CONCACAF, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, is one of the six continental confederations that govern world football under FIFA. The 41-member body organises qualifying competitions, the CONCACAF Nations League, and its flagship club competition, the Champions Cup, across a region stretching from Canada to the Caribbean.

Founded in 1961 and headquartered in Miami, CONCACAF administers qualifying pathways, referee development, and club competitions. The confederation underwent a major reform process after corruption scandals implicated senior officials in the 2015 FIFA indictments. President Victor Montagliani has led the reformed structure since 2017.

CONCACAF's three co-host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — mean the 2026 World Cup is the first tournament to be staged substantially within a single confederation's territory, making it CONCACAF's highest-profile moment in the sport's history. Eight CONCACAF teams qualified for the 48-team finals.

The confederation's Champions Cup final in spring 2026 proved costly for co-host Canada: winger Marcelo Flores ruptured his ACL during the match, ruling him out of the tournament and forcing Canada into a last-minute squad revision ahead of the 11 June lock deadline.

Common Questions

What is CONCACAF and which countries are in it?

CONCACAF is the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, one of FIFA's six continental bodies. It has 41 member associations spanning Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

How many teams did CONCACAF send to the 2026 World Cup?

Eight CONCACAF teams qualified: the United States, Canada, Mexico, Honduras, Panama, Jamaica, Costa Rica, and El Salvador.Source: FIFA

What is the CONCACAF Champions Cup?

The CONCACAF Champions Cup is the confederation's annual club knockout competition. The 2026 final injured Canada winger Marcelo Flores, forcing a last-minute squad change before the World Cup.Source: CONCACAF

Who is the president of CONCACAF?

Victor Montagliani has served as CONCACAF president since 2017, overseeing governance reforms after the 2015 FIFA corruption scandal.

Source Material

CONCACAF – Wikipedia CONCACAF Official Website

How the World Sees Them

Canada

Canada views its CONCACAF membership as the gateway to a first World Cup squad (2022) and now co-host status, though the Champions Cup injury to Flores demonstrated that confederation club schedules can conflict with national team priorities.

United States

The US is CONCACAF's largest market and sole superpower member. Hosting the 2026 World Cup is seen as the capstone of CONCACAF's commercial growth under the reformed Montagliani era.

Caribbean nations

Smaller Caribbean federations rely on CONCACAF development programmes and quota places. Reform governance remains a live concern after the 2015 corruption era disproportionately implicated Caribbean officials.