2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
The 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification for the CONCACAF region determined the three automatic qualifying teams and one inter-confederation play-off participant from the North, Central American and Caribbean region for the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals in South Korea and Japan. The qualification process spanned several rounds, beginning with preliminary rounds involving smaller nations and culminating in a final hexagonal round-robin tournament.
Qualification Format:
The qualification process was structured as follows:
- Preliminary Rounds: Teams ranked lower in the FIFA ranking were placed into preliminary rounds, playing home-and-away matches to reduce the number of participants for the subsequent stages.
- Second Round: The remaining teams were divided into groups, playing home-and-away matches within their group. Group winners and runners-up advanced.
- Third Round (Final Round/Hexagonal): The top six teams from the second round competed in a six-team round-robin tournament, with each team playing every other team twice (home and away). The top three teams qualified automatically for the World Cup. The fourth-placed team advanced to a play-off match against a team from another confederation.
Qualified Teams:
- Mexico: Qualified automatically.
- Costa Rica: Qualified automatically.
- United States: Qualified automatically.
- Trinidad and Tobago: Advanced to the inter-confederation play-off, where they faced Bahrain.
Key Events and Notable Matches:
While detailed information on specific matches is beyond the scope of this entry, the hexagonal round-robin was highly competitive and featured several closely fought contests, shaping the ultimate qualification standings.
Further Information:
More detailed match results, team statistics, and individual player performances can be found on dedicated football statistics websites and archives. Further research into specific matches and phases of the qualification process will reveal a richer understanding of the competition.