1977 CONCACAF Championship qualification

May 2026 1977 CONCACAF Championship qualification 2 April – 29 December 1976 16 1 36 103 1973 1981 The 1977 CONCACAF Championship qualification competition was the qualifying contest to decide the finalists for the 1977 CONCACAF Championship – the seventh international association football championship for members of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF). Qualifying ran from 2 April – 29 December 1976 and was contested by the national teams of 16 CONCACAF member associations. The competition doubled as the qualification competition for the 1978 FIFA World Cup. As with the previous edition, no teams qualified automatically. The qualifying competition was split into three zones – a Caribbean zone, a Central American zone and a North American zone. Two teams from each zone – Suriname and Haiti from the Caribbean zone, Guatemala and El Salvador from the Central American zone and Mexico and Canada from the North American zone – qualified for the final tournament. Background The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) was founded as a merger of the Confederación Centroamericana y del Caribe de Fútbol (CCCF) and North American Football Confederation (NAFC) in 1961.Stokkermans Karel CCCF and Concacaf Championships https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/cccf-concacaf.html RSSSF 26 April 2026 7 July 2025 The first CONCACAF Championship, in which all the competing nations qualified automatically, was held in 1963.Gandini Luca Lugo Erik Francisco Reyes Macario I. CONCACAF NATIONS CUP (NORCECA) 1963 https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/conca63.html RSSSF 26 April 2026 15 September 2021 A qualifying competition was introduced from the second edition in 1965.Gandini Luca Lugo Erik Francisco Reyes Macario II. CONCACAF NATIONS CUP 1965 https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/conca65.html RSSSF 26 April 2026 19 August 2021 From 1973, the competition doubled as the qualifying competition for the FIFA World Cup for teams in North, Central America and the Caribbean. Only the winner of each edition would qualify for the World Cup. Format Qualification for the 1977 CONCACAF Championship was split into a Caribbean zone, a Central American zone and a North American zone.Stokkermans Karel Jarreta Sergio Henrique World Cup 1978 Qualifying https://www.rsssf.org/tables/78q.html RSSSF 26 April 2026 3 January 2000 In the Caribbean zone, the nine teams were split into a group of four teams and a group of five teams. A preliminary round was held for the group of five teams in which two of the teams would contest a two-legged tie. The team scoring more goals on aggregate would advance to the first round. For both groups, the four teams were drawn into two two-legged ties in which the team scoring more goals on aggregate in each tie would advance to the second round. The two remaining teams in each group would contest a final two-legged tie in which the team scoring more goals on aggregate would qualify for the final tournament. In both the North and Central American zones, the competing teams would contest a double round-robin where each team would play all of the others twice. The winners and runners-up from both sections would qualify for the final tournament. Participants Caribbean zone: BRB CUB DOM GUY HAI JAM ANT 1959 SUR TRI Central American zone: CRC SLV GUA PAN North American zone: CAN MEX USA North American zone The North American zone began on 24 September when Canada and the United States drew 1–1. On 3 October, the United States and Mexico played out a goalless draw. A week later, Canada defeated Mexico 1–0 to go top of the table. At the halfway stage, Canada led the group with three points, one ahead of the United States and two above Mexico. On 15 October, Mexico defeated the United States 3–0 to lead frog them in the table. Five days later, the United States defeated Canada 2–0 to go top of the table by one point with one match left to play. The United States, who had played all their matches, would qualify for the final tournament unless Canada drew with Mexico. On 27 October, Mexico and Canada played out a goalless draw which meant all three teams finished level on four points. Mexico qualified for the final tournament on goal difference but Canada and the United States were also tied on goal difference and there was no other tiebreaker in use at the time. As a result, a play-off was held to decide the second team to qualify. Table main WDL Q 2 MEX MEX CAN CAN USA 2 USA 1 2 1 3 1 1 2 1 2 3 O 1 2 1 3 4 green1 Qualification for 1977 CONCACAF Championship blue1 Play-off A B B complete A play-off match was organised as both teams were tied on points and goal difference. CAN Results 24 September 1976 CAN 1–1 Stinson Dan 25 September 1976 Canadians forced to settle for tie 25 Vancouver Sun https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun-canadians-forced-to-se/128633517/ Newspapers.com 21 July 2023 USA Bolitho 77 Bandov 8 Empire Stadium Vancouver 15,453 Dorantes García (Mexico) 3 October 1976 USA 0–0 Jones Grahame L. 4 October 1976 Goalie Saves the Day for U.S. sec. 3, p. 1 Los Angeles Times https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-goalie-saves-the-d/128633832/ Newspapers.com 21 July 2023 MEX Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles 33,171 Dante Maglio (Canada) 10 October 1976 CAN 1–0 Cross Jeff 12 October 1976 Crowd gets quite a Buzz 17 The Province https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province-crowd-gets-quite-a-buzz/128633675/ Newspapers.com 21 July 2023 MEX Parsons 32 Empire Stadium Vancouver 17,939 Toros Kibritjian (United States) 15 October 1976 MEX 3–0 USA Solís 28 Álvarez 40 Dávila 83 pen. Estadio Cuauhtémoc Puebla Werner Winsemann (Canada) 20 October 1976 USA 2–0 Petterson Joel 9 June 2013 It's been a long, successful road back to Seattle for U.S. Soccer https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sounders/itrsquos-been-a-long-successful-road-back-to-seattle-for-us-soccer/ The Seattle Times 21 July 2023 CAN Rys 55 Veee 81 Kingdome Seattle 17,675 Rubio Vásquez (Mexico) 27 October 1976 MEX 0–0 CAN Estadio Nemesio Díez Toluca Landauer (United States) Play-off The play-off took place on 22 December at a neutral venue in Haiti. A trio of Bobs – Budd, Lenarduzzi and Bolitho – scored for Canada as they won 3–0 to qualify for the final tournament. 22 December 1976 CAN 3–0 Stinson Dan 23 December 1976 Budd blooms on time for Canada 35 Vancouver Sun https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun-budd-blooms-on-time-fo/128634505/ Newspapers.com 21 July 2023 USA Budd 21 Lenarduzzi 80 Bolitho 87 Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince, Haiti c. 5,000 Velasquez Ramírez (Colombia) Central American zone The Central American zone began on 4 April when Panama defeated Costa Rica 3–2. On 2 May, Panama drew 1–1 with El Salvador. On 11 July, Costa Rica defeated Panama 3–0. On 1 August, Luis Ramírez Zapata scored a hat-trick as El Salvador defeated Panama 4–1. Guatemala played their first match on 17 September when they defeated Panama 4–2. Nine days later, braces from Óscar Enrique Sánchez, Selvin Pennant and Felix McDonald helped Guatemala to a 7–0 win against Panama. With half the matches played, Guatemala were top of the group on four points, one ahead of El Salvador and Panama and two clear of Costa Rica. Panama, who had played all of their matches, were eliminated from the competition. On 1 December, El Salvador and Costa Rica drew 1–1. Four days later, Costa Rica and Guatemala played out a goalless draw. On 8 December, Guatemala defeated El Salvador 3–1 to put themselves within a point of qualifying. Four days later, Guatemala drew 1–1 with Costa Rica to qualify for the final tournament. On 15 December, El Salvador and Costa Rica drew 1–1 which left Costa Rica second in the group, one point above El Salvador, with one match left to play. Four days later, El Salvador defeated Guatemala 2–0 to leapfrog Costa Rica and qualify for the final tournament. Table main WDL Q 2 GUA GUA SLV SLV CRC CRC PAN PAN 3 2 1 15 6 2 3 1 10 7 1 4 1 8 6 1 1 4 7 21 green1 Qualification for 1977 CONCACAF Championship A A complete Results 4 April 1976 PAN 3–2 CRC Tapia 48 Ponce 50 Sánchez 75 Jiménez 34 Barrantes 85 Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City Cedillos (Honduras) 2 May 1976 PAN 1–1 SLV Vázquez 50 pen. Ramírez 16 Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City Rojas Luis (Costa Rica) 11 July 1976 CRC 3–0 PAN Alvarado 11 22 Jiménez 44 Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, San Juan de Tibás Sazo Alvarez (Nicaragua) 1 August 1976 SLV 4–1 PAN Ramírez 7 14 78 Aquino 69 Hernández 88 Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador Rubio Vásquez (Mexico) 17 September 1976 PAN 2–4 GUA Wellmann 9 o.g. Montillo 25 Pennant 51 Sánchez 56 63 Anderson 88 Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City Álvarez Morales (Costa Rica) 26 September 1976 GUA 7–0 PAN Sánchez 14 68 Pennant 17 40 McDonald 53 62 Sandoval 70 Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores, Guatemala City Avendano Ruiz (El Salvador) 1 December 1976 SLV 1–1 CRC Cabrera 27 Jiménez 78 Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador Méndez Molina (Guatemala) 5 December 1976 CRC 0–0 GUA Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, San José Archundia (Mexico) 8 December 1976 GUA 3–1 SLV McNish 19 Monterroso 30 Sánchez 80 Valencia 14 pen. Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores, Guatemala City Luis Paulino Siles Calderón (Costa Rica) 12 December 1976 GUA 1–1 CRC Sandoval 77 Salgado 89 Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores, Guatemala City Andino Pinel (Honduras) 15 December 1976 CRC 1–1 SLV Figueroa 40 Ramírez 75 Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, San José Mollinedo (Guatemala) 19 December 1976 SLV 2–0 GUA Cabrera 1 Valencia 12 Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador Segura (Mexico) Caribbean zone Group A On 4 July, Guyana defeated Suriname 2–0 and, on 15 August, Barbados defeated Trinidad and Tobago 2–1 in the first round first legs. On 29 August, Suriname completed a comeback win in the tie after winning 3–0 against Guyana to advance 3–2 on aggregate. Two days later, Trinidad and Tobago defeated Barbados 1–0 to tie the aggregate score at 2–2. A play-off was set up to be played in Barbados on 14 September. Trinidad and Tobago won 3–1 to advance to the second round. In the second round, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago drew 1–1 in the first leg on 14 November. A fortnight later, they drew 2–2 as the tie finished 3–3 on aggregate. A play-off was set up to be played at a neutral venue in French Guiana on 18 December. Suriname defeated Trinidad and Tobago 3–2 after extra time to qualify for the final tournament. main n Caribbean zone group A First round Second round 3 Play-off GUY 2–3 SUR 2–0 0–3 nil BRB 2–2 TRI 2–1 0–1 1–3 SUR 3–3 TRI 1–1 2–2 3–2 (aet) First round 4 July 1976 GUY 2–0 SUR Butts 9 Niles 72 Georgetown Cricket Club Ground, Georgetown Gay (Trinidad and Tobago) 29 August 1976 SUR 3–0 GUY Playfaire 4 George 35 53 André Kamperveen Stadion, Paramaribo Wooding (Trinidad and Tobago) Suriname won 3–2 on aggregate. 15 August 1976 BRB 2–1 TRI Clarke 47 54 pen. David 83 Barbados National Stadium, Bridgetown Steeman (Suriname) 31 August 1976 TRI 1–0 BRB Douglas 36 Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain Koetsier (Netherlands Antilles) 2–2 on aggregate. Play-off 14 September 1976 BRB 1–3 TRI Clarke 26 Llewellyn 3 Carpette 74 Clarke 85 o.g. Barbados National Stadium, Bridgetown Calderón Castro (Cuba) Second round 14 November 1976 SUR 1–1 TRI George 2 David 9 André Kamperveen Stadion, Paramaribo Chandler (Barbados) 28 November 1976 TRI 2–2 SUR Figaro 29 pen. Llewellyn 64 Olmberg 44 Entingh 83 Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain Llobregat Vicedo (Venezuela) 3–3 on aggregate. Play-off 18 December 1976 SUR 3–2 yes TRI George 60 80 Olmberg 107 pen. David 19 70 Stade Georges-Chaumet, Cayenne, French Guiana Llobregat Vicedo (Venezuela) Group B In the preliminary round first leg on 2 April, Haiti defeated the Dominican Republic 3–0. Pierre Bayonne scored a brace in the second leg as Haiti again won 3–0 against the Dominican Republic to advance 6–0 on aggregate. On 31 July, Haiti defeated the Netherlands Antilles 2–1 in the first round first leg. A fortnight later, braces from Leintz Domingue and Emmanuel Sanon helped Haiti to a 7–0 win against the Netherlands Antilles in the second leg to advance 9–1 on aggregate. The following day, Cuba defeated Jamaica 3–1 in the first leg. On 29 August, Cuba defeated Jamaica 2–0 in the second leg to advance 5–1 on aggregate. In the second round, Cuba and Haiti drew 1–1 in the first leg on 28 November. In the second leg on 11 December, they again drew 1–1 to leave the aggregate tied at 2–2. A play-off was organised at a neutral venue in Panama on 29 December which Haiti won 2–0 to qualify for the final tournament. main n Caribbean zone group B Preliminary round First round Second round 3 Play-off DOM 0–6 HAI 1964 0–3 0–3 nil ANT 1–9 HAI 1964 1–2 0–7 nil JAM 1–5 CUB 1–3 0–2 nil CUB 2–2 HAI 1964 1–1 1–1 0–2 Preliminary round 2 April 1976 DOM 0–3 HAI 1964 Auguste 12 Bayonne 29 Baptiste 32 Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez, Santo Domingo Wuertz (United States) 17 April 1976 HAI 1964 3–0 DOM Bayonne 32 63 Domingue 44 Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince Villarejo Ramírez (Puerto Rico) Haiti won 6–0 on aggregate. First round 30 July 1976 ANT 1959 1–2 HAI 1964 Ruiz 84 Sanon 27 39 Estadio Guillermo Próspero Trinidad, Oranjestad Chaplin (Jamaica) 14 August 1976 HAI 1964 7–0 ANT 1959 Domingue 5 41 Sanon 27 79 Labissiere 30 Brevil 50 Bayonne 56 Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince Montane Bosch (Puerto Rico) Haiti won 9–1 on aggregate. 15 August 1976 JAM 1–3 CUB Brown 65 Rivero 29 Lara 50 Fariñas 75 Independence Park, Kingston De la Puente (Dominican Republic) 29 August 1976 CUB 2–0 JAM Fariñas 42 Pérez 77 Estadio Pedro Marrero, Havana Pastor (Dominican Republic) Cuba won 5–1 on aggregate. Second round 28 November 1976 CUB 1–1 HAI 1964 Núñez 19 Sanon 54 Estadio Latinoamericano, Havana Stewart (Jamaica) 11 December 1976 HAI 1964 1–1 CUB Sanon 81 Roldán 79 Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince Montane Bosch (Puerto Rico) 2–2 on aggregate. Play-off 29 December 1976 HAI 1964 2–0 CUB Domingue 63 Désir 83 pen. Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama Dorantes Garcia (Mexico) Goalscorers 36 103 HAI 1964 Emmanuel Sanon GUA Óscar Enrique Sánchez SLV Luis Ramírez Zapata SUR Roy George HAI 1964 Pierre Bayonne HAI 1964 Leintz Domingue TRI Steve David BRB Victor Clarke CRC Javier Jiménez GUA Selvin Pennant CAN Bob Bolitho CRC Johnny Alvarado Cascante CUB Francisco Fariñas GUA Felix McDonald SLV David Arnoldo Cabrera SLV Victor Manuel Mejia Valencia GUA Peter Sandoval SUR Remie Olmberg TRI Sammy Llewellyn CAN Brian Budd CAN Bob Lenarduzzi CAN Buzz Parsons CRC Mario Barrantes CRC Javier Masís CRC William Fisher Salgado CUB Dagoberto Lara CUB Ramón Núñez CUB Agustín Pérez Castillo CUB Miguel Rivero CUB Andrés Roldán SLV Silvio Aquino GUA Julio César Anderson GUA Leonardo McNish GUA Benjamin Monterroso GUY Vibert Butts GUY Keith Niles HAI 1964 Arsène Auguste HAI 1964 Jean Marie Jean Baptiste HAI 1964 Carlo Brevil HAI 1964 Jean-Claude Désir HAI 1964 Louidor Labissiere JAM Carl Brown MEX Pedro Damián Álvarez MEX Hugo Dávila MEX Francisco Solís ANT 1959 Monico Eluterio Ruiz PAN Hector Nestor Hernández PAN Daniel Montillo Ruíz PAN Federico Ponce PAN Agustín Sánchez PAN Luis Ernesto Tapia PAN Virgílio Vázquez SUR Rinaldo Entingh SUR Henry Playfair TRI Leon Carpette TRI Anthony Douglas TRI Selris Figaro USA Boris Bandov USA Miro Rys USA Juli Veee BRB Victor Clarke (against Trinidad and Tobago) GUA Allan Wellmann (against Panama) References Category:CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification qualification qualification Category:1976 in North American men's international football Category:Mexico at the 1978 FIFA World Cup