There are good news for fans of the US national team nursing their disappointment at Tuesday night's 4-1 thumping at the hands of Brazil. Planning for the Yanks' opening round of 2018 World Cup qualifiers can now begin.
Qualifying results across the CONCACAF region have brought the USMNT's first steps on the road to Russia into clearer focus. St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Guatemala have joined the US and Trinidad and Tobago in Group C of CONCACAF’s Semifinal Round of Qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Meanwhile, Canada's aggregate win over Belize has advanced them into Group A alongside Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador. Group B features Costa Rica, Panama, Haiti and Jamaica. Each nation will face their three group rivals twice in a six-game round-robin format, once at home and once away.
The USMNT hold an all-time record of 16-2-3 against Trinidad and Tobago and swept the pair of match-ups when the teams last met in qualifying in 2009. The Yanks cruised past Guatemala 4-0 in July when the teams faced off in a Gold Cup tune-up, and are unbeaten against the Central American team in 12 World Cup qualifiers.
The USA’s first-ever match vs. St. Vincent and the Grenadines will kick off their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign, taking place on Nov. 13 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. A limited number of tickets are still available.
The USMNT will then travel to Trinidad to face the Soca Warriors on Nov. 17 in their second match of the semifinal round. Trinidad and Tobago was already drawn into Group C with the US during the Preliminary Draw for 2018 World Cup Qualifying on July 25 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The US will face Guatemala away on Mar. 25, 2016 before returning home for the return leg on March 29. Five months later, the Yanks will wrap up the round with road matches against St. Vincent and the Grenadines away on Sept. 2, and then host Trinidad and Tobago at a location yet to be determined on Sept. 6.
Canada Soccer has yet to announce schedule details for their group-stage matches.
The group winner and group runner-up from each group will advance to final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, otherwise known as the Hexagonal. The six teams face each other in a home-and-away round-robin format, with the top three teams advancing to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The fourth-place team moves on to play a home-and-away intercontinental playoff against a team from the Asian Football Confederation.
The USA have finished first in the Hexagonal during the past three FIFA World Cup cycles, while Canada have not reached "the Hex" since the 1998 qualifying cycle.
USMNT Schedule for 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying, CONCACAF Semifinal Round
Date Opponent Location
Nov. 13 St. Vincent & The Grenadines Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri
Nov. 17 Trinidad & Tobago Away (TBD)
March 25 Guatemala Away (TBD)
March 29 Guatemala Home (TBD)
Sept. 2 St. Vincent & The Grenadines Away (TBD)
Sept. 6 Trinidad & Tobago Home (TBD)
