Posted on October 19, 2012

NEW YORK – After representatives of the six associations that will participate in the final round of World Cup qualifying could not hammer out a schedule amongst themselves, CONCACAF announced on Friday announced it will hold a draw to create a final schedule for the hexagonal round of the qualifying games.

After long discussions among representatives from Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama and the United States, the associations came to a consensual agreement that the best option for establishing a final match list was going to a draw to conclude the process as originally planned. This draw will be done within the next 30 days, subject to final decision from FIFA.

The final round will start on Wednesday, Feb. 6 and must conclude by Oct. 15. Each of the six teams will play the others in the group twice, home and away, for 10 matches each.

The top three finishers qualify automatically for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The fourth-place team will advance to a two-leg intercontinental play-off against the first-place team from the Oceania Football Confederation next November. The winner will also advance to Brazil.

Honduras, Mexico and the U.S. qualified for the 2010 South African World Cup.

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Categories: Caribbean, Central America, CONCACAF, Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, North America, Panama, U.S.A., World Cup Qualifying
Tags: 2006 World Cup, 2010 World Cup, CONCACAF, FIFA, World Cup

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