Bermuda and Trinidad and Tobago have both clinched coveted places in the Final Round of the Concacaf qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following decisive performances in their respective groups during the closing matches of the Second Round.

Bermuda booked their ticket with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Cuba at Estadio Antonio Maceo in Santiago de Cuba. Djair Parfitt-Williams opened the scoring for Bermuda in the sixth minute, but Cuba’s Jorge Aguirre equalized in the 58th. The match-winner came in the 74th minute, when Reggie Lambe calmly finished after connecting with a through ball from Ne-Jai Tucker. The win allowed Bermuda to leapfrog Cuba and secure the final qualifying spot from Group A.

Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago advanced from Group B despite a narrow 2-1 defeat to Costa Rica in San José. Costa Rica took a 2-0 lead through goals from Jeyland Mitchell and Warren Madrigal, but Trinidad and Tobago’s Levi García pulled one back in the 58th minute. The Soca Warriors’ earlier emphatic 6-2 win over Saint Kitts and Nevis had already put them in a strong position, and their overall performance was enough to see them through as group runners-up.

With these results, both Bermuda and Trinidad and Tobago join ten other nations in the upcoming Final Round, where twelve teams will be drawn into three groups of four. The top team from each group will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, while the two best second-place finishers will have a chance to compete in inter-confederation playoffs.

The draw for the Final Round is scheduled to take place in Miami, setting the stage for an intense campaign as teams vie for a place on football’s biggest stage. For both Bermuda and Trinidad and Tobago, advancing to this stage marks a significant achievement and keeps their World Cup dreams alive.