Charleston Battery forward Rubio Rubín has been called up to represent Guatemala for the final pair of Concacaf qualification matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The set of games is slated for November 13-18.
Rubín and Guatemala are in Group A with El Salvador, Panama, and Suriname, and currently sit third with five points in the standings, but one point out of first place. The winner of the group will officially punch their ticket to the 2026 World Cup.
With home field advantage for the final two games, Los Chapines will face Panama on November 13 at 9 p.m. ET at the Estadio El Trébol in Guatemala City, and then take on Suriname on November 18 at 8 p.m. ET at the Estadio El Trébol. Both games will stream on Paramount+.
Rubín has featured in all four of Guatemala’s qualifiers in the final round. The striker helped close out the 0-1 road victory over El Salvador in their last qualifier in October.
While winning the group directly secures qualification, the two best runners-up across the three groups will represent Concacaf in the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff in March 2026, where they will compete for two additional World Cup berths. Guatemala are aiming to qualify for their first-ever World Cup.
The call-up for Rubín comes after concluding his first season with Charleston, where he recorded four goals and three assists in 22 matches across all competitions after joining mid-season in April.
Rubín has been a mainstay for Los Chapines since his debut in 2022, scoring 13 goals and earning 39 caps for Guatemala.
¡Buena suerte, Rubio!
