua
- Nicaragua (1): Diriangén FC
- Panamá (2): Alianza FC, Plaza Amado
The seven remaining participating clubs (Costa Rica: 1, El Salvador: 1, Guatemala: 2, Honduras: 1, Nicaragua: 1, Panamá: 1) will be confirmed by May 24, 2026.
LD Alajuelense is the current Concacaf Central American Cup champion. The Costa Rican club claimed the title for the third time by defeating Guatemala's Club Xelajú MC in last year’s final.
