Concacaf Central American Cup 2026/27

The **CONCACAF Central American Cup** operates as a secondary continental football competition organized by CONCACAF in cooperation with UNCAF. It serves as the primary qualification route for Central American clubs to the **CONCACAF Champions Cup**, sitting below the Champions Cup in the continental pyramid. The tournament features 20 teams from seven Central American nations: Costa Rica (4), Honduras (3), El Salvador (3), Guatemala (3), Panama (3), Nicaragua (3), and Belize (1). Teams qualify based on domestic league performance, including champions and high-placed finishers.

The format consists of a group stage with four groups of five teams, followed by a knockout stage (quarterfinals, semifinals, final) played as two-legged ties. The winner qualifies directly for the Round of 16 of the **CONCACAF Champions Cup**, while the runner-up enters in the First Round. Notable champions include Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (Costa Rica), who won the inaugural 2023 edition by defeating Real Estelí (Nicaragua) 4-1 on aggregate, and successfully defended their title in 2024 and 2025, becoming the first three-time winner. The 2025 final saw Alajuelense defeat Xelajú MC (Guatemala) 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate draw.

The competition differs from its predecessor, the UNCAF Interclub Cup (1999-2007), which was organized solely by UNCAF, featured 16 teams (mostly champions), and served as a regional championship with top finishers advancing to the continental cup, whereas the current iteration is a CONCACAF-run qualifier with broader participation.