By Pablo Barrera
The draw for the final phase of the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers for USA, Mexico, and Canada 2026 has been completed. Guatemala has been placed in Group A alongside Panama, El Salvador, and Suriname. Here's how the Bicolor's group stands and the match dates:
Group A:
* Panama
* El Salvador
* Guatemala
* Suriname
Dates:
➡️ September FIFA Window (September 1-9)
🏆 MATCHDAY ONE
🏟️ Home
🇬🇹 GUATEMALA 🆚 El Salvador
🏆 MATCHDAY TWO
✈️ Away
Panama 🆚 GUATEMALA 🇬🇹
➡️ October FIFA Window (October 6-14)
🏆 MATCHDAY THREE
✈️ Away
Suriname 🆚 GUATEMALA 🇬🇹
🏆 MATCHDAY FOUR
✈️ Away
El Salvador 🆚 GUATEMALA 🇬🇹
➡️ November FIFA Window (November 10-18)
🏆 MATCHDAY FIVE
🏟️ Home
🇬🇹 GUATEMALA 🆚 Panama
🏆 MATCHDAY SIX
🏟️ Home
🇬🇹 GUATEMALA 🆚 Suriname
Guatemala will start with a home match in the first phase in September, then will have three consecutive away matches in both September and October, and the last two matches will be at home in November, where qualification could be decided.
The Bicolor faces the difficult task of overcoming its rivals to secure first place in its group for direct qualification. But it won't be easy, as the favorite for the top spot and the World Cup ticket is Panama, the team with the highest ranking in the region.
The Panamanians are considered favorites, with exponential growth and several notable results, including finishing as runners-up in the last Nations League.
Given this scenario, Guatemala must capitalize on their away games against El Salvador and Suriname, as well as aim to secure all three points in their home matches. Although the last time Guatemala played Panama was at the Doroteo Guamuch Flores stadium, it resulted in a draw. However, the Chapín national team has good possibilities of securing one of the playoff spots, as they can and should overcome El Salvador and Suriname.
Could the national team play their home matches at the Mario Camposeco stadium and leverage the altitude to defeat their rivals, who are accustomed to warmer climates?
The venues have not yet been made official, but this possibility has always been considered, although there has been no official statement from the Guatemalan Football Federation.
Altitude could be a key factor in favor of the national team. Everything plays a part: the climate, the altitude, and the fans. However, it's most likely that the home matches will be played at Cementos Progreso, unless the renovation of the Doroteo Guamuch Flores National Stadium is ready in time to host those matches.
If so, there would be a luxury stadium befitting the current state of Guatemalan football, offering a better chance with the pressure of a larger crowd cheering on the team.
Our prediction is that Guatemala can win their home matches, at least against El Salvador and Suriname, accumulating six points, and secure an extra point with a draw against Panama. They could also draw in San Salvador and Suriname, adding two points, totaling nine accumulated points, and the match against Panama might be lost due to the Panamanian team's home advantage and strength.
A total of nine points, in our opinion, could be enough to qualify as one of the best second-place teams and secure one of the two available playoff spots. What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments.
