concaaf

CONCACAF, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, is the regional governing body for association football in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. It is one of FIFA’s six continental confederations and coordinates the sport within its 41 member associations, overseeing competition calendars, refereeing standards, development programs, and governance in the region.

The federation traces its origins to 1961, when the North American Football Confederation (NAFC) and the Confederation of Central American Football (CCCF) merged to form CONCACAF. Its headquarters are in Miami, Florida, United States. The organization is led by a president and a general secretary, and it operates under FIFA statutes in collaboration with the individual member associations.

CONCACAF organizes and administers regional competitions for both national teams and clubs. For national teams, major events include the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the region’s premier men’s championship, and the CONCACAF Nations League, which provides competitive matches and qualification pathways for global tournaments. In women’s football, CONCACAF runs the CONCACAF Women’s Championship, which serves as a qualifier for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. At the club level, the federation has overseen various regional competitions and works with member associations on club development and competition formats.

Member associations range from top football nations such as the United States and Mexico to smaller Caribbean and Central American countries. As FIFA’s regional body, CONCACAF collaborates on calendar coordination, refereeing and disciplinary matters, and development grants, supporting growth of the sport across the region.