CONCACAF trio preparing to play in CONMEBOL competitions
The Mexican Soccer Federation is trying to get the national team back to the Copa América after failure in Qatar.
The United States, Mexico and Canada will co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, meaning that they have secured a spot in the next competition. The CONCACAF trio will not participate in the World Cup qualifiers and they are looking for the best solution to keep their respective teams competitive and ready for the biggest sporting event in the world that is scheduled to begin in three-and-a-half years.
CONCACAF in talks with CONMEBOL
The United States men’s national team was the only side from CONCACAF to advance to the knockout stages at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica failed to go past the group stages and after their failure they want to improve their competition leading up to the campaign in 2026.
So the solution will be for the United States, Mexico and Canada, who are the three hosting teams in the 2026 World Cup, to join forces with CONMEBOL. The CONCACAF trio have plenty of time on their schedules and they will have a hard time scheduling friendlies in the upcoming months against European sides because of the UEFA Nations League and the EURO in 2024.
Currently, CONCACAF is in talks with CONMEBOL for the three hosting cities to participate in the 2024 Copa América, a tournament that includes the best teams from South America. If they don’t reach a deal to join that campaign, they are at risk of not being prepared for the 2026 World Cup, but multiple reports indicate that it will happen.
Former USMNT player Tyler Twellman claims that the only solution for CONCACAF to improve their level is if they participate in the 2024 Copa América. “The UEFA Nations League killed the friendly circuit for the United States, Canada, and Mexico. I’d love to see them compete in Copa America and having done so myself it’s such a tougher spot to play than the Gold Cup.”