What’s at stake in final Concacaf Nations League window

MIAMI, Florida – This Thursday the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League returns with its final window for all of the teams in League A, League B and League C.

League A Quarterfinals

There is a lot at stake across the board, beginning in the League A Quarterfinals with eight teams vying for four of the six spots from Concacaf in the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024.

The two-legged quarterfinal match-ups start on Thursday night with the United States hosting Trinidad and Tobago at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, and Costa Rica welcoming in Central American rivals Panama to the Estadio Saprissa in San Jose, Costa Rica.

One night later on Friday, the series between Jamaica and Canada will kick off from the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, while Mexico and Honduras begin their tie at the Estadio Chelato Ucles in Tegucigalpa.

The teams in League A will return to action on Monday, November 20, beginning with Trinidad and Tobago hosting the U.S. at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, while Panama face Costa Rica at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City. The quarterfinals will wrap up on November 21 with Canada and Jamaica meeting at BMO Field in Toronto, followed by Mexico and Honduras at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

The winner of each series will advance to the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League Finals and will qualify for the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024, while the four defeated teams will progress to the Concacaf Nations League Play-In. The winner of each Play-In will qualify for the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024.

League B

It is also a crucial window in League B, as the top teams in the four groups will be aiming to earn promotion to League A.

Group A is going to be a nail-biter, with Saint Lucia and Guadeloupe level on nine points with two games to go for each. Guadeloupe are slightly ahead on goal difference by one goal, so it could be that promotion to League A for either one of these two sides could come down to goal difference. Saint Lucia are at Saint Kitts and Nevis on Thursday and then home versus Sint Maarten on Sunday, while Guadeloupe travel to Sint Maarten and then host Saint Kitts and Nevis on the same dates.

Group B sees Nicaragua with the advantage going into the final window, as they sit three points in front of the Dominican Republic. A win for both to start the window would set up a grandstand finish, as they are scheduled to meet on November 21 in Nicaragua.

It is a three-horse race in Group C, with French Guiana (7 points) a nose in front of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (6 pts) and Bermuda (5 pts). Bermuda host Vincy Heat on Friday to kick things off in a must-win match-up, while a final matchday contest between French Guiana and Bermuda on November 21 could also prove pivotal.

Things are more straightforward in Group D, as Guyana sit on a six-point lead going into their final two matches. The Golden Jaguars only require a point in one of their final two matches, at Bahamas on Saturday or home on November 21 to Antigua and Barbuda, to secure promotion to League A.

League C

Eight of the nine teams in League C are still in the mix for promotion to League B, and in Group A it is Saint Martin who are fancying their chances, but Bonaire are definitely in the hunt as well. If Bonaire top Anguilla on Saturday, that would give Bonaire a chance in their finale on November 21 against Saint Martin. However, Saint Martin would only need a draw in that finale to earn promotion.

All three teams in Group B -- Aruba, Cayman Islands and US Virgin Islands – are alive going into the final window, but with Aruba possessing a two-point edge over second-place Cayman Islands and five points over USVI, plus with a match against each group opponent on the docket this window, USVI on Thursday and Cayman Islands on November 20, it is there for the taking for Aruba.

Things are razor-thin at the top of Group C, as British Virgin Islands are at five points, one point ahead of Dominica and four in front of Turks and Caicos Islands. It is Dominica who have two matches in the window, first at BVI on Thursday and then and Turks and Caicos Islands on November 20. However, a win for BVI against Dominica would win the group and promotion for BVI.

Not only do the three group winners in League C earn promotion to League B, but so is the best-ranked second-place team. At present, that distinction belongs to Dominica, who are ahead of Cayman Islands on goal difference and one point in front of Bonaire. Even if a team does not win the group, promotion hopes to remain alive with a strong second-place finish.