The Head of FIFA World Cup and Olympic Qualifiers and International Matches, Gordon Savic, conducted the official draw.
Miami (Friday, July 08, 2016) – The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean
Association Football (CONCACAF) and FIFA executed today the official draw for the Final Round of CONCACAF Qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018, at CONCACAF headquarters on Miami Beach.
Friday morning’s draw determined the schedule of matches for the six-team, round-robin qualifying round known as the “Hexagonal.”
The schedule was drawn according to the final positions of each team in each of the three, four-team semifinal groups, which will be determined after the semi-final round is completed in September. The top two teams from each semifinal group advance to the Final round, and will play each other in the order determined by the draw, according to the place each team finishes in its group.
CONCACAF General Secretary Philippe Moggio stated that the FIFA World Cup provides a unique platform for the continuous growth of the teams and emerging stars, while remaining a test for top-class players.
The groups, with teams listed in order of current position after four of the six rounds, are:
Group A: Mexico, Honduras, Canada, El Salvador
Group B: Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica, Haiti
Group C: Trinidad & Tobago, United States, Guatemala, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
The positions were drawn as follows:
Position 1 – C1
Position 2 – B2
Position 3 – A2
Position 4 – B1
Position 5 – A1
Position 6 – C2
One team, Mexico, has secured its place in the final round of qualifying, while 10 other teams, Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago and the United States remain in contention from the twelve-team semifinal round. Play will resume on September 2 and 6 for the last two, decisive match dates.
The calendar of the final qualifying round will be the following:
Match day 1
C1 vs. A1
A2 vs. B2
C2 vs. B1
Match day 2
B1 vs. C1
B2 vs. A1
A2 vs. C2
Match day 3
C1 vs. A2
C2 vs. B2
A1 vs. B1
Match day 4
B2 vs. C1
A2 vs. B1
C2 vs. A1
Match day 5
C1 vs. C2
B1 vs. B2
A1 vs. A2
Match day 6
A1 vs. C1
B2 vs. A2
B1 vs. C2
Match day 7
C1 vs. B1
A1 vs. B2
C2 vs. A2
Match day 8
A2 vs. C1
B2 vs. C2
B1 vs. A1
Match day 9
C1 vs. B2
B1 vs. A2
A1 vs. C2
Match day 10 (*)
C2 vs. C1
B2 vs. B1
A2 vs. A1
(*) simultaneous kick- off
