• Dates and details revealed for Concacaf’s youth competitions from 2026-2029
• Region to transition from biennial men’s and women’s U-15 competition to an annual U-16
• New streamlined format established for Men’s and Women’s U-17 Qualifiers

Miami, FL (Thursday, February 26, 2026) – Concacaf has announced a revamped Youth National Team competitions calendar for events taking place from 2026 to 2029. This announcement follows the exciting release of the region’s men’s senior national team calendar for the next four years, and the prior confirmation of the women’s expanded ecosystem.

The Confederation will continue organizing youth tournaments for men and women across three age groups, creating valuable opportunities for young players to gain international experience while serving as the region’s qualification pathway to their respective FIFA youth World Cups.

As part of the revamped calendar, Concacaf will replace its biennial U-15 competitions with annual U-16 tournaments, which will serve as the qualification pathway to the newly redesigned Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers.

“Concacaf is committed to providing the youngest talent in our region with the best possible opportunities to reach their full potential through official, meaningful matches,” said Concacaf President and FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani. “By expanding access to high-quality competitions and creating more structured pathways for player development, we are strengthening the foundation of the game across all our Member Associations. We are confident that this evolution – together with FIFA’s new U-15 Festival, open to all FIFA Member Associations, and its U-17 and U-20 World Cups – will ensure that our region continues to produce world-class players,” Montagliani concluded.New Men’s and Women’s Under-16 Qualifiers

Beginning in 2027, Concacaf will transition from its biennial Boys’ and Girls’ U-15 competition to an annual U-16 tournament, with 2026 serving as a transition year.

The men’s and women’s competitions will, in principle, take place in August-September and feature Concacaf Member Associations ranked 9–41, divided into eight groups of up to five teams each. Following round-robin play, the winner of each group (eight teams in total) will advance to the Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers, where they will join the Member Associations ranked 1-8.

Men’s and Women’s U-17 Qualifiers 

Launching in 2027, the revamped Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers will feature a streamlined 16-team format for both men and women, set for February of each year. In 2027, the competitions will include the Confederation’s top 16 teams based on their performance in the 2026 Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers. Starting in 2028, the top eight-ranked Member Associations and the eight group winners from the new U-16 Qualifiers will form the U-17 Qualifiers.

The 16 teams will split into four groups of four, competing in round-robin play. On the men’s side, the group winners and runners-up (eight teams total) will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. On the women’s side, the four group winners will earn their place at the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup.
 
Men’s and Women’s U-20 Qualifiers and Championship 
 
The region’s U-20 competitions will continue to be held every two years for both men and women as presently scheduled and constructed. 
 
On the men’s side, the next editions will be held in February and July-August of 2026 and 2028, and serve as the regional qualifiers for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The 2026 tournament will also serve as the qualifying event for the men’s football tournament at the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
 
On the women’s side, the next editions will be held in February and April of 2027 and 2029, and serve as the regional qualifiers for their respective FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups.