- But for USMNT fans, this will likely be the final match you have to worry about in terms of World Cup qualifying for the foreseeable future.
- The 2026 World Cup will be the first to expand to 48 teams.
- As approved by the FIFA Council back in 2017, Concacaf will go from three guaranteed spots to six, meaning there will be twice as many spots available for the U.S. to qualify from starting with the 2030 World Cup.
The men’s national team of the United States has one more Concacaf qualification to play before deciding on their World Cup fate in 2022 as reported by CBS Sports.
Final encounter
They play in Costa Rica on Wednesday, and if they don’t lose by six goals or more, they’ll be on their way to Qatar. However, for the immediate future, this is likely to be the final encounter in terms of World Cup qualification for USMNT fans.
The United States is on the verge of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup after a catastrophic failure to qualify for the tournament (more on that below). They’ll punch their ticket if they win on Sunday and Costa Rica loses to El Salvador (Sunday at 5:05 p.m. ET on Paramount+). So USMNT fans will have to sweat it out for another 90 minutes or 180 minutes, but after that, it should be plain sailing.
Here’s why
- First off, the World Cup following Qatar is in 2026, with the U.S. hosting alongside Mexico and Canada. The U.S. automatically qualifies as being a co-host, meaning they won’t need to go through qualifying matches to participate.
- But even after that tournament, there is likely nothing to worry about. The 2026 World Cup will be the first to expand to 48 teams. More teams in the cup mean more teams from each confederation qualifying, with Concacaf getting more than the three the group is guaranteed now.
- As approved by the FIFA Council back in 2017, Concacaf will go from three guaranteed spots to six, meaning there will be twice as many spots available for the U.S. to qualify from starting with the 2030 World Cup.
Because of the easier path, as well as the advancement of the team’s golden generation, qualifying should be a thing of the past. Not only is the United States in one of the easiest qualifying zones, but they also have even more room for error, and missing out on qualifying again would be devastating.
For the United States, this is both good and bad news. While they have a simpler path, the competitions may be diluted as a result of the addition of 16 teams. Only time will tell, but qualifying concerns for years to come are likely to be put to rest.
Concacaf World Cup qualifying table
| TEAM | GP | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
| Canada | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | +17 | 28 |
| United States | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | +13 | 25 |
| Mexico | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | +7 | 25 |
| Costa Rica | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | +3 | 22 |
| Panama – e | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | -3 | 18 |
| El Salvador – e | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | -8 | 10 |
| Jamaica – e | 13 | 1 | 5 | 7 | -11 | 8 |
| Honduras – e | 13 | 0 | 4 | 9 | -18 | 4 |
In the near term, here’s what the US needs to qualify for the World Cup on Wednesday night.
World Cup qualification possibilities for the USMNT vs. Costa Rica
- With a win, draw, or loss to Costa Rica by less than six goals, the USMNT will qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
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Source: CBS Sports
