# 2026–27 CONCACAF Nations League B
**2026–27 CONCACAF Nations League B** is the second-tier division of the fifth edition of the Concacaf Nations League, a men's senior national team competition played in 2026 and 2027 in which all 41 Concacaf Member Associations take part across Leagues A, B, and C.[1](https://www.concacaf.com/media/2x2dafie/20260119-2894-regulations-cnl-2026-27-english.pdf) League B contains 16 teams in four groups of four, begins on September 24, 2026, and for the first time concludes with a centralized League B Championship in March 2027.[2](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/league-b-set-for-historic-2026-27-campaign) • [3](https://as.com/us/futbol/concacaf-pone-en-marcha-la-liga-de-naciones-202627-rumbo-a-la-copa-oro-2027-f202606-n/) • [4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPrWnqnggrs) The whole competition serves as the sole qualification pathway to the 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup.[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPrWnqnggrs) • [5](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/fifth-edition-of-concacaf-nations-league-kicks-off-wednesday-with-historic-500th-match-on-the-horizon)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Teams | 16 national teams in four groups of four[2](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/league-b-set-for-historic-2026-27-campaign) • [3](https://as.com/us/futbol/concacaf-pone-en-marcha-la-liga-de-naciones-202627-rumbo-a-la-copa-oro-2027-f202606-n/) |
| Kick-off | Thursday, September 24, 2026, in the September-October FIFA Match Window[2](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/league-b-set-for-historic-2026-27-campaign) • [5](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/fifth-edition-of-concacaf-nations-league-kicks-off-wednesday-with-historic-500th-match-on-the-horizon) |
| Draw | July 23, 2026, in Miami, using the Concacaf Men's National Team Ranking as of July 20, 2026[6](https://www.concacaf.com/news/concacaf-confirms-pots-and-procedures-for-2026-27-concacaf-nations-league-draw) |
| Prize | Group winners are promoted toward League A and advance to the League B Finals; first-place finishers advance to the 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup[1](https://www.concacaf.com/media/2x2dafie/20260119-2894-regulations-cnl-2026-27-english.pdf) |
| New feature | First centralized League B Championship, in March 2027[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPrWnqnggrs) |
| Milestone | The competition's 500th match, Cayman Islands vs Dominica, falls on League B's opening day[5](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/fifth-edition-of-concacaf-nations-league-kicks-off-wednesday-with-historic-500th-match-on-the-horizon) |
| Scale | 74 Group Stage matches across the three leagues in the September-October window[5](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/fifth-edition-of-concacaf-nations-league-kicks-off-wednesday-with-historic-500th-match-on-the-horizon) |
## Format and schedule
League B follows the format used in recent editions: 16 teams divided into four groups of four, with group winners chasing promotion and the group title.[2](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/league-b-set-for-historic-2026-27-campaign) • [7](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/16-teams-ready-for-big-stage-in-league-b) The competition is played during the FIFA Match Windows of September, October, and November 2026, and League B Group Stage play continues in November alongside the League A Quarterfinals and the League A and C Play-In.[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPrWnqnggrs) • [5](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/fifth-edition-of-concacaf-nations-league-kicks-off-wednesday-with-historic-500th-match-on-the-horizon)
**Opening days.** League C begins the competition on Wednesday, September 23, and Leagues A and B start on Thursday, September 24, the day of the tournament's 500th match between [Cayman Islands](https://www.edgepedia.org/cayman-islands) and Dominica.[5](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/fifth-edition-of-concacaf-nations-league-kicks-off-wednesday-with-historic-500th-match-on-the-horizon) In total, 74 Group Stage matches are scheduled across the three leagues in the September-October window.[5](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/fifth-edition-of-concacaf-nations-league-kicks-off-wednesday-with-historic-500th-match-on-the-horizon)
## League B Finals
At the end of the Group Stage, the four group winners advance to the League B Finals, where they play a semifinal, a third-place match, and a final match to determine the champion of League B.[1](https://www.concacaf.com/media/2x2dafie/20260119-2894-regulations-cnl-2026-27-english.pdf) Match-ups among the four teams are set by group-stage records, beginning with the greatest number of points obtained in all Group Stage matches.[1](https://www.concacaf.com/media/2x2dafie/20260119-2894-regulations-cnl-2026-27-english.pdf) This is the first edition with centralized Championships for Leagues B and C, which previously ended at the group stage.[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPrWnqnggrs)
[The Finals](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-finals) take place in March 2027, with the League A Finals at [SoFi Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/sofi-stadium) in Los Angeles from March 25 to 28, 2027, a venue that hosts the semifinals, third-place match, and final.[3](https://as.com/us/futbol/concacaf-pone-en-marcha-la-liga-de-naciones-202627-rumbo-a-la-copa-oro-2027-f202606-n/) In League B Finals matches that go to extra time, each team receives one additional substitution and one additional substitution opportunity, for a total of six substitutions and four opportunities; if the score remains tied after extra time, the match goes directly to kicks from the penalty mark.[1](https://www.concacaf.com/media/2x2dafie/20260119-2894-regulations-cnl-2026-27-english.pdf)
## Promotion, relegation, and Gold Cup qualification
A promotion and relegation system is implemented at the conclusion of the Group Stage, and the first-place finishers from League B advance to the 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup.[1](https://www.concacaf.com/media/2x2dafie/20260119-2894-regulations-cnl-2026-27-english.pdf) The 2026/27 competition is the qualifying tournament for Concacaf-affiliated teams to the 2027 Gold Cup, and Concacaf has stated that specific Gold Cup qualification criteria would be announced separately.[1](https://www.concacaf.com/media/2x2dafie/20260119-2894-regulations-cnl-2026-27-english.pdf) • [3](https://as.com/us/futbol/concacaf-pone-en-marcha-la-liga-de-naciones-202627-rumbo-a-la-copa-oro-2027-f202606-n/) Reporting on the League A side of the same competition describes the last-placed team in each League A group as descending to League B, which defines the relegation side of League B's promotion-and-relegation exchange.[8](https://as.com/us/futbol/costa-rica-a-punto-del-descenso-en-concacaf-solo-esto-lo-salva-en-la-nations-league-f202610-n/)
## The draw
The Official Draw was held on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at 7 pm ET from Miami, Florida, and determined the groups for Leagues A, B, and C.[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPrWnqnggrs) • [6](https://www.concacaf.com/news/concacaf-confirms-pots-and-procedures-for-2026-27-concacaf-nations-league-draw) Teams were allocated into draw pots for Leagues A, B, and C based on the Concacaf Men's National Team Ranking as of July 20, 2026.[6](https://www.concacaf.com/news/concacaf-confirms-pots-and-procedures-for-2026-27-concacaf-nations-league-draw) Among the resulting groups, League B Group B placed the Central American sides Honduras, Guatemala, and [El Salvador](https://www.edgepedia.org/el-salvador) together, though under the scheduling system [Guatemala](https://www.edgepedia.org/guatemala) does not face Honduras.[9](https://as.com/us/futbol/donde-ver-la-concacaf-nations-league-2026-en-estados-unidos-formato-selecciones-y-grupos-f202609-n/)
## Context in the Concacaf calendar
The 2026/27 Nations League is the fifth edition of the competition and runs alongside a fixed multi-year calendar in which Concacaf has scheduled Nations League and Gold Cup editions twice each in the 2026-2030 cycle, with the Nations League continuing as a route to Gold Cup qualification.[5](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/fifth-edition-of-concacaf-nations-league-kicks-off-wednesday-with-historic-500th-match-on-the-horizon) • [10](https://as.com/us/futbol/concacaf-define-el-camino-rumbo-al-mundial-2030-con-seis-boletos-directos-f202602-n/) Concacaf's president Victor Montagliani confirmed that the 2026 and 2027 editions are played under the three-league format with promotion and relegation.[10](https://as.com/us/futbol/concacaf-define-el-camino-rumbo-al-mundial-2030-con-seis-boletos-directos-f202602-n/)
## References
1. [2026-27 Concacaf Nations League Regulations (English PDF), Concacaf](https://www.concacaf.com/media/2x2dafie/20260119-2894-regulations-cnl-2026-27-english.pdf)
2. [League B Set for Historic 2026/27 Campaign, Concacaf](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/league-b-set-for-historic-2026-27-campaign)
3. [Concacaf pone en marcha la Liga de Naciones 2026/27 rumbo a la Copa Oro 2027, AS USA](https://as.com/us/futbol/concacaf-pone-en-marcha-la-liga-de-naciones-202627-rumbo-a-la-copa-oro-2027-f202606-n/)
4. [Official Draw | 2026/27 Concacaf Nations League, Concacaf (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPrWnqnggrs)
5. [Fifth Edition of Concacaf Nations League Kicks Off Wednesday with Historic 500th Match on the Horizon, Concacaf](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/fifth-edition-of-concacaf-nations-league-kicks-off-wednesday-with-historic-500th-match-on-the-horizon)
6. [Concacaf Confirms Pots and Procedures for 2026/27 Concacaf Nations League Draw, Concacaf](https://www.concacaf.com/news/concacaf-confirms-pots-and-procedures-for-2026-27-concacaf-nations-league-draw)
7. [16 teams ready for big stage in League B, Concacaf](https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/nations-league/news/16-teams-ready-for-big-stage-in-league-b)
8. [Costa Rica, a punto del descenso en Concacaf, AS USA](https://as.com/us/futbol/costa-rica-a-punto-del-descenso-en-concacaf-solo-esto-lo-salva-en-la-nations-league-f202610-n/)
9. [¿Dónde ver la Concacaf Nations League 2026 en Estados Unidos? Formato, selecciones y grupos, AS USA](https://as.com/us/futbol/donde-ver-la-concacaf-nations-league-2026-en-estados-unidos-formato-selecciones-y-grupos-f202609-n/)
10. [Concacaf define el camino rumbo al Mundial 2030 con seis boletos directos, AS USA](https://as.com/us/futbol/concacaf-define-el-camino-rumbo-al-mundial-2030-con-seis-boletos-directos-f202602-n/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Seasons and editions › National team seasons and results archives › Senior national team tournaments*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license