Javier Hernandez of Mexico collides with Kyle Beckerman of the US during their 2015 CONCACAF Cup match at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on October 10, 2015. The match is a playoff for the 2017 Confederations Cup. AFP PHOTO / FREDERIC J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)
The draw for CONCACAF's final round of World Cup qualifying will be held on July 8 at 10 a.m. ET. The confederation accounced the date and time for the draw on Friday, as well as how the draw will be conducted. But even then, we won't know the exact schedule or locations for the round then because the semifinal round of qualifying is still being played.
The semifinal round of qualifying runs through September 6, with each of the 12 teams remaining still to play two matches. So far, only Mexico have booked their place in the final round of qualifying, which is called "the Hex" because there are six teams. The top two teams from each of the three groups in the semifinal round will advance to the Hex, which will begin in November.
There will be two pots for the draw. The first will have the six balls, labeled A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2, which will correspond with the first place team in Group A of the semifinal round, the second place team in Group A, the first place team in Group B, etc.
After a ball is drawn from Pot 1, a ball will be drawn from Pot 2, which will label the team as Team 1, Team 2, Team 3, Team 4, Team 5 or Team 6.
So after the draw, we will know that the first place team from Group A is (for example) Team 2 for the Hex or the second place team from Group C is Team 6 for the Hex. That will set their schedule for the Hex, so as soon as the semifinal round of qualifying is complete on September 6, the Hex will be filled out.
The format for the Hex is a simple round-robin, with each team playing the five other teams home and away over 12 months. The top three teams will qualify automatically for the 2018 World Cup, while the fourth place team will go into an intercontinental two-legged playoff for one of the final World Cup places.
The United States are currently second in Group C of the semifinal round, trailing Trinidad and Tobago by three points. Costa Rica lead Group B, with Panama behind them and Mexico have clinched first place in Group A as Honduras and Canada sit tied for second.
The draw will be streamed live on CONCACAF.com.
Schedule
Matchday 1 (November 7-15, 2016)
Team 1 vs. Team 5
Team 3 vs. Team 2
Team 6 vs. Team 4
Matchday 2 (November 7-15, 2016)
Team 4 vs. Team 1
Team 2 vs. Team 5
Team 3 vs. Team 6
Matchday 3 (March 20-28, 2017)
Team 1 vs. Team 3
Team 6 vs. Team 2
Team 5 vs. Team 4
Matchday 4 (March 20-28, 2017)
Team 2 vs. Team 1
Team 3 vs. Team 4
Team 6 vs. Team 5
Matchday 5 (June 5-13, 2017)
Team 1 vs. Team 6
Team 4 vs. Team 2
Team 5 vs. Team 3
Matchday 6 (June 5-13, 2017)
Team 5 vs. Team 1
Team 2 vs. Team 3
Team 4 vs. Team 6
Matchday 7 (August 28-September 5, 2017)
Team 1 vs. Team 4
Team 5 vs. Team 2
Team 6 vs. Team 3
Matchday 8 (August 28-September 5, 2017)
Team 3 vs. Team 1
Team 2 vs. Team 6
Team 4 vs. Team 5
Matchday 9 (October 2-14, 2017)
Team 1 vs. Team 2
Team 4 vs. Team 3
Team 5 vs. Team 6
Matchday 10 (October 2-14, 2017)
Team 6 vs. Team 1
Team 2 vs. Team 4
Team 3 vs. Team 5
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