MIAMI – The Concacaf Qualifiers to the 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded with three teams booking their spots in the tournament and two others advancing to the FIFA Play-Off Tournament, including Suriname who remains in the hunt for a World Cup berth.
Suriname’s quest for its first World Cup appearance was almost at the finish line, with a second-place finish in Group A of the Final Round of Concacaf Qualifiers.
They nation began its campaign by finishing first in Group F in the Second Round with a 3-1-0 record. Victories over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Anguilla and Puerto Rico, and a draw against El Salvador, saw Suriname advance to the Final Round.
Suriname went through the final phase by extending a nation-best nine-game unbeaten streak. Along the way they got hard-fought draws against Panama and Guatemala that helped add points to a first-place lead.
The defining window in November saw Suriname win 4-nil over El Salvador, before closing with a 3-1 defeat at Guatemala. Sheraldo Becker’s cross into the box led to an own goal that placed Suriname back in the Play-Off picture and keep the nation’s World Cup hopes alive.
Suriname was drawn into Pathway 2 of the FIFA Play-Off Tournament. The Concacaf side will meet Bolivia, with the winner advancing to face Iraq for the World Cup ticket.
