The CONCACAF Championship, also known as CONCACAF Nations Championship, was an association football competition organized by CONCACAF as its top continental tournament for men's senior national teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The tournament was held from 1963 to 1989, it is the direct predecessor of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Prior to the founding of CONCACAF in 1961, the predecessor confederations (NAFC and CCCF) organized their top senior national team tournaments, NAFC Championship for North America (1947 and 1949), and CCCF Championship for Central America and the Caribbean (1941–1961) before the merged to form CONCACAF.
The inaugural edition was held in 1963 and was CONCACAF's first tournament for national teams. The competition retained its tournament format and was played on a biennial basis for a decade.
In 1973 the tournament became the qualifying tournament for the FIFA World Cup and was played on a quadrennial basis. The CONCACAF trophy was given to the team that ranked highest in the qualifying group. In 1985 and 1989, there was no host nation for the competition.
Results
10 editions of the tournament were held.
Year | Hosts | Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Fourth place | Teams |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1963 | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
9 |
1965 | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
6 |
1967 | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
6 |
1969 | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
6 |
1971 | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
6 |
1973 | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
6 |
1977 | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
6 |
1981 | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
6 |
1985 | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
9 |
1989 | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
5 |
Performances
Team | Titles | Runners-up | Third place | Fourth place | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
3 (1965, 1971, 1977) |
1 (1967) |
2 (1973, 1981) |
1 (1969) |
7 |
![]() |
3 (1963, 1969, 1989) |
– | 3 (1965, 1971, 1985) |
– | 6 |
![]() |
1 (1967) |
2 (1965, 1969) |
– | 1 (1989) |
4 |
![]() |
1 (1973) |
2 (1971, 1977) |
– | – | 3 |
![]() |
1 (1981) |
1 (1985) |
1 (1967) |
2 (1963, 1973) |
5 |
![]() |
1 (1985) |
– | – | 2 (1977, 1981) |
3 |
![]() |
– | 2 (1963, 1981) |
1 (1977) |
2 (1965, 1985) |
5 |
![]() |
– | 1 (1973) |
1 (1989) |
1 (1967) |
3 |
![]() |
– | 1 (1989) |
– | – | 1 |
![]() |
– | – | 2 (1963, 1969) |
– | 2 |
![]() |
– | – | – | 1 (1971) |
1 |
- Notes
Italic — Hosts
Debut of teams
A total of 15 national teams participated in the competition:
Edition | Debuting teams | No. | Total |
---|---|---|---|
1963 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
9 | 9 |
1965 | ![]() |
1 | 10 |
1967 | ![]() |
1 | 11 |
1969 | – | 0 | 11 |
1971 | ![]() |
1 | 12 |
1973 | – | 0 | 12 |
1977 | ![]() ![]() |
2 | 14 |
1981 | – | 0 | 14 |
1985 | ![]() |
1 | 15 |
1989 | – | 0 | 15 |
Records and statistics
Overall statistics by team
In this ranking 2 points are awarded for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. As per statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws. Teams are ranked by total points, then by goal difference, then by goals scored.
Rank | Team | Part | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Dif | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
8 | 38 | 22 | 10 | 6 | 78 | 24 | +54 | 54 |
2 | ![]() |
6 | 37 | 20 | 11 | 6 | 64 | 27 | +37 | 51 |
3 | ![]() |
8 | 39 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 58 | 40 | +18 | 42 |
4 | ![]() |
6 | 35 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 36 |
5 | ![]() |
6 | 32 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 43 | 40 | +3 | 32 |
6 | ![]() |
6 | 32 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 36 | 50 | -14 | 27 |
7 | ![]() |
7 | 34 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 33 | 51 | -18 | 27 |
8 | ![]() |
3 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 24 | 18 | +6 | 23 |
9 | ![]() |
2 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 16 |
10 | ![]() |
4 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 27 | 55 | -28 | 15 |
11 | ![]() |
2 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 15 | -6 | 8 |
12 | ![]() |
1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 4 |
13 | ![]() |
2 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 26 | -18 | 1 |
14 | ![]() |
2 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 27 | -22 | 1 |
15 | ![]() |
2 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 26 | -22 | 1 |
Competitive records
Legend
- 1st – Champions
- 2nd – Runners-up
- 3rd – Third place
- 4th – Fourth place
- SF – Semifinals
- QF – Quarterfinals
- GS – Group stage
- Q – Qualified for upcoming tournament
- • – Did not qualify
- •× – Disqualified
- × – Did not enter / Withdrew / Banned
- – Hosts
For each tournament, the number of teams in each finals tournament are shown (in parentheses).
Team (15) | ![]() 1963 (9) |
![]() 1965 (6) |
![]() 1967 (6) |
![]() 1969 (6) |
![]() 1971 (6) |
![]() 1973 (6) |
![]() 1977 (6) |
![]() 1981 (6) |
1985 (9) |
1989 (5) |
Times entered |
Times qualified |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
× | × | × | × | × | • | 4th | 4th | 1st | • | 5 | 3 |
![]() |
1st | 3rd | × | 1st | 3rd | • | • | • | 3rd | 1st | 9 | 6 |
![]() |
× | × | • | × | 4th | × | • | GS | × | • | 5 | 2 |
![]() |
2nd | 4th | × | •× | × | • | 3rd | 2nd | 4th | GS | 7 | 6 |
![]() |
GS | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | • | GS | GS | • | GS | 4th | 10 | 8 |
![]() |
• | GS | GS | •× | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | GS | GS | × | 9 | 7 |
![]() |
4th | • | 3rd | •× | GS | 4th | • | 1st | 2nd | • | 10 | 6 |
![]() |
GS | × | • | GS | • | × | × | × | × | • | 5 | 2 |
![]() |
GS | 1st | 2nd | 4th | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 3rd | × | •× | 8 | 8 |
![]() |
3rd | GS | • | 3rd | × | GS | • | • | • | • | 8 | 4 |
![]() |
GS | • | GS | × | • | • | × | × | × | × | 5 | 2 |
![]() |
GS | × | • | • | × | × | • | • | • | • | 7 | 1 |
![]() |
× | × | × | × | × | • | GS | • | GS | × | 4 | 2 |
![]() |
× | × | 4th | GS | GS | 2nd | GS | • | • | 3rd | 8 | 6 |
![]() |
× | × | × | • | × | • | • | • | GS | 2nd | 6 | 2 |
Team (15) | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 5 | Times entered |
Times qualified |
Top goalscorers

Edition | Player | Goals |
---|---|---|
1963 | ![]() |
6 |
1965 | ![]() |
5 |
1967 | ![]() |
4 |
1969 | ![]() |
4 |
1971 | ![]() |
4 |
1973 | ![]() |
7 |
1977 | ![]() |
6 |
1981 | ![]() |
3 |
1985 | ![]() |
5 |
1989 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
2 |
Hat-tricks
Sequence | Player | Time of goals | For | Result | Against | Tournament | Round | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Juan Gonzalez | 17', 22', 72' | ![]() |
4–1 | ![]() |
1963 | Final round | 3 April 1963 |
2. | Javier Fragoso | 57', 71', 85' | ![]() |
5–0 | ![]() |
1965 | Final tournament | 1 April 1965 |
3. | Raúl Arellano Gallo | 36', 53', 85' | ![]() |
4–0 | ![]() |
1967 | Final tournament | 6 March 1967 |
4. | Víctor Ruiz | ?', ?', ?' | ![]() |
5–0 | ![]() |
1969 | Final tournament | 4 December 1969 |
5. | Emmanuel Sanon | ?', ?', ?',?' | ![]() |
6–1 | ![]() |
1971 | Final tournament | 28 November 1971 |
6. | Octavio Muciño | 32', 45', 46', 82' | ![]() |
8–0 | ![]() |
1973 | Final round | 8 December 1973 |
7. | Steve David | 15', 51', 62' | ![]() |
4–0 | ![]() |
1973 | Final round | 17 December 1973 |
8. | Hugo Sánchez | 46', 70', 82' | ![]() |
4–1 | ![]() |
1977 | Final round | 9 September 1977 |
Winning managers
Edition | Manager | Nation | Source |
---|---|---|---|
1963 | ![]() |
![]() |
[1] |
1965 | ![]() |
![]() |
|
1967 | ![]() |
![]() |
|
1969 | ![]() |
![]() |
|
1971 | ![]() |
![]() |
|
1973 | ![]() |
![]() |
|
1977 | ![]() |
![]() |
|
1981 | ![]() |
![]() |
|
1985 | ![]() |
![]() |
|
1989 | ![]() |
![]() |
Hosts and defending champions
Hosts
Time(s) | Nation | Edition(s) |
---|---|---|
2 | ![]() |
1967, 1981 |
1 | ![]() |
1963 |
1 | ![]() |
1965 |
1 | ![]() |
1969 |
1 | ![]() |
1971 |
1 | ![]() |
1973 |
1 | ![]() |
1977 |
Host results
|
Defending champions
|
|
See also
References
- ^ a b Castro, Rodrigo A. Calvo (6 April 2012). "Costa Rica wins 1963 NORCECA title". CONCACAF.com. Archived from the original on 9 April 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.