Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, commonly branded as Concacaf, is one of FIFA’s six continental football confederations. It represents 41 national football associations from North America, Central America and the Caribbean, together with Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, whose historical and cultural links connect them to the region’s football system. The organization administers regional competitions, coordinates international football development, and organizes qualifying pathways for the FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup. Concacaf was created in Mexico City on 18 September 1961 through the merger of the North American Football Confederation and the Confederación Centroamericana y del Caribe de Fútbol. Its founding members included Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, the Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname and the United States. The merger established a single continental structure for a region that had previously been divided among separate North American, Central American and Caribbean bodies. The confederation’s principal men’s national-team competition is the Concacaf Gold Cup, first held in 1991. The tournament determines the regional champion and has historically been dominated by Mexico and the United States, which together have won nearly every edition. Concacaf also operates the Nations League, introduced in 2018 to provide regular competitive fixtures for all member associations through a promotion-and-relegation league format. At club level, the Champions Cup is the region’s leading continental competition and provides qualification for the FIFA Club World Cup. Other competitions include the W Gold Cup, W Champions Cup, Central American Cup, Caribbean Cup, youth tournaments, futsal and beach-soccer events, and Olympic qualifying competitions where applicable. The organization is structured around a Congress, an executive committee or council, a general secretariat and standing committees. Its membership is organized geographically through the North American Football Union, the Central American Football Union and the Caribbean Football Union. This arrangement gives smaller associations an important role in Congress voting while also requiring coordination among regions with very different population sizes, commercial resources and sporting infrastructures. Concacaf has experienced major governance controversies. The long presidencies of Joaquín Soria Terrazas and Jack Warner were followed by a crisis involving corruption allegations, FIFA investigations and leadership changes in 2011–2016. Jeffrey Webb became president in 2012 but was arrested in 2015 in connection with the wider FIFA corruption investigation. Victor Montagliani, then president of the Canadian Soccer Association, was elected Concacaf president in 2016 and subsequently became a prominent figure in regional and global football administration. The confederation has since emphasized institutional reform, commercial expansion, professionalized competitions and broader opportunities for women’s football and developing associations. Concacaf’s sporting importance has grown alongside the region’s commercial and demographic significance. Mexico and the United States remain its most powerful men’s football nations, while the United States has been the region’s dominant women’s national team and Canada has also achieved major international success. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, further increased the confederation’s strategic importance. Concacaf remains an active nonprofit football governing body rather than a listed commercial company.

Before 1961, football administration in the region was divided between separate bodies serving North America and Central America and the Caribbean. The North American Football Confederation and the Confederación Centroamericana y del Caribe de Fútbol each organized football within their own spheres, but the split made continental coordination and FIFA representation less efficient. On 18 September 1961, representatives meeting in Mexico City merged the two organizations to establish the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football. The new confederation became one of FIFA’s continental governing bodies and assumed responsibility for regional national-team competitions, club tournaments, international development and World Cup qualification. Its original membership included associations from Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and Suriname. Over time, the membership expanded to include 41 associations, including territories and non-sovereign football jurisdictions. Bonaire became a full member in 2014, while other territories have explored membership or observer relationships. Mexico was the leading men’s football power during the confederation’s early decades. The creation of the Gold Cup in 1991 gave the region a regular championship competition and replaced the earlier Concacaf Championship as the main men’s national-team event. Mexico and the United States subsequently became the tournament’s principal powers. The United States also developed into the region’s strongest women’s football nation, winning multiple World Cups and Olympic tournaments, while Canada became a major women’s football power and won Olympic gold in 2021. Club football developed around the Champions Cup, first staged in 1962. The competition evolved through several formats and names, including the Champions League era, before being relaunched as the Champions Cup in 2024. Mexican clubs have historically dominated the continental club competition. Regional competitions operated by the Central American and Caribbean unions provide qualification routes and help associations with smaller football economies reach the continental stage. Concacaf’s political and administrative history has been contentious. Ramón Coll Jaumet, who helped oversee the founding merger, was followed by Joaquín Soria Terrazas, who served for 21 years. Jack Warner then led the confederation from 1990 until 2011, while Chuck Blazer served as general secretary for much of the same period. Allegations concerning corruption, governance practices and the distribution of influence among the Caribbean, Central American and North American blocs produced sustained criticism. Warner was suspended by FIFA in 2011 and resigned as president. Alfredo Hawit served as acting president until Jeffrey Webb was installed in 2012. Webb’s arrest in 2015 during the FIFA corruption case deepened the crisis and preceded further institutional change. Victor Montagliani was elected president in 2016. Under the subsequent administration, Concacaf pursued new competition formats, stronger commercial structures, expanded women’s competitions, ranking systems and development initiatives. The Nations League, introduced in 2018, was designed to give every member association more meaningful regular fixtures and a clearer competitive pathway. The Gold Cup expanded to 16 teams from 2019, and the club system was reorganized around the Central American Cup, Caribbean Cup and an enlarged Champions Cup. The confederation’s strategic importance increased with the 2026 World Cup being hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. Concacaf also continued to develop women’s football through the W Gold Cup and W Champions Cup, while maintaining youth, futsal, beach-soccer and Olympic-related competitions. Today it operates as a nonprofit regional governing body with headquarters in Miami and additional offices in the Caribbean and Central America. Its central challenge is to balance the commercial strength of its largest members with the development needs and political influence of its smaller associations.

• 2024

  Champions Cup format expands

  [5]CONCACAF Champions Cupen.wikipedia.org

  The renamed Champions Cup adopts an expanded 27-team format with qualification routes from North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

• 2023

  Club ranking system launches

  [2]Concacaf official websiteconcacaf.com

  Concacaf introduces club and league ranking indexes for competition evaluation and seeding.

• 2019

  Gold Cup expands to 16 teams

  [3]CONCACAF Gold Cupen.wikipedia.org

  The flagship men’s championship increases its finals field from 12 to 16 teams.

• 2018

  Nations League is created

  [4]CONCACAF Nations Leagueen.wikipedia.org

  All member national teams are incorporated into a tiered competition system.

• 2016

  Montagliani elected president

  [1]CONCACAFen.wikipedia.org

  Victor Montagliani begins the leadership period that follows the governance crisis.

• 2014

  Bonaire becomes a full member

  [1]CONCACAFen.wikipedia.org

  Bonaire is promoted from associate status to full membership.

• 2012

  Jeffrey Webb becomes president

  [1]CONCACAFen.wikipedia.org

  Webb takes over the presidency during the confederation’s post-crisis transition.

• 2011

  Warner era ends

  [1]CONCACAFen.wikipedia.org

  Jack Warner resigns after FIFA suspension and a corruption investigation involving Caribbean football governance.

• 1991

  First Gold Cup

  [3]CONCACAF Gold Cupen.wikipedia.org

  The Gold Cup begins as the confederation’s principal men’s national-team championship.

• 1961

  Modern Concacaf is established

  [1]CONCACAFen.wikipedia.org

  The North American and Central American-Caribbean football confederations merge in Mexico City, creating the organization in its current form.

A regional football governing and competition-organizing body that combines elite continental tournaments with development, qualification and participation programs for associations across a highly diverse football market.

• Men’s national-team competition · 1991

  Concacaf Gold Cup

  The Gold Cup is Concacaf’s principal men’s national-team championship. Held periodically since 1991, it determines the continental champion and serves as the confederation’s most visible national-team commercial property. Mexico and the United States have dominated its history, while the expanded finals format has enabled more associations from Central America and the Caribbean to compete on the region’s largest stage.

• Men’s national-team competition · 2018

  Concacaf Nations League

  The Nations League gives all Concacaf national teams a structured schedule of competitive fixtures. Teams are divided into tiers and can move between them according to results. The format is intended to reduce the number of low-stakes friendlies while improving sporting pathways for smaller associations and creating regular high-value matches for the region’s leading teams.

• Men’s club competition · 1962

  Concacaf Champions Cup

  The Champions Cup is the confederation’s premier men’s club tournament. It brings together qualifying clubs from North America, Central America and the Caribbean in a continental knockout competition. The winner qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup. Mexican clubs have historically been the competition’s most successful participants, with qualification routes also connected to domestic competitions and regional cups.

• Women’s national-team competition · 2024

  Concacaf W Gold Cup

  The W Gold Cup is the senior women’s national-team championship for the region. It provides a continental tournament platform for established powers such as the United States and Canada as well as developing associations across Central America and the Caribbean.

• Women’s club competition · 2024

  Concacaf W Champions Cup

  The W Champions Cup is a continental women’s club competition designed to increase regular high-level matches among leading clubs from across the confederation. It also supports the professionalization and commercial visibility of women’s club football in the region.

• Central American club competition · 2023

  Concacaf Central American Cup

  The Central American Cup is a regional club tournament operated within the Central American football zone. It provides competitive matches and a qualification route into the Champions Cup, linking regional football development with the confederation’s top continental competition.

• Caribbean club competition · 2023

  Concacaf Caribbean Cup

  The Caribbean Cup is the principal regional club pathway for Caribbean associations. It gives clubs from the Caribbean a structured route toward the Champions Cup while expanding meaningful international competition in a geographically dispersed football market.

• 2015

  Jeffrey Webb arrest

  Jeffrey Webb was arrested in Zurich in connection with the United States-led FIFA corruption case. The arrest intensified scrutiny of Concacaf’s governance and commercial administration.

  Source

• 2011

  Jack Warner corruption crisis

  Jack Warner was suspended by FIFA and subsequently resigned as Concacaf president amid corruption allegations connected to a Caribbean Football Union meeting and wider football-governance concerns.

  Source

Read more

• 2024

  Rebrand and expand the Champions CupGeneration change

  Background

  The confederation reorganized its men’s club competition structure around regional qualification tournaments and a larger continental knockout event.

  Action taken

  The Champions League was renamed the Champions Cup and expanded to 27 teams, with qualification from North American, Central American and Caribbean competitions.

  Aftermath

  The revised format created a more integrated club pathway and retained qualification for the FIFA Club World Cup.

  Source

• 2024

  Launch the W Gold CupProduct launch

  Background

  Concacaf sought to strengthen the women’s international competition calendar and give the region a dedicated senior championship.

  Action taken

  The confederation introduced the W Gold Cup as a major women’s national-team tournament.

  Aftermath

  The event expanded the visibility and commercial platform for women’s football across the confederation.

  Source

• 2019

  Expand the Gold Cup finalsGeneration change

  Background

  Concacaf sought to broaden participation in its flagship men’s championship and provide more associations with access to major tournament competition.

  Action taken

  The Gold Cup finals field was increased from 12 teams to 16 beginning with the 2019 edition.

  Aftermath

  The expanded tournament increased the number of participating associations and strengthened the Gold Cup’s role as the region’s central national-team event.

  Source

• 2018

  Create the Concacaf Nations LeagueProduct launch

  Background

  Member associations needed a more consistent schedule of meaningful international matches, particularly outside the region’s largest national teams.

  Action taken

  Concacaf introduced a tiered league competition covering all member national teams, with promotion and relegation based on sporting results.

  Aftermath

  The competition became a recurring part of the men’s national-team calendar and created additional qualification and competitive pathways.

  Source

1. 1CONCACAFen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Concacaf official websiteconcacaf.com
3. 3CONCACAF Gold Cupen.wikipedia.org
4. 4CONCACAF Nations Leagueen.wikipedia.org
5. 5CONCACAF Champions Cupen.wikipedia.org
6. 62015 FIFA corruption caseen.wikipedia.org
7. 7Launch the W Gold Cupen.wikipedia.org