Tournament details | |
---|---|
Dates | March 24th 1996 - November 16th 1997 |
Teams | 28[1] (from 1 confederation) |
Tournament statistics | |
Matches played | 98 |
Goals scored | 295 (3.01 per match) |
Attendance | 2,065,454 (21,076 per match) |
Top scorer(s) | ![]() |
CONCACAF Qualifiers |
---|
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 third round directly. The remaining 24 teams were divided into two zones, based on geographical locations.
Format
- 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 third round. Bahamas and Bermuda withdrew before playing one game. 18 countries stay in the race.
- 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 third round.
In the third round, 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.
Preliminary round
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dominican Republic ![]() |
6–3 | ![]() |
3–2 | 3–1 |
Guyana ![]() |
1–8 | ![]() |
1–2 | 0–6 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis ![]() |
w/o | ![]() |
— | — |
Dominica ![]() |
6–4 | ![]() |
3–3 | 3–1 |
Group A
Dominican Republic ![]() | 3 – 2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Rodríguez ![]() Mariano ![]() Peña ![]() |
(report) | Davelaar ![]() Malmberg ![]() |
Dominican Republic won 6-3 on aggregate.
Group B
Grenada won 8-1 on aggregate.
Group C
The Bahamas withdrew, so Saint Kitts and Nevis advanced to the first round automatically.
Group D
Dominica ![]() | 3 – 3 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Dominique ![]() Dangler ![]() Marshall ![]() |
(report) | Clarke ![]() Edwards ![]() |
Antigua and Barbuda ![]() | 1 – 3 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Edwards ![]() |
(report) | Greenaway ![]() Morancie ![]() Edmond ![]() |
Dominica won 6-4 on aggregate.
First round
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dominican Republic ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() |
2–1 | 0–0 |
Haiti ![]() |
7–1 | ![]() |
6–1 | 1–0 |
Cayman Islands ![]() |
0–6 | ![]() |
0–1 | 0–5 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis ![]() |
6–1 | ![]() |
5–1 | 1–0 |
Puerto Rico ![]() |
1–9 | ![]() |
1–2 | 0–7 |
Dominica ![]() |
0–2 | ![]() |
0–1 | 0–1 |
Suriname ![]() |
0–2 | ![]() |
0–1 | 0–1 |
Trinidad and Tobago ![]() |
w/o | ![]() |
— | — |
Group 1
Dominican Republic ![]() | 2 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Jiménez ![]() Zapata ![]() |
(report) | Gersley ![]() |
Dominican Republic won 2-1 on aggregate.
Group 2
Haiti ![]() | 6 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Wilson Chevalier ![]() Golman Pierre ![]() Isaac Chauvet ![]() |
(report) | Patrick Modeste ![]() |
Grenada ![]() | 0 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
(report) | Golman Pierre ![]() |
Haiti won 7-1 on aggregate.
Group 3
Cayman Islands ![]() | 0 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
(report) | Lázaro Darcourt ![]() |
Cuba ![]() | 5 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Alexander Cruzata ![]() Eduardo Sebrango ![]() Lázaro Darcourt ![]() Lester Moré ![]() |
(report) |
Note:Both matches were played in Cayman Islands.
Cuba won 6-0 on aggregate.
Group 4
Saint Kitts and Nevis ![]() | 5 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Dwight Allers Kelley ![]() Vernon Sargeant ![]() Keith Gumbs ![]() |
(report) | Earl Jean ![]() |
Saint Lucia ![]() | 0 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
(report) | Dwight Allers Kelley ![]() |
Saint Kitts and Nevis won 6-1 on aggregate.
Group 5
Puerto Rico ![]() | 1 – 2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Lugris ![]() |
(report) | Huggins ![]() Hinds ![]() |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ![]() | 7 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Jack ![]() Mussenden ![]() Hinds ![]() Charles ![]() |
(report) |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines won 9-1 on aggregate.
Group 6
Barbados ![]() | 1 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Gregory Goodridge ![]() |
(report) |
Barbados won 2-0 on aggregate.
Group 7
Jamaica won 2-0 on aggregate.
Group 8
Bermuda withdrew, so Trinidad and Tobago advanced to the second round automatically.
Second round
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Caribbean Zone | |||||
Cuba ![]() |
7–2 | ![]() |
6–1 | 1–1 | |
Dominican Republic ![]() |
1–12 | ![]() |
1–4 | 0–8 | |
Barbados ![]() |
0–3 | ![]() |
0–1 | 0–2 | |
Saint Kitts and Nevis ![]() |
2–2 (a) | ![]() |
2–2 | 0–0 | |
Central American Zone | |||||
Nicaragua ![]() |
1–3 | ![]() |
0–1 | 1–2 | |
Belize ![]() |
2–6 | ![]() |
1–2 | 1–4 |
Caribbean Zone
Group A
Cuba ![]() | 6 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Eduardo Sebrango ![]() Mario Pedraza ![]() Lázaro Darcourt ![]() Lester More ![]() |
(report) | Rosemond Pierre ![]() |

This match was played on neutral ground instead of in Cuba.
Haiti ![]() | 1 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Isaac Chauvet ![]() |
(report) | Armando Cruz ![]() |
Cuba won 7-2 on aggregate.
Group B
Dominican Republic ![]() | 1 – 4 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Alberto Jimenez ![]() |
(report) | Russell Latapy ![]() Pedro Aquino ![]() Angus Eve ![]() |
Trinidad and Tobago ![]() | 8 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Stern John ![]() Dwight Yorke ![]() Angus Eve ![]() Anthony Rougier ![]() Russell Latapy ![]() |
(report) |
Trinidad and Tobago won 12-1 on aggregate.
Group C
Barbados ![]() | 0 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
(report) | Walter Boyd ![]() |
Jamaica ![]() | 2 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Theodore Whitmore ![]() Walter Boyd ![]() |
(report) |
Jamaica won 3-0 on aggregate.
Group D
Saint Kitts and Nevis ![]() | 2 – 2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Keith Gumbs ![]() Larrymore Bedford ![]() |
(report) | Andre Hinds ![]() Kendall Velox ![]() |
Saint Kitts and Nevis 2-2 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on aggregate. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines won on the away goals rule.
Central American Zone
Group E
Nicaragua ![]() | 0 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
(report) | Juan Carlos Plata ![]() |
Guatemala ![]() | 2 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Juan Carlos Plata ![]() |
(report) | Ezequiel Jerez ![]() |
Guatemala won 3-1 on aggregate.
Group F
Belize ![]() | 1 – 2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
David McCaulay ![]() |
(report) | Rubén Guevara ![]() Julio Dely Valdés ![]() |
Panama ![]() | 4 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Julio Dely Valdés ![]() René Mendieta ![]() |
(report) | Denmark Casey ![]() |
Panama won 6-2 on aggregate.
Third round
Group 1
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 13 |
2 | ![]() |
6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 12 |
3 | ![]() |
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 9 | -3 | 8 |
4 | ![]() |
6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 9 | -6 | 1 |
The United States and Costa Rica advanced to the final round. Guatemala played their home games in Los Angeles and San Salvador instead of at home due to FIFA stadium standards not followed by the Estadio Mateo Flores, in Guatemala City, where over 80 people died due to structural flaws and overcrowding in October 16, 1996, when the home match against Costa Rica was due to be played.
Trinidad and Tobago ![]() | 0 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
(report) | Ronald Gomez ![]() |
Trinidad and Tobago ![]() | 1 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Jerren Nixon ![]() |
(report) | Rudy Ramirez ![]() |
United States ![]() | 2 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Eric Wynalda ![]() Brian McBride ![]() |
(report) |
United States ![]() | 2 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Thomas Dooley ![]() Eric Wynalda ![]() |
(report) |
Costa Rica ![]() | 3 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Javier Delgado ![]() Hernan Medford ![]() Ronald Gomez ![]() |
(report) |
Guatemala ![]() | 1 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Juan Carlos Plata ![]() |
(report) |
Costa Rica ![]() | 2 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Paulo Wanchope ![]() Wilmer Lopez ![]() |
(report) | Cobi Jones ![]() |
Guatemala ![]() | 2 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Julio Rodas ![]() |
(report) | Angus Eve ![]() |
United States ![]() | 2 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Brian McBride ![]() Roy Lassiter ![]() |
(report) | Ronald Gomez ![]() |
Costa Rica ![]() | 2 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Paulo Wanchope ![]() |
(report) | Jerren Nixon ![]() |

Guatemala ![]() | 2 – 2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Juan Funes ![]() Juan Carlos Plata ![]() |
(report) | Predrag Radosavljević ![]() Frankie Hejduk ![]() |
Group 2
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 16 |
2 | ![]() |
6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
3 | ![]() |
6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 11 | -3 | 5 |
4 | ![]() |
6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 16 | -12 | 3 |
Canada and El Salvador advanced to the final round.
Cuba played all their matches away from home.
Canada ![]() | 3 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Geoff Aunger ![]() Paul Peschisolido ![]() Carlo Corazzin ![]() |
(report) | Jorge Dely Valdés ![]() |
Cuba ![]() | 0 – 5 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
(report) | Guillermo Rivera ![]() Raúl Díaz Arce ![]() Mauricio Cienfuegos ![]() |
Cuba ![]() | 3 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Eduardo Sebrango ![]() Manuel Bobadilla ![]() |
(report) | Jorge Dely Valdés ![]() |
Panama ![]() | 1 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Juan Carlos Cubillas ![]() |
(report) | Raúl Díaz Arce ![]() |
Canada ![]() | 2 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Alex Bunbury ![]() Paul Peschisolido ![]() |
(report) |
Cuba ![]() | 0 – 2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
(report) | Paul Peschisolido ![]() Nick Dasovic ![]() |
Canada ![]() | 1 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Alex Bunbury ![]() |
(report) |
El Salvador ![]() | 3 – 2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Raúl Díaz Arce ![]() Wilfredo Iraheta Sanabria ![]() Giovanni Trigueros ![]() |
(report) | Jorge Dely Valdés ![]() |
El Salvador ![]() | 3 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
William Renderos Iraheta ![]() Raúl Díaz Arce ![]() Jorge Rodríguez ![]() |
(report) |
Panama ![]() | 3 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
René Mendieta ![]() Rubén Guevara ![]() Jorge Dely Valdés ![]() |
(report) | Lester Moré ![]() |
El Salvador ![]() | 0 – 2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
(report) | Mark Watson ![]() Alex Bunbury ![]() |
Group 3
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 13 |
2 | ![]() |
6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 12 |
3 | ![]() |
6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 10 |
4 | ![]() |
6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 30 | -24 | 0 |
Jamaica and Mexico advanced to the final round.
Jamaica ![]() | 3 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Walter Boyd ![]() Theodore Whitmore ![]() |
(report) |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ![]() | 0 – 3 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
(report) | Ricardo Peláez ![]() Damián Álvarez ![]() |
Honduras ![]() | 2 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Carlos Pavón ![]() Eduardo Bennett ![]() |
(report) | Ramón Ramírez ![]() |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ![]() | 1 – 2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Christopher Harry ![]() |
(report) | Paul Young ![]() |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ![]() | 1 – 4 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
James Chewitt ![]() |
(report) | Suazo Velázquez ![]() Christian Santamaria ![]() |
Mexico ![]() | 2 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Zague ![]() Carlos Hermosillo ![]() |
(report) | Walter Boyd ![]() |
Mexico ![]() | 5 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Benjamín Galindo ![]() Zague ![]() Carlos Hermosillo ![]() Dexter Walker ![]() |
(report) | Kendall Velox ![]() |
Mexico ![]() | 3 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Benjamín Galindo ![]() Carlos Hermosillo ![]() Zague ![]() |
(report) | Enrique Reneau ![]() |
Jamaica ![]() | 5 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Theodore Whitmore ![]() Paul Young ![]() Peter Cargill ![]() Stephen Malcolm ![]() |
(report) |
Jamaica ![]() | 1 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Ian Goodison ![]() |
(report) |
Honduras ![]() | 11 – 3 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Barrios Zapata ![]() Suazo Velázquez ![]() Arnold Cruz ![]() Carlos Pavón ![]() Enrique Reneau ![]() Merlyn Membreño ![]() Milton Núñez ![]() Eduardo Bennett ![]() |
(report) | Rodney Jack ![]() Alwyn Guy ![]() Everad Sam ![]() |
Fourth round
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 23 | 7 | 16 | 18 |
2 | ![]() |
10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 17 |
3 | ![]() |
10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 12 | –5 | 14 |
4 | ![]() |
10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 12 |
5 | ![]() |
10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 16 | –5 | 10 |
6 | ![]() |
10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 20 | –15 | 6 |
- Mexico, the United States, and Jamaica qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
Qualified teams
The following three teams from CONCACAF qualified for the final tournament.
Team | Qualified as | Qualified on | Previous appearances in FIFA World Cup1 |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | Fourth round winners | 12 October 1997 | 10 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1978, 1986, 1994) |
![]() | Fourth round runners-up | 9 November 1997 | 5 (1930, 1934, 1950, 1990, 1994) |
![]() | Fourth round third place | 16 November 1997 | 0 (debut) |
- 1 Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.
Goalscorers
There were 295 goals scored in 98 matches, for an average of 3.01 goals per match.
11 goals
9 goals
8 goals
6 goals
5 goals
4 goals
Rónald Gómez
Eduardo Sebrango
Isaac Chauvet
Deon Burton
Andre Hinds
Rodney Jack
Julio Dely Valdés
Angus Eve
Brian McBride
3 goals
Derrick Edwards
Paul Peschisolido
Hernán Medford
Lester Moré
Nildeson
Keith Fletcher
Golman Pierre
Paul Young
Dwight Allers Kelley
Stern John
Russell Latapy
Roy Lassiter
2 goals
Raymond Davelaar
Carlo Corazzin
Alberto Jiménez
Dinardo Rodríguez
Mauricio Cienfuegos
William Renderos Iraheta
José Carlos Rivera
Ricky Charles
Jason François
Julio Rodas
Eduardo Bennett
Milton Núñez
Carlos Pavón
Enrique Reneau
Christian Santamaria
Andy Williams
Luis Hernández
Luis García Postigo
Ricardo Peláez
Rubén Guevara
Víctor René Mendieta Ocampo
Keith Gumbs
Vernon Sargeant
Kendall Velox
Jerren Nixon
Eddie Pope
Preki
Roy Wegerle
1 goal
Quentin Clarke
Ryan Malmberg
Gregory Goodridge
Roger Proverbs
Denmark Casey
David McCaulay
Geoff Aunger
Eddy Berdusco
Nick Dasovic
Carl Fletcher
Mark Watson
Luis Diego Arnáez
Javier Delgado
Farlen Ilama
Wilmer Lopez
Luis Marín
Allán Oviedo
Mauricio Solís
Richard Smith
Jafet Soto
Manuel Bobadilla
Armando Cruz
Alexander Cruzata
Mario Pedraza
George Dangler
Anthony Dominique
Jeffrey Edmond
Peter Greenaway
Shane Marshall
Stevenson Morancie
Pedro Aquino
Ramón Mariano
Nelson Peña
Cristian Queliz
Omar Zapata
Waldir Guerra
Wilfredo Iraheta
Elías Montes
Jorge Rodríguez
Giovanni Trigueros
Patrick Modeste
Otis Roberts
Juan Manuel Funes
Rudy Ramirez
Bryan Joseph
Wilson Chevalier
Rosemond Pierre
Arnold Cruz
Merlyn Membreño
Barrios Zapata
Peter Cargill
Paul Davis
Ian Goodison
Paul Hall
Stephen Malcolm
Enrique Alfaro Rojas
Damián Ariel Álvarez
Paulo César Chávez
Alberto García Aspe
Joaquín del Olmo
Ramón Ramírez
Gijsberta Gersley
Ezequiel Jerez
Juan Carlos Cubillas
Marcos Lugris
Larrymore Bedford
Earl Jean
Wesley Charles
James Chewitt
Alwyn Guy
Christopher Harry
Marlos Huggins
Everad Sam
Anthony Rougier
Dwight Yorke
Thomas Dooley
Frankie Hejduk
Chris Henderson
Cobi Jones
Joe-Max Moore
Tab Ramos
Claudio Reyna
Earnie Stewart
1 own goal
Pedro Aquino (playing against Trinidad and Tobago)
Nicolás Ramírez (playing against the United States)
Angel Mussenden (playing against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
Dexter Walker (playing against Mexico)
Broadcasting rights
Americas
Canada: TSN
Costa Rica: Teletica
Mexico: Televisa
United States: ABC, CBS (English); Telemundo, Univision (Spanish)
Puerto Rico: