16 CONCACAF countries have applied for the championship. However, FIFA rejected 
Belize because of its debt to FIFA.
The qualifying tournament was played in two stages:
- First stage :
Canada 
Honduras 
Salvador 
USA and 
Mexico (five teams with the highest FIFA rating) go straight to the second stage. The remaining 10 teams were split in pairs and in two matches (at home and away) determined the participants of the second stage. - Second stage : 10 teams were divided in pairs and in two matches (at home and away) determined the participants of the final tournament (CONCACAF Championship).
Stage One
| April 17, 1988 |
| Stadium: Bourda Cricket Ground, Georgetown Spectators: 1,500 Judge: Omar Tribulo Monson |
| May 8, 1988 |
| Stadium: San Fernando, San Fernando Spectators: 1,744 Judge: Success arlington |
Trinidad and Tobago reached the second stage in the sum of two matches (5-0).
| April 30, 1988 |
| Stadium: Pedro Marrero, Havana Spectators: 12,000 Judge: Rodolfo Martinez Mejia |
| May 15, 1988 |
| Stadium: Marquesa de la Encenada, San Marcos Spectators: 18,000 Judge: Julio Salas |
Guatemala reached the second stage in the sum of two matches (2-1).
| May 12, 1988 |
| Stadium: Independence Park, Kingston Spectators: 36,000 Judge: Jorge Melendez Gonzalez |
| May 29, 1988 |
| Stadium: Sixto Escobar, San Juan Spectators: 675 Judge: Pearson neville |
Jamaica reached the second stage in the sum of two matches (3-1).
| June 19, 1988 |
| Stadium: Antigua Recreational Ground, St. Johns Spectators: 426 Judge: Hernandez castro luis |
| July 29, 1988 |
| Stadium: Center Deportivo Corson, Willemstad Spectators: 3,009 Judge: Garzay Ochoa Jose Antonio |
Netherlands Antilles reached the second stage in the sum of two matches (4-1).
| July 17, 1988 |
| Stadium: Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto, Alajuela Spectators: 14 694 Judge: Rodriguez Medina Rafael |
| July 31, 1988 |
| Stadium: Estadio Rommel Fernandez, Panama Spectators: 25,000 Judge: Branche charles |
Costa Rica reached the second stage in the sum of two matches (3-1).
Second Stage
| July 24, 1988 |
| Stadium: Independence Park, Kingston Spectators: 15,000 Judge: Julio Jose Lopez |
| August 13, 1988 |
| Stadium: Busch Memorial, St. Louis Spectators: 6,100 Judge: Brummitt david |
The USA reached the final tournament in the sum of two matches (5-1).
| October 9, 1988 |
| Stadium: Mateo Flores, Guatemala Spectators: 17 065 Judge: Angelo bratsis |
| October 15, 1988 |
| Stadium: Swangard Stadium, Burnaby Spectators: 6,318 Judge: Ulloa morera |
The score for the sum of two matches was a draw (3-3), Guatemala reached the final tournament, scoring more goals away.
| October 30, 1988 |
| Stadium: Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain Viewers: Judge: Arturo Brisio Carter |
| November 13, 1988 |
| Stadium: Estadio Francisco Morazan, Tegucigalpa Spectators: 40,000 Judge: Evangelista Antonio |
The score for the sum of two matches was a draw (1-1), Trinidad and Tobago reached the final tournament, scoring more goals away.
| October 1, 1988 |
| Stadium: Center Deportivo Corson, Willemstad Spectators: 3 311 Judge: Branche charles |
| October 16, 1988 |
| Stadium: Estadio Cuscatlan, San Salvador Spectators: 40,000 Judge: Bucknor steve |
El Salvador entered the final tournament in the sum of two matches (6-0).
Mexico was disqualified for using an inappropriate player in a youth tournament, Costa Rica entered the final tournament automatically.