CONCACAF facts for kids
 |
|
 |
|
| Abbreviation | CONCACAF |
|---|---|
| Predecessor |
|
| Formation | 18 September 1961 |
| Founded at | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Type | Sports organization |
| Headquarters | 161 NW 6th Street, Suite #1100, Miami, Florida, United States |
|
Region
|
North America (the Caribbean, Central America, and Northern America) South America (The Guianas) |
|
Membership
|
41 member associations |
|
Official language
|
|
|
President
|
Victor Montagliani |
|
Vice Presidents
|
|
|
General Secretary
|
Philippe Moggio |
|
Parent organization
|
FIFA |
| Subsidiaries |
|
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, usually called CONCACAF, is one of the six main football groups connected to FIFA. It helps manage football in North, Central America, and the Caribbean. It also includes three countries from South America: Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.
CONCACAF's main jobs are to set up football tournaments for national teams and clubs. They also run the qualifying games for the FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women's World Cup.
CONCACAF started on September 18, 1961, in Mexico City, Mexico. It was formed when two older football groups, the NAFC and CCCF, joined together. This made it one of the first big football groups under FIFA. Some of the first countries to join included Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, and the United States.
In men's football, CONCACAF is the third most successful group in FIFA. Mexico has won the most Gold Cups. They are also the only CONCACAF men's team to win a FIFA tournament, the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup. The U.S. and Mexico have won almost all Gold Cups. Recently, Costa Rica and Panama have also become strong teams. Costa Rica reached the World Cup quarterfinals in 2014. Panama played in the World Cup for the first time in 2018. The CONCACAF Nations League started in 2018, and the U.S. has won every time.
For women's football, the U.S. is the most successful team in the world. They are the only CONCACAF team to win all three major global women's football events: the FIFA Women's World Cup (4 times), the Olympics (4 times), and the Algarve Cup (10 times). Canada has also won major events, including the 2016 Algarve Cup and the 2020 Olympics.
CONCACAF works with an organization called Coaches Across Continents (CAC). CAC uses sports to help create active citizens and make a positive social impact around the world.
How CONCACAF is Run
CONCACAF is led by a General Secretary, an Executive Committee, and other groups. The Executive Committee has eight members. These include a president, three vice-presidents, and other members. Each of the three main areas in CONCACAF (North America, Central America, and the Caribbean) has a vice-president and a member. This committee makes sure all the rules and plans are followed.
Leaders of CONCACAF
.svg){kind=logo}
The first leader of CONCACAF was Ramón Coll Jaumet from Costa Rica. He helped bring the NAFC and CCCF together. Later, Joaquín Soria Terrazas from Mexico led the organization for 21 years.
After him, Jack Warner was president from 1990 to 2011. He also served for 21 years. In 2016, Victor Montagliani, who leads the Canadian Soccer Association, became the new president of CONCACAF.
Where CONCACAF Works
CONCACAF is a non-profit group. Its main office is in Miami, United States. It used to be in the Cayman Islands and before that, in Trinidad and Tobago. In 2017, CONCACAF opened smaller offices in Kingston, Jamaica and Guatemala City. Another office was opened in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Who are the Members?
CONCACAF has 41 member football groups. These groups represent countries and territories across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
| Code | Association | National teams | Founded | FIFA affiliation |
CONCACAF affiliation |
IOC member |
FIFA Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North American Zone (NAFU) (3) | |||||||
| CAN |  Canada |
(M, W) | 1912 | 1913 | 1961 | Yes | 45 |
| MEX |  Mexico |
(M, W) | 1922 | 1929 | 1961 | Yes | 14 |
| USA |  United States |
(M, W) | 1913 | 1914 | 1961 | Yes | 11 |
| Central American Zone (UNCAF) (7) | |||||||
| BLZ |  Belize |
(M, W) | 1980 | 1986 | 1986 | Yes | 177 |
| CRC |  Costa Rica |
(M, W) | 1921 | 1927 | 1961 | Yes | 42 |
| SLV |  El Salvador |
(M, W) | 1935 | 1938 | 1961 | Yes | 76 |
| GUA |  Guatemala |
(M, W) | 1919 | 1946 | 1961 | Yes | 116 |
| HON |  Honduras |
(M, W) | 1935 | 1946 | 1961 | Yes | 81 |
| NCA |  Nicaragua |
(M, W) | 1931 | 1950 | 1961 | Yes | 142 |
| PAN |  Panama |
(M, W) | 1937 | 1938 | 1961 | Yes | 57 |
| Caribbean Zone (CFU) (31) | |||||||
| AIA |  Anguilla |
(M, W) | 1990 | 1996 | 1996 | No | 210 |
| ATG |  Antigua and Barbuda |
(M, W) | 1928 | 1972 | between 1961 and 1973 | Yes | 132 |
| ARU |  Aruba |
(M, W) | 1932 | 1988 | 1986 | Yes | 203 |
| BAH |  Bahamas |
(M, W) | 1967 | 1968 | between 1961 and 1973 | Yes | 200 |
| BRB |  Barbados |
(M, W) | 1910 | 1968 | 1967 | Yes | 166 |
| BER |  Bermuda |
(M, W) | 1928 | 1962 | 1967 | Yes | 173 |
| BOE |  Bonaire |
(M, W) | 1960 | N/A | 2014 | No | N/A |
| VGB |  British Virgin Islands |
(M, W) | 1974 | 1996 | 1996 | Yes | 209 |
| CAY |  Cayman Islands |
(M, W) | 1966 | 1992 | 1990 | Yes | 197 |
| CUB |  Cuba |
(M, W) | 1924 | 1929 | 1961 | Yes | 166 |
| CUW |  Curaçao |
(M, W) | 1921 | 1932 | 1961 | No | 88 |
| DMA |  Dominica |
(M, W) | 1970 | 1994 | 1994 | Yes | 185 |
| DOM |  Dominican Republic |
(M, W) | 1953 | 1958 | 1964 | Yes | 151 |
| GUF |  French Guiana |
(M, W) | 1962 | N/A | 2013 | No | N/A |
| GRN |  Grenada |
(M, W) | 1924 | 1978 | 1978 | Yes | 174 |
| GLP |  Guadeloupe |
(M, W) | 1958 | N/A | 2013 | No | N/A |
| GUY |  Guyana |
(M, W) | 1902 | 1970 | between 1969 and 1971 | Yes | 169 |
| HAI |  Haiti |
(M, W) | 1904 | 1934 | 1961 | Yes | 87 |
| JAM |  Jamaica |
(M, W) | 1910 | 1962 | 1963 | Yes | 63 |
| MTQ |  Martinique |
(M, W) | 1953 | N/A | 2013 | No | N/A |
| MSR |  Montserrat |
(M, W) | 1994 | 1996 | 1996 | No | 179 |
| PUR |  Puerto Rico |
(M, W) | 1940 | 1960 | 1964 | Yes | 163 |
| SKN |  Saint Kitts and Nevis |
(M, W) | 1932 | 1992 | 1992 | Yes | 136 |
| LCA |  Saint Lucia |
(M, W) | 1979 | 1988 | 1986 | Yes | 171 |
| SMN |  Saint Martin |
(M, W) | 1999 | N/A | 2013 | No | N/A |
| VIN |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
(M, W) | 1979 | 1988 | 1986 | Yes | 178 |
| SMA |  Sint Maarten |
(M, W) | 1986 | N/A | 2013 | No | N/A |
| SUR |  Suriname |
(M, W) | 1920 | 1929 | 1961 | Yes | 144 |
| TRI |  Trinidad and Tobago |
(M, W) | 1908 | 1964 | 1964 | Yes | 101 |
| TCA |  Turks and Caicos Islands |
(M, W) | 1996 | 1998 | 1996 | No | 205 |
| VIR |  U.S. Virgin Islands |
(M, W) | 1992 | 1998 | 1987 | Yes | 208 |
M = Men's National Team. W = Women's National Team
Some places like Greenland, Saint Barthélemy, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon are hoping to join CONCACAF in the future.
Football Competitions
CONCACAF organizes many exciting football competitions for both national teams and clubs. These tournaments help decide the best teams in the region.
Main National Team Competitions
- CONCACAF Gold Cup: This is the biggest competition for men's national teams. It happens every two years.
- CONCACAF Nations League: All men's national teams play in this league. Teams are put into different levels and can move up or down based on their results.
- CONCACAF W Gold Cup: A major tournament for women's national teams.
- CONCACAF W Championship: Another important competition for women's national teams.
- There are also championships for younger players, like the Under-20, Under-17, and Under-15 teams for both boys and girls.
- Other competitions include CONCACAF Futsal Championship and CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship.
Main Club Competitions
- CONCACAF Champions Cup: This is the top competition for club teams in the region. The winner gets to play in the FIFA Club World Cup.
- Leagues Cup: A competition between clubs from the American and Mexican leagues.
- There are also club cups for Central American and Caribbean teams, like the CONCACAF Central American Cup and CONCACAF Caribbean Cup.
Who are the Current Champions?
Here are some of the most recent winners of CONCACAF tournaments:
| Competition | Year | Champions | Title | Runners-up | Next edition | Dates | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National teams (men) | |||||||||
| Gold Cup | 2023 (final) | Mexico |
9th | Panama |
2025 (final) | TBD | |||
| Nations League | 2023–24 (final) | United States |
3rd | Mexico |
2024–25 (final) | League phase: 2 September – 19 November 2024 Nations League Finals: 17–25 March 2025 |
|||
| U-20 Championship | 2022 | United States |
3rd | Dominican Republic |
2024 | 19 July – 4 August | |||
| U-17 Championship | 2023 | Mexico |
9th | United States |
2025 | TBD | |||
| U-15 Championship | 2023 | United States |
1st | Mexico |
2025 | TBD | |||
| Futsal Championship | 2024 | Panama |
1st | Cuba |
2028 | TBD | |||
| Beach Soccer Championship | 2023 | United States |
3rd | Mexico |
2025 | TBD | |||
| National teams (women) | |||||||||
| W Championship | 2022 (final) |  United States |
9th | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
2026 (final) | TBD | |||
| W Gold Cup | 2024 (final) | United States |
1st |  Brazil |
2028 (final) | TBD | |||
| Women's U-20 Championship | 2023 | Mexico |
2nd | United States |
TBC | TBD | |||
| Women's U-17 Championship | 2024 | United States |
6th | Mexico |
2026 | TBD | |||
| Girls' U-15 Championship | 2022 | United States |
3rd | Canada |
2024 | TBD | |||
| Club teams (men) | |||||||||
| Champions Cup | 2023 (final) | Club León |
1st | Los Angeles FC |
2024 (final) | 6 February – 2 June | |||
| Leagues Cup | 2023 (final) | Inter Miami CF |
1st | Nashville SC |
2024 (final) | 26 July – 25 August | |||
| Central American Cup | 2023 (final) | Alajuelense |
1st | Real Estelí |
2024 (final) | TBD | |||
| Caribbean Cup | 2023 (final) | Robinhood |
1st | Cavalier |
2024 (final) | TBD | |||
| Caribbean Shield | 2023 | Robinhood |
2nd | Golden Lion |
2024 | TBD | |||
| Under-13 Champions League | 2019 | Philadelphia Union |
1st | ADFA Santa Ana |
TBC | TBD | |||
| Futsal Club Championship | 2017 | Grupo Line Futsal |
1st | Elite Futsal |
TBC | TBD | |||
| Club teams (women) | |||||||||
| W Champions Cup | — | — | — | — | 2024–25 | — | |||
Tournament Wins by Nation
This table shows how many times each country's national teams have won CONCACAF tournaments.
| Nation | Men | Women | Futsal | Beach | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | League | U20 | U17 | U15 | Champ | Gold | U20 | U17 | U15 | Men's | Men's | ||
| United States |
7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9 | – | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 47 |
| Mexico |
12 | – | 13 | 9 | 1 | – | – | 2 | 1 | – | – | 4 | 42 |
| Canada |
2 | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 10 |
| Costa Rica |
3 | – | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | 10 |
| Honduras |
1 | – | 2 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 |
| El Salvador |
– | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 |
| Guatemala |
1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 2 |
| Panama |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Cuba |
– | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Haiti |
1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
CONCACAF Club Competition Winners
Club América from Mexico has won the most club titles in CONCACAF, with 10 wins overall.
| Club | Country | CCL | CWC | CL | CI | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| América |  Mexico |
7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| Cruz Azul | Mexico |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Monterrey | Mexico |
5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Pachuca | Mexico |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Saprissa |  Costa Rica |
3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| UNAM | Mexico |
3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Olimpia |  Honduras |
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Alajuelense | Costa Rica |
2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Atlante | Mexico |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Defence Force |  Trinidad and Tobago |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Guadalajara | Mexico |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Toluca | Mexico |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Transvaal |  Suriname |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Necaxa | Mexico |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Comunicaciones |  Guatemala |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| D.C. United |  United States |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Águila |  El Salvador |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Alianza | El Salvador |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Atlético Español | Mexico |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Cartaginés | Costa Rica |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| FAS | El Salvador |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| LA Galaxy | United States |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| León | Mexico |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Municipal | Guatemala |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Puebla | Mexico |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Racing |  Haiti |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Seattle Sounders FC | United States |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| UANL | Mexico |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| UdeG | Mexico |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Violette | Haiti |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Atlético Marte | El Salvador |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tecos | Mexico |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Herediano | Costa Rica |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
FIFA World Cup History
Only eleven CONCACAF countries have played in the FIFA World Cup. Six of these countries have only been there once. No team from CONCACAF has ever reached the World Cup final. However, the United States finished third in the first World Cup in 1930.
CONCACAF teams have reached the quarter-finals five times:
- Cuba in 1938
- Mexico as hosts in 1970 and 1986
- United States in 2002
- Costa Rica in 2014
Jamaica is the smallest country to win a World Cup match, beating Japan 2-1 in 1998.
World Cup Hosting
CONCACAF nations have hosted the FIFA World Cup three times.
- The 1970 FIFA World Cup was held in Mexico. It was the first World Cup outside Europe and South America. Brazil won this tournament.
- In 1986, Mexico became the first country to host the World Cup twice. They stepped in after Colombia could not host due to money problems.
- The 1994 FIFA World Cup was held in the United States. FIFA hoped this would make football more popular there. It led to the creation of Major League Soccer. This World Cup had the highest total attendance ever, with almost 3.6 million fans.
Canada, Mexico, and the United States will together host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Hall of Fame
CONCACAF has a Hall of Fame to honor important people in football from the region.
- Hubert Tromp
- Gerard Bean
- Matthew Hogan
- João Havelange
- Jim Fleming
- Rudy Gittens
- Hiram Sosa López
- Isaac Sasso
- Julio Moya
- Ramón Coll Jaumet
- Andres Avelino Constansia
- Patrick John
Mavis Derflinger- Clive Toye
- Guillermo Cañedo
- Oscar Thamar
- Carlos Carrera
- Jacques Rugard
- Federico Fortín
- Rafael L. Callejas Romero
- Anthony James
- George Abrahams
- Ricardo Gardener
- Lincoln "Happy" Sutherland
- Aaron Padilla Gutiérrez
- Arturo Yamasaki
- Javier Arriaga
- Jesús Martínez
- Joaquín Soria Terrazas
- Joseph Ursulet
- Júlio Rocha
Mordy Maduro- Ariel Alvarado
Sepp Blatter- André Kamperveen
- Gene Edwards
- Kurt Lamm
- Werner Fricker
Team of the Century
The CONCACAF Team of the Century was announced in 1998. It included the best players from the region over 100 years.
- GK — Antonio Carbajal (Mexico)
- DF — Marcelo Balboa (United States)
- DF — Gilberto Yearwood (Honduras)
- DF — Bruce Wilson (Canada)
- DF — Gustavo Peña (Mexico)
- MF — Ramón Ramírez (Mexico)
- MF — Mágico González (El Salvador)
- MF — Tab Ramos (United States)
- FW — Julio César Dely Valdés (Panama)
- FW — Hugo Sánchez (Mexico)
- FW — Hernán Medford (Costa Rica)
President's Award
The CONCACAF President's Award honors people who have done great things for football.
- 2013
- Carlos Ruiz was honored for speaking out against match-fixing.
- Ian Gaynair was honored for reporting an offer of a bribe.
- 2015
- United States for winning the 2012 Summer Olympics Women's football tournament.
- Mexico for winning the 2012 Summer Olympics Men's football tournament.
Images for kids
-
Map of CONCACAF member associations
-
The CONCACAF logo
