Andrew Edwards backs USA, Mexico and Canada for CONCACAF World Cup progress

Former Jamaica Under-17 coach Andrew Edwards has identified the United States as the CONCACAF team with the strongest chance of making progress at the 2026 World Cup, while also giving Mexico and Canada reasonable hopes of getting beyond the group stage.

Edwards, who also heads Genesis Academy, said the expanded tournament format gives regional teams a better route forward because the top two teams in each group advance, along with the best eight third-placed sides. In Group A, where Mexico are set to face South Africa, South Korea and Czechia, he said Mexico could finish second or third and still move on.

He offered a similar view of Canada in Group B, which includes Qatar, Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Edwards pointed to Canada’s maturity, their experience from the last World Cup cycle and the advantage of playing before home supporters as factors that could help them finish in a qualifying position.

Haiti, drawn in Group C with Brazil, Morocco and Scotland, were given a much tougher outlook. Edwards said it would be a major surprise if Haiti advanced, placing them more likely in third or fourth. He was more confident about the United States in Group D alongside Paraguay, Australia and Turkey, saying the Americans could finish first or second.

Panama’s draw in Group L against Croatia, Ghana and England was described as especially difficult, with Edwards predicting a fourth-place finish. He also expected Curaçao to struggle in Group E, where they are grouped with Germany, Ecuador and Ivory Coast.

Asked which CONCACAF team could go deepest, Edwards said squad selections and knockout pathways would matter, but he leaned toward the United States reaching at least the round of 16. On Jamaica’s hypothetical chances in Curaçao’s group, he said even with a strong squad and good coaching, the Reggae Boyz would have been unlikely to finish second or third, though they could have produced competitive performances.