← All waiting teams
Nicaragua flag

Nicaragua

Nicaragua have never won a FIFA World Cup or CONCACAF Gold Cup.

North & Central America, Caribbean (CONCACAF) · No major trophy yet

Still waiting for a first title
📚 Featured Story
Nicaragua Trophy Drought: The Pinoleros' Gold Cup Climb
Nicaragua have returned to the Gold Cup, but a major men's title and World Cup appearance remain missing
Read the full story →

Nicaragua's story so far

Nicaragua are one of 160 national teams who have never won a FIFA World Cup or their confederation's continental championship — the same two-tier standard tracked for every team on this site. Nicaragua's 2017 Gold Cup campaign was their first appearance at the tournament since 2009. They qualified through the play-offs, where Juan Barrera scored a hat-trick against Haiti, but the team has still never reached a World Cup finals tournament.

Nicaragua at a glance

ConfederationNorth & Central America, Caribbean (CONCACAF)
Continental title trackedCONCACAF Gold Cup
Best documented resultNicaragua's 2017 Gold Cup campaign was their first appearance at the tournament since 2009. They qualified through the play-offs, where Juan Barrera scored a hat-trick against Haiti, but the team has still never reached a World Cup finals tournament.

What would it take?

To join the 51 nations already tracked here, Nicaragua would need to win either the FIFA World Cup or the CONCACAF Gold Cup — the top continental honor in the North & Central America, Caribbean (CONCACAF) region. Both remain fully open: there's no ranking or seeding that rules a team out permanently, only qualification and results on the pitch.

Frequently asked questions

Has Nicaragua ever won a major football trophy?

No. Nicaragua have never won a FIFA World Cup or the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Nicaragua's 2017 Gold Cup campaign was their first appearance at the tournament since 2009. They qualified through the play-offs, where Juan Barrera scored a hat-trick against Haiti, but the team has still never reached a World Cup finals tournament.

What is Nicaragua's best-ever tournament result?

Nicaragua's 2017 Gold Cup campaign was their first appearance at the tournament since 2009. They qualified through the play-offs, where Juan Barrera scored a hat-trick against Haiti, but the team has still never reached a World Cup finals tournament.

Which trophies could Nicaragua still win?

The FIFA World Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup are the two competitions tracked on this site — both remain open to Nicaragua.

Which confederation does Nicaragua compete in?

Nicaragua competes in North & Central America, Caribbean (CONCACAF). Its main continental championship is the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

How does TrophyDrought define a major trophy?

We track the FIFA World Cup and each team's top senior men's continental championship. Regional, youth and club competitions are not included in this main ranking.

Data sources & verification for this page

Last verified 2026-09-10. Trophy dates are checked against official competition information and the relevant football confederation.

Other teams still waiting (North & Central America, Caribbean (CONCACAF))

Panama flagPanamaPuerto Rico flagPuerto RicoSint Maarten flagSint MaartenSt Kitts and Nevis flagSt Kitts and NevisSt Lucia flagSt Lucia

Teams from North & Central America, Caribbean (CONCACAF) that have already won

Mexico flagMexicoUnited States flagUnited StatesCanada flagCanada

Data last verified: 2026-09-10