Wht does USA, Mexico and Canada get byes all the time?

[Sando]

Okay, Caribbean Football Union has 25 votes out of 41 all together if you include CONCACAF which is more than half.

What I cannot understand is, why does Mexico, USA and Canada qualify directly for the final tournaments; Olympic, Gold Cup, etc.

Now, I get that USA and Mexico play host most of he times and only this 2015 Gold Cup (for example) Canada are co-host.

But why every time these 3 nations do not go through the qualifiers.

Mexico are USA are seeded most of the times because they do good in pervious tournaments, but the way its set up they benefit from this greatly, I am sure if they had to go through all the qualifiers it will not only improve smaller teams but they could also get upsets along the way. It will also provides revenue for small teams.

Canada are one of the weaker teams in CONCACAF.

Sure, their Women team is up there, but the men's are poor especially at senior level.

They do not even have a Professional league.

CFU needs to get together and do something about this and change up the format.

[reggae-fan]

How do you propose they qualify for the tournament then? Mexico is not a member of UNCAF last time I checked, and neither the USA nor Canada belongs to a sub-confed like the CFU or UNCAF.

Unless you are saying let the USA, Canada and Mexico enter a play-off with the two best non-qualifiers from CFU and UNCAF respectively for the final 3 spots...

Canada just played Dominica in world cup qualifying, USA and Mexico are not involved given their lofty position on the FIFA ranking.

[Deeks]

Because they are countries with money. I don't think Canada is at the US-Mex standard though.

[pull stones]

Because they are countries with money. I don't think Canada is at the US-Mex standard though.

no that's not it. the fact is that they are considered north american teams of which there are only three, so who are they supposed to compete with? the central americans have seven teams in their region and was allowed five spots in the gold cup until recently, but thanks to jeffery webb they are now allowed only four teams and a play off spot with the CFU 5th place team in the caribbean cup for the final spot.

by the way i really liked jeffery webb as the concacaf president, too bad he's gone. minus the bobol he was an astute administrator.

[Deeks]

I think Bermuda is also in that group.

[Tiresais]

Well technically there are 4 - Saint Pierre and Miquelon are some sort of member lol. They automatically qualify because bluntly they're much better (well, Canada is the exception) and better funded. Not sure if it's fair though.

[pull stones]

I think Bermuda is also in that group.

i believe you meant to say belize.

[Tiresais]

I think Bermuda is also in that group.

i believe you meant to say belize.

No he means that Bermuda might be considered North American, Belize are definitely Central American as they do all their qualifications through them. Bermuda's always a weird case lol

[Flex]

Good post, how did Canada get seeded into the final stage of the Olympic qualifiers?

I remember, in 2000 they came to T&T to play in the Olympic quals, Carlos Edwards was capt of T&T U 20 team then. What changed now?

And how do they get automatic place in the Gold Cup?

Maybe Concacaf should have Canada play the 5th place teams from both Copa Centroamericana and Caribbean Cup in a tri-angler series to qual for the gold cup?

My question is, if T&T (for example decided to host the Gold Cup, how will Canada, Mexico and USA (providing they are not previous champs) qualify?

[E-man]

I think Bermuda is also in that group.

i believe you meant to say belize.

No he means that Bermuda might be considered North American, Belize are definitely Central American as they do all their qualifications through them. Bermuda's always a weird case lol

I've heard talk of Greenland joining CONCACAF if they ever get their program off the ground (ELO ranking 199). Though, they could also join UEFA due to their Danish connection.

[Deeks]

I think Bermuda is also in that group.

i believe you meant to say belize.

No he means that Bermuda might be considered North American, Belize are definitely Central American as they do all their qualifications through them. Bermuda's always a weird case lol

I've heard talk of Greenland joining CONCACAF if they ever get their program off the ground (ELO ranking 199). Though, they could also join UEFA due to their Danish connection.

Nah, let them go UEFA. TT can't get money to fly to Grenada, they go get money to fly to Greenland.

[palos]

The Gold Cup is held every two years with a 12-nation field: three from North America, five from Central America, four from the Caribbean. The North American nations receive automatic berths. The Central American nations qualify through a tournament called the Copa Centroamericana. The Caribbean nations qualify through the annual Caribbean Cup.

SOURCE