2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF Fifth Round

The fifth round (also known as the Hexagonal or Hex) of CONCACAF matches for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification will be played from 7 November 2016 to 10 October 2017.^[1][2]

Format

A total of six teams which advanced from the fourth round (the three group winners and the three group runners-up) will play against each other home-and-away in a round-robin format in a single group. The top three teams in the group will qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and the fourth-placed team will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.^[1] This stage is referred to as the Hexagonal or Hex, and has been used by CONCACAF to determine its World Cup finals entrants since the qualification tournament for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

The draw for the fifth round (to decide the fixtures) will be held after the fourth round is completed.

Teams

The winners and runners-up from fourth round will participate in this round.^[1]

Teams participating this round

•  Mexico (Fourth round Group A winners)
• Fourth round Group A runners-up
• Fourth round Group B winners
• Fourth round Group B runners-up
• Fourth round Group C winners
• Fourth round Group C runners-up

Schedule

The schedule for the fifth round is as follows.^[1]

Matchday	Date
Matchday 1	7–15 November 2016
Matchday 2
Matchday 3	20–28 March 2017
Matchday 4
Matchday 5	5–13 June 2017
Matchday 6
Matchday 7	28 August – 5 September 2017
Matchday 8
Matchday 9	2–10 October 2017
Matchday 10

Standings

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification tiebreakers

In home-and-away league format, the ranking of teams in each group is based on the following criteria (regulations Articles 20.6 and 20.7):[3] Points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss) Goal difference Goals scored Points in matches between tied teams Goal difference in matches between tied teams Goals scored in matches between tied teams Away goals scored in matches between tied teams (if the tie is only between two teams) Play-off match(es) on neutral ground (if approved by FIFA Organizing Committee), with extra time and penalty shoot-out if necessary

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification			T2	T3	T4	T5	T6
1	Mexico	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification to 2018 FIFA World Cup		—	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD
1	Team 2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			TBD	—	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD
1	Team 3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			TBD	TBD	—	TBD	TBD	TBD
1	Team 4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to inter-confederation play-offs		TBD	TBD	TBD	—	TBD	TBD
1	Team 5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	—	TBD
1	Team 6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	—

First match(es) will be played on TBD. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers

References

1. "CONCACAF to Hold Preliminary FIFA World Cup Qualifying Draw in Miami on January 15". CONCACAF. 12 January 2015.
2. "USMNT to start 2018 World Cup qualifying in November of 2015". Sports Illustrated. 12 January 2015.
3. "Regulations – 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia" (PDF). FIFA.com.

External links

• Official FIFA World Cup website
  • Qualifiers – North, Central America and Caribbean: Round 5, FIFA.com
• World Cup Qualifying – Men, CONCACAF.com