CONCACAF Reveals USMNT's Road to 2030 World Cup

The heated rivalry between the U.S. and Mexico is likely coming to an end in World Cup qualifying.

Feb. 6, 2026 at 1:55pm

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CONCACAF, the governing body for soccer in North and Central America, has announced the qualifying framework for the 2030 World Cup. The big change is that the traditional six-team 'hexagonal' final round will be replaced by three four-team groups, with the winner and runner-up of each group advancing to the World Cup. This means the fierce qualifiers between the U.S. and Mexico, which produced the 'Dos a Cero' results, will probably come to an end.

Why it matters

The U.S. and Mexico have had a long-standing and intense rivalry in World Cup qualifying, with the Americans winning multiple matches 2-0 in Columbus, Ohio. However, with the World Cup expanding to 48 teams and CONCACAF receiving six automatic berths, the traditional qualifying format is being changed, likely ending the heated showdowns between the two rivals for a World Cup spot.

The details

Under the new format, the top 13 CONCACAF teams will compete in the second round, divided into six groups of four teams. The group winners and runners-up will then advance to the final round, which will feature three four-team groups. Unless something unexpected happens, the U.S. and Mexico will likely be placed in separate groups in both the second and final rounds, meaning the fierce qualifiers between the two nations are probably over. The U.S. has never won a World Cup qualifier in Mexico, while the 'Dos a Cero' results in Columbus have become legendary.

  • The 2030 World Cup will take place in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with 100th anniversary matches also played in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
  • CONCACAF teams ranked from No. 14 to No. 35 will compete in two-leg playoffs in September-October 2027, with the 11 winners joining the region's top 13 ranked teams in the second round in late 2027 and early 2028.
  • The second-round groups will be played home and away, with each team facing every other team in its group for a total of six matches apiece.
  • The group winners and runners-up in the second round will advance to the final stage in 2028-29.

The players

CONCACAF

The governing body for soccer in North and Central America.

United States Men's National Team (USMNT)

The men's national soccer team of the United States.

Mexico

The men's national soccer team of Mexico, a long-standing rival of the USMNT.

Canada

The men's national soccer team of Canada, which is also expected to be a top team in CONCACAF's qualifying.

Panama

The men's national soccer team of Panama, currently ranked No. 33 in CONCACAF.

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What’s next

Unless something really strange occurs in CONCACAF's earlier qualifying round, the U.S. and Mexico will not end up in the same final-round group, meaning the heated 'Dos a Cero' matches in World Cup qualifying are likely over.

The takeaway

The expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams and the resulting changes to CONCACAF's qualifying format will likely bring an end to the intense rivalry between the U.S. and Mexico in World Cup qualifying. While the two teams will continue to face off in other competitions, the high-stakes showdowns with a World Cup berth on the line are probably a thing of the past.