📈📉 Concacaf men's national team power rankings: July 2025 edition
How did the Gold Cup & WCQ shake up our rankings?
The Gold Cup is behind us, as is the second round of World Cup qualification. Time for another edition of the Concacaf men’s national team power rankings!
After every window, I imitate fellow Dallas Sportsstacker
and form a committee of one. While Elo has numbers and FIFA has its formula, I have … vibes.Let’s get ranking!
First five out: Suriname, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Bermuda
10. Haiti 🇭🇹
Previous ranking: 7
Recent matches: Lost to Saudi Arabia, 1-0; drew Guadeloupe 2-1; lost to Panama 4-1
Up next: September World Cup qualification: v Honduras, @ Costa Rica
Haiti started 2025 with a friendly victory over Azerbaijan, and it looked like Les Grenadiers would replicate the form they showed in 2024 when they won each of their eight matches. As the level of difficulty ramped up, however, Haiti couldn’t cope.
Sebastien Migne’s team was smashed in a dead-rubber World Cup qualification match against Curacao, playing a good lineup despite both teams already being in the third round. Then, they headed to the Gold Cup and let winnable matches against Saudi Arabia and Trinidad and Tobago slip away.
It was a summer to forget for Haiti, one they must forget with World Cup qualification starting in September. They’ll have the most difficult qualification task, trying to get into the tournament without playing a single home game. I’m still hearing rumors about where they may set up shop - potentially in Florida even though most Haitians can’t get a new visa to the U.S. because of Donald Trump’s travel ban.
9. Curacao 🇨🇼
Previous ranking: NR
Recent matches: Drew El Salvador, 1-1; drew Canada 1-1; lost to Honduras 2-1
Up next: September World Cup qualification: @ Bermuda, v Trinidad & Tobago
After winning both June World Cup qualification matches, Curacao sent a bit of a reminder in the Gold Cup. While Dick Advocaat’s group couldn’t get into the knockout phase, they were able to secure draws against El Salvador and, notably, Canada.
With both Bacuna brothers missing, they struggled to hold off Honduras in the final group match, but the team trying to become the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup does look to still be in with a shout.
With Juriën Gaari and Roshon van Eijma in the middle of defense, Curacao may be able to frustrate fellow Caribbean teams during qualification.
8. Jamaica 🇯🇲
Previous ranking: 5
Recent matches: Lost to Guatemala, 1-0; beat Guadeloupe 2-1; lost to Panama 4-1
Up next: September World Cup qualification: @ Bermuda, v Trinidad & Tobago
It was a horrible month for Jamaica. While the Reggae Boyz achieved the top goal of getting to the final round of World Cup qualification, and the draw produced a winnable group. However, a pair of defeats in the group stage and a nervous win against Guadeloupe wasn’t how Steve McClaren drew things up.
The worst part? It feels like the same problems as always are cropping up. Questions about commitment from overseas-based players, an attack that has weapons but doesn’t fire, and that big hole in defensive midfield Jamaica thought it had plugged.
Top the group this fall, and it’s all forgotten. But that looked much more likely after May than it does after June.
7. Honduras 🇭🇳
Previous ranking: 8
Recent matches: Lost to Mexico 1-0 in Gold Cup semifinal
Up next: September World Cup qualification: @ Haiti (neutral site), v Nicaragua
Honduras moves up just one place despite making the Gold Cup semifinal. It may feel harsh. After all, their win over Panama in the Gold Cup quarterfinal was a victory against a team that has been Central America’s best for years now, and Los Catrachos earned the result.
Yet, Reinaldo Rueda’s squad falling 6-0 to Canada in the first group game can’t be forgotten, and it limits the climb in the rankings Honduras can have. This is their team. They need Romell Quioto and Anthony Lozano providing attacking danger. They need center back Denil Maldonado and goalkeeper Edrick Menjivar to register some of the best games of their lives.
That’s how they got the results in the Gold Cup - against a couple of weakened teams. Qualification is their chance to show they can do it consistently - and against full-strength squads.
6. Guatemala 🇬🇹
Previous ranking: 10
Recent matches: Lost to United States 2-1 in Gold Cup semifinal
Up next: September World Cup qualification: v. El Salvador & @ Panama
The biggest upward movers, Guatemala registered a dream Gold Cup and generated momentum ahead of their quest for a first-ever World Cup place. Los Chapines knocked Canada out at the quarterfinal stage, rallying from a goal down to tie the 10-men No Official Nicknames, and
Oscar Santis stole the headlines, while US-born players Rubio Rubin and Olger Escobar were also among the standouts.
But I was struck by what Guatemala was able to do at the back. Aaron Herrera had a great tournament, leading from the fullback position. Center backs Nicolas Samaoya and Juan Carlos Pinto played above their typical showings and gave the team solidity at the back, even when goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen had to pull out of the tournament after the group stage because of an injury.
Guatemala’s ceiling could be even higher, but it needs players to move on from the domestic league. Instead, it seems things are headed in the other direction.
Samaoya announced this week he’s leaving his club in Romania, with rumors putting him back at one of Guatemala’s big teams. Tom Bogert’s reporting suggests Rubin is happy to stay with the Charleston Battery if there’s no MLS offers. Santis looks set for another six months with Antigua if an MLS or Liga MX team doesn’t emerge.
It will be impossible to push on without players facing tougher day-to-day challenges - though Guatemala is aiming for the World Cup, not a top-five place in the power rankings.
5. Costa Rica 🇨🇷
Previous ranking: 6
Recent matches: Lost to the United States on shootout in Gold Cup quarterfinal
Up next: September World Cup qualification: @ Nicaragua & vs. Haiti
Miguel Herrera is off to a good start with the Ticos, even if he had nervous moments in all three group matches and in the quarterfinal against the U.S. that Costa Rica eventually lost.
While the U.S. was clearly the better team, especially as Costa Rica had to work out how to replace injured Jeyland Mitchell at the back and suspended Manfred Ugalde up top. He knew he could rely on Alonso Martinez, but getting a good day out of center back Alexis Gamboa was another good sign.
There’s work to do still melding certain factions of the team together, like veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas with the mostly young field players, but Costa Rica should be the favorite to win its World Cup qualification group and get back to the top tournament.
4. Panama 🇵🇦
Previous ranking: 3
Recent matches: Lost to Honduras on shootout in Gold Cup quarterfinal
Up next: September World Cup qualification: @ Suriname & vs. Guatemala
Another in the long list of teams that had important absences during the Gold Cup, Panama had a perfect Gold Cup group stage, but crumpled in the quarterfinal against Honduras.
Would it have happened if Coco Carrasquilla, Egar Yoel Barcenas and one of the team’s usual starting forwards were healthy? It’s fair to guess that it wouldn’t have.
It did, but Panama’s focus always has been World Cup qualification, which looks difficult since tournament darling Guatemala is in the same group. Then again, Panama beat Guatemala head-to-head at this very tournament.
3. Canada 🇨🇦
Previous ranking: 2
Recent matches: Lost to Guatemala on shootout in Gold Cup quarterfinal
Up next: Friendlies: Sept. 5 @ Romania
Sept. 9 @ Wales
Canada was bounced from the Gold Cup at the quarterfinals, missing the chance to end a 25-year trophy drought and to get more official matches prior to their World Cup opener in Toronto on June 12, 2026.
There were important players missing for this tournament, but as time has passed from the elimination, I’m thinking about the depth. With Moise Bombito out, Canada manager Jesse Marsch looked to 19-year-old Luc De Fougerolles as a starter. At times, he looked up to the level. At times, it didn’t work.
That’s part of a national team. You can’t go buy another center back or another fullback to replace the injured Alphonso Davies. Or a midfield with Stephen Eustáquio at the Club World Cup.
This is still a very good national team, but it’s one that may struggle to cover absences if when they pop up heading into next summer.
2. United States 🇺🇸
Previous ranking: 4
Recent matches: Lost to Mexico 2-1 in Gold Cup final, beat Guatemala 2-1 in semifinal
Up next: Friendlies: Sept. 6 v. South Korea
Sept. 9 v. Japan
The United States was fourth-best at the Nations League Final Four, and its ranking reflected that. At the start of the summer, it looked like they may stay in that place, or even drop, but Mauricio Pochettino’s patchwork group rallied to make the Gold Cup final and jumps to the second spot in the rankings.
Excuse or not, the U.S. was not at full strength at the Gold Cup for various reasons but still was able to put together a perfect group stage, get past Costa Rica in the quarterfinals, control Guatemala in the semis and, despite Mexico’s domination in the final, had a lead for 23 minutes and a chance to force the game to extra time until the whistle blew.
Along the way, players like Diego Luna, Malik Tillman, and Matt Freese stated their case to make the World Cup roster. That the stars of this tournament don’t feel like their place is guaranteed shows how much better the U.S. could get. For now, they’re looking good enough to be second-best in the region.
1. Mexico 🇲🇽
Previous ranking: 1
Recent matches: Beat United States 2-1 in Gold Cup final, beat Honduras 1-0 in semifinal
Up next: Friendlies: Sept. 6 v. Japan
Sept. 9 v. South Korea
There’s really no debate. Mexico fans will spend the next year pondering tweaks, worrying about deficiencies and hoping for new breakout stars. But El Tri is the best in the region.
They solidified their claim Sunday with a 2-1 victory over the United States, capping a summer that also saw mostly stress-free wins over Honduras and Saudi Arabia.
There is plenty to work on, but there is a breakout star already in 16-year-old Gilberto Mora. Mexico’s defense looks better than it has been since Rafa Marquez’s prime, with Cesar Montes and Johan Vazquez forming one of the best center-back partnerships in the Americas and enjoying the protection of Edson Alvarez in front of them.
Sure, you want someone other than those defenders or Raul Jimenez to score goals, but for now there’s no doubt Mexico is Concacaf’s top team.
Dreadful month for 🇯🇲 and the Caribbean countries in general. But they wont care if theyre in the World Cup at the end of the year like you said.
Interesting to see if Guatemala can carry their form to WCQs.
Reckon we might see one of 🇵🇦🇨🇷🇯🇲 falter.