1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)

The 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification, CONCACAF zone ran from March 1996 to November 1997 in order to determine the three CONCACAF representatives at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. For an overview of the qualification rounds, see 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification.

A total of 30 CONCACAF teams entered the competition. Mexico, the USA, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador and Canada, the six highest-ranked teams according to FIFA, received byes and advanced to the semi-finals directly. The remaining 24 teams were divided into two zones, based on geographical locations, as follows:
*Caribbean Zone: The 20 teams played in three rounds of knockout matches on a home-and-away basis to determine four winners advancing to the semi-finals.
*Central American Zone: The four teams were paired up to play knockout matches on a home-and-away basis. The winners would advance to the semi-finals.

In the semi-finals, the 12 teams were divided into three groups of four teams each. They played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners and runners-up would advance to the final round.

In the final round, the six teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The top three teams would qualify.

First round

Group A

March 24, 1996, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - fb|DOM 3 - 2 fb-rt|ARU

March 31, 1996, Oranjestad, Aruba - fb|ARU 1 - 3 fb-rt|DOM

"Dominican Republic" advanced to the second round by the aggregate score of 6-3.

Group B

March 29, 1996, Georgetown, Guyana - fb|GUY 1 - 2 fb-rt|GRN

April 7, 1996, St. George's, Grenada - fb|GRN 6 - 0 fb-rt|GUY

"Grenada" advanced to the second round by the aggregate score of 8-1.

Group C

fb|BAH withdrew, so "fb|SKN" advanced to the second round automatically.

Group D

March 10, 1996, Roseau, Dominica - fb|DMA 3 - 3 fb-rt|ATG

March 31, 1996, Saint John's, Antigua and Barbuda - fb|ATG 1 - 3 fb-rt|DMA

"Dominica" advanced to the second round by the aggregate score of 6-4.

econd round

Group 1

March 31, 1996, Paramaribo, Suriname - fb|SUR 0 - 1 fb-rt|JAM

April 21, 1996, Kingston, Jamaica - fb|JAM 1 - 0 fb-rt|SUR

"Jamaica" advanced to the third round by the aggregate score of 2-0.

Group 2

May 4, 1996, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - fb|DOM 2 - 1 fb-rt|ANT

May 11, 1996, Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles - fb|ANT 0 - 0 fb-rt|DOM

"Dominican Republic" advanced to the third round by the aggregate score of 2-1.

Group 3

May 4, 1996, Bayamón, Puerto Rico - fb|PUR 1 - 2 fb-rt|VIN

May 12, 1996, Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - fb|VIN 7 - 0 fb-rt|PUR

"Saint Vincent and the Grenadines" advanced to the third round by the aggregate score of 9-1.

Group 4

May 12, 1996, Georgetown, Cayman Islands - fb|CAY 0 - 1 fb-rt|CUB

May 14, 1996, Georgetown, Cayman Islands - fb|CUB 5 - 0 fb-rt|CAY:Both matches were played in Cayman Islands.

"Cuba" advanced to the third round by the aggregate score of 6-0.

Group 5

May 5, 1996, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis - fb|SKN 5 - 1 fb|LCA

May 19, 1996, Castries, Saint Lucia - fb|LCA 0 - 1 fb-rt|SKN

"Saint Kitts and Nevis" advanced to the third round by the aggregate score of 6-1.

Group 6

May 12, 1996, Port au Prince, Haiti - fb|HAI 6 - 1 fb-rt|GRN

May 18, 1996, St. George's, Grenada - fb|GRN 0 - 1 fb-rt|HAI

"Haiti" advanced to the third round by the aggregate score of 7-1.

Group 7

May 14, 1996, Roseau, Dominica - fb|DMA 0 - 1 fb-rt|BRB

May 19, 1996, Bridgetown, Barbados - fb|BRB 1 - 0 fb-rt|DMA

"Barbados" advanced to the third round by the aggregate score of 2-0.

Group 8

fb|BER withdrew, so "fb|TRI" advanced to the third round automatically.

Third round

Caribbean Zone

Group A

June 23, 1996, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago - fb|CUB 6 - 1 fb-rt|HAI:This match was played on neutral ground instead of in Cuba.

June 30, 1996, Port au Prince, Haiti - fb|HAI 1 - 1 fb-rt|CUB

"Cuba" advanced to the semi-finals by the aggregate score of 7-2.

Group B

June 15, 1996, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - fb|DOM 1 - 4 fb-rt|TRI

June 23, 1996, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago - fb|TRI 8 - 0 fb-rt|DOM

"Trinidad and Tobago" advanced to the semi-finals by the aggregate score of 12-1.

Group C

June 23, 1996, Bridgetown, Barbados - fb|BRB 0 - 1 fb-rt|JAM

June 30, 1996, Kingston, Jamaica - fb|JAM 2 - 0 fb-rt|BRB

"Jamaica" advanced to the semi-finals by the aggregate score of 3-0.

Group D

June 23, 1996, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis - fb|SKN 2 - 2 fb-rt|VIN

June 30, 1996, Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - fb|VIN 0 - 0 fb-rt|SKN

The aggregate score was tied 2-2, and "Saint Vincent and the Grenadines" advanced to the semi-finals due to the away goals rule.

Central American Zone

Group E

May 5, 1996, Diriamba, Nicaragua - fb|NCA 0 - 1 fb-rt|GUA

May 10, 1996, Guatemala City, Guatemala - fb|GUA 2 - 1 fb-rt|NCA

"Guatemala" advanced to the semi-finals by the aggregate score of 3-1.

Group F

June 2, 1996, Belize City, Belize - fb|BLZ 1 - 2 fb-rt|PAN

June 9, 1996, Panama City, Panama - fb|PAN 4 - 1 fb-rt|BLZ

"Panama" advanced to the semi-finals by the aggregate score of 6-2.

emi-finals

Group 1

September 1, 1996, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago - fb|TRI 0 - 1 fb-rt|CRC

October 6, 1996, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago - fb|TRI 1 - 1 fb-rt|GUA

November 3, 1996, Washington, USA - fb|USA 2 - 0 fb-rt|GUA

November 10, 1996, Richmond, USA - fb|USA 2 - 0 fb-rt|TRI

November 17, 1996, San José, Costa Rica - fb|CRC 3 - 0 fb-rt|GUA

November 24, 1996, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago - fb|TRI 0 - 1 fb-rt|USA

November 24, 1996, Los Angeles, USA - fb|GUA 1 - 0 fb-rt|CRC

December 1, 1996, San José, Costa Rica - fb|CRC 2 - 1 fb-rt|USA

December 8, 1996, Los Angeles, USA - fb|GUA 2 - 1 fb-rt|TRI

December 14, 1996, Palo Alto, USA - fb|USA 2 - 1 fb-rt|CRC

December 21, 1996, San José, Costa Rica - fb|CRC 2 - 1 fb-rt|TRI

December 21, 1996, San Salvador, El Salvador - fb|GUA 2 - 2 fb-rt|USA

"Jamaica" and "Mexico" advanced to the final round.

Final round

March 2, 1997, Mexico City, Mexico - fb|MEX 4 - 0 fb-rt|CAN

March 2, 1997, Kingston, Jamaica - fb|JAM 0 - 0 fb-rt|USA

March 16, 1997, Palo Alto, USA - fb|USA 3 - 0 fb-rt|CAN

March 16, 1997, San José, Costa Rica - fb|CRC 0 - 0 fb-rt|MEX

March 23, 1997, San José, Costa Rica - fb|CRC 3 - 2 fb-rt|USA

April 6, 1997, Vancouver, Canada - fb|CAN 0 - 0 fb-rt|SLV

April 13, 1997, Mexico City, Mexico - fb|MEX 6 - 0 fb-rt|JAM

April 20, 1997, Foxboro, USA - fb|USA 2 - 2 fb-rt|MEX

April 27, 1997, Vancouver, Canada - fb|CAN 0 - 0 fb-rt|JAM

May 4, 1997, San Salvador, El Salvador - fb|SLV 2 - 1 fb-rt|CRC

May 11, 1997, San José, Costa Rica - fb|CRC 3 - 1 fb-rt|JAM

May 18, 1997, Kingston, Jamaica - fb|JAM 1 - 0 fb-rt|SLV

June 1, 1997, Edmonton, Canada - fb|CAN 1 - 0 fb-rt|CRC

June 8, 1997, San Salvador, El Salvador - fb|SLV 0 - 1 fb-rt|MEX

June 29, 1997, San Salvador, El Salvador - fb|SLV 1 - 1 fb-rt|USA

August 10, 1997, San José, Costa Rica - fb|CRC 0 - 0 fb-rt|SLV

September 7, 1997, Portland, USA - fb|USA 1 - 0 fb-rt|CRC

September 7, 1997, Kingston, Jamaica - fb|JAM 1 - 0 fb-rt|CAN

September 14, 1997, Kingston, Jamaica - fb|JAM 1 - 0 fb-rt|CRC

September 14, 1997, San Salvador, El Salvador - fb|SLV 4 - 1 fb-rt|CAN

October 3, 1997, Washington, USA - fb|USA 1 - 1 fb-rt|JAM

October 5, 1997, Mexico City, Mexico - fb|MEX 5 - 0 fb-rt|SLV

October 12, 1997, Edmonton, Canada - fb|CAN 2 - 2 fb-rt|MEX

November 2, 1997, Mexico City, Mexico - fb|MEX 0 - 0 fb-rt|USA

November 9, 1997, Vancouver, Canada - fb|CAN 0 - 3 fb-rt|USA

November 9, 1997, San Salvador, El Salvador - fb|SLV 2 - 2 fb-rt|JAM

November 9, 1997, Mexico City, Mexico - fb|MEX 3 - 3 fb-rt|CRC

November 16, 1997, Kingston, Jamaica - fb|JAM 0 - 0 fb-rt|MEX

November 16, 1997, San José, Costa Rica - fb|CRC 3 - 1 fb-rt|CAN

November 16, 1997, Foxboro, USA - fb|USA 4 - 2 fb-rt|SLV

Mexico, USA and Jamaica qualified.

ee also

*1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
*1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)
*1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)
*1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)
*1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)