The U.S. has been placed in a four-team group that will include Trinidad and Tobago and the winners of two summer playoff series in the semifinal round of regional World Cup qualifying in November.
Saturday’s draw in St. Petersburg, Russia, appeared to be a favorable one for the Americans, who will also play the winners of two-leg playoffs pitting St. Vincent and the Grenadines against Aruba and Guatemala against Antigua and Barbuda. Those games will be played in late August and early September.
Meanwhile, Costa Rica, a quarterfinalist in the last World Cup, was drawn into a group that figures to include finalists from the last two CONCACAF Gold Cups in Panama and Jamaica, provided Jamaica beats Nicaragua in its summer playoff.