Hexagonal dates announced.
The match schedule for the final six-team 'hexagonal' round in the North, Central America and the Caribbean Zone - with three and a half spots at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ on the line - was established at an Official Draw in Johannesburg, South Africa on Saturday 22 November 2008.
The first instalment of the trans-Rio Grande clasico will take place in the US on Wednesday 11 February, while the return leg in Mexico will be staged on Wednesday 12 August.
Four other New World participants will also be in the battle for the region's three and a half spots at South Africa 2010. Trinidad and Tobago, who became the smallest nation to qualify for a FIFA World Cup when they reached their first finals at Germany 2006, will be hoping to repeat the feat, while Costa Rica - who won all six of their semi-final round matches - will be keen to make it to their fourth world showpiece. Honduras and El Salvador, for their part, have not reached finals since they both lined up at Spain 1982 and will be raring to put themselves in the field for the first FIFA World Cup on African soil.
North, Central America and Caribbean Zone
Wednesday 11 February
Costa Rica-Honduras
El Salvador-Trinidad and Tobago
USA-Mexico
Saturday 28 March
Mexico-Costa Rica
Trinidad and Tobago-Honduras
El Salvador-USA
Wednesday 1 April
Costa Rica-El Salvador
USA-Trinidad and Tobago
Honduras-Mexico
Wednesday 3 June
Costa Rica-USA
Saturday 6 June
Trinidad and Tobago-Costa Rica
El Salvador-Mexico
USA-Honduras
Wednesday 10 June
Mexico-Trinidad and Tobago
Honduras-El Salvador
Wednesday 12 August
Honduras-Costa Rica
Trinidad and Tobago-El Salvador
Mexico-USA
Saturday 5 September
Costa Rica-Mexico
Honduras-Trinidad and Tobago
USA-El Salvador
Wednesday 9 September
El Salvador-Costa Rica
Trinidad and Tobago-USA
Mexico-Honduras
Saturday 10 October (*)
Costa Rica-Trinidad and Tobago
Mexico-El Salvador
Honduras-USA
Wednesday 14 October (*)
USA-Costa Rica
Trinidad and Tobago-Mexico
El Salvador-Honduras
(*) simultaneous kick-off
The top three finishers from the final 'hexagonal' round will qualify automatically for South Africa 2010 as the region's representatives, while the fourth-place team will contest an intercontinental play-off with the fifth-place finisher from the South American Zone over two legs. The winner will also go to South Africa.