2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)

The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification process for the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) determined the three CONCACAF nations that would automatically qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, and the one nation that would advance to an inter-confederation play-off against a nation from the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL).

The qualification began in February 2008 and concluded in November 2009. The process involved four rounds of competition.

• First Round: The 10 lowest-ranked CONCACAF teams were paired into two-legged home-and-away series. The five winners advanced to the Second Round.

• Second Round: The five winners from the First Round were joined by the next 19 highest-ranked CONCACAF teams. These 24 teams were drawn into 12 two-legged home-and-away series. The 12 winners advanced to the Third Round.

• Third Round: The 12 winners from the Second Round were drawn into three groups of four teams each. Teams played each other twice, home and away, in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group advanced to the Fourth Round.

• Fourth Round (The Hex): The six teams that advanced from the Third Round competed in a single group. Teams played each other twice, home and away, in a round-robin format. The top three teams qualified automatically for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The fourth-placed team advanced to an inter-confederation play-off against the fifth-placed team from CONMEBOL.

The teams that qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup through CONCACAF qualification were the United States, Mexico, and Honduras. Costa Rica advanced to the inter-confederation play-off but lost to Uruguay.