A total of 16 CONCACAF teams entered the competition, but FIFA rejected the entry of Belize due to outstanding debt.

There would be two rounds of play:

  • First Round: Canada, Honduras, El Salvador, United States and Mexico, the five best ranked teams according to FIFA, received byes and advanced to the Second Round directly. The remaining 10 teams were paired up to play knockout matches on a home-and-away basis. The winners would advance to the Second Round.
  • Second Round: The 10 teams were paired up to play knockout matches on a home-and-away basis. The winners would advance to the tournament.

Entrants

CONCACAF first round

Summary

Team 1Agg.Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Guyana0–5Trinidad and Tobago0–40–1
Cuba1–2Guatemala0–11–1
Jamaica3–1Puerto Rico1–02–1
Antigua and Barbuda1–4Netherlands Antilles0–11–3 (a.e.t.)
Costa Rica3–1Panama1–12–0

Matches

Guyana0–4Trinidad and Tobago
Elliot-Allen 41' Faustin 71' Lake 77' Skeene 85'
Trinidad and Tobago1–0Guyana
Corneal 68'

Trinidad and Tobago advanced to the Second Round, 5–0 on aggregate score.

Cuba0–1Guatemala
López 44'
Guatemala1–1Cuba
Pérez 68' (pen.)González 40'

Guatemala advanced to the Second Round, 2–1 on aggregate score.

Jamaica1–0Puerto Rico
Brooks 10' (pen.)
Puerto Rico1–2Jamaica
de la Campa 52'Anglin 32', 78'

Jamaica advanced to the Second Round, 3–1 on aggregate score.

Antigua and Barbuda0–1Netherlands Antilles
Rovina 54'
Netherlands Antilles3–1 (a.e.t.)Antigua and Barbuda
Rovina 104', 118' Rosina 120'Edwards 38'

Netherlands Antilles advanced to the Second Round, 4–1 on aggregate score.

Costa Rica1–1Panama
Jara 26'Mendieta 17'
Panama0–2Costa Rica
Cayasso 1' Medford 71'

Costa Rica advanced to the Second Round, 3–1 on aggregate score.

CONCACAF second round

Summary

Team 1Agg.Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Netherlands Antilles0–6El Salvador0–10–5
Jamaica1–5United States0–01–5
Trinidad and Tobago1–1 (a)Honduras0–01–1
Costa Ricaw/oMexicon/an/a
Guatemala3–3 (a)Canada1–02–3

Matches

Netherlands Antilles0–1El Salvador
García 53'
El Salvador5–0Netherlands Antilles
Coreas 5' Garcia 35' Francisca 62' (o.g.) L. Zapata 58', 68'

El Salvador qualified, 6–0 on aggregate score.

Jamaica0–0United States
United States5–1Jamaica
Bliss 18' H. Pérez 69' (pen.) Klopas 76', 85' Krumpe 78'Sterling 54'

United States qualified, 5–1 on aggregate score.

Trinidad and Tobago0–0Honduras
Honduras1–1Trinidad and Tobago
Flores 20'Charles 56'

The aggregate score was tied at 1–1, however Trinidad and Tobago qualified on away goals.

Costa Ricaw/o 1Mexico

1 The tie was scratched and Costa Rica advanced to the final round as Mexico were disqualified after being suspended for fielding overaged players during the 1988 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament.

Guatemala1–0Canada
B. Pérez 20' (pen.)
Canada3–2Guatemala
Mitchell 63', 83' (pen.) Bridge 88'Paniagua 7' Castañeda 37'

The aggregate score was tied at 3–3, however Guatemala qualified on away goals.

Goalscorers

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal