| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | Honduras |
| Dates | 26 November – 17 December |
| Teams | 13 |
| Venue(s) | •
Estadio Nacional Chelato Uclés • Estadio Francisco Morazán |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | 
Mexico (6th title) |
| Runners-up | 
Canada |
| Third place | 
Honduras |
| Fourth place | 
Costa Rica |
The 1978 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship was held in Honduras. It also served as qualification for the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship.
Teams
The following teams entered the tournament:
Round 1
Group A
| Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Honduras
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 4 |
|
Canada
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2 | +7 | 2 |
Dominican Republic
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 | –14 | 0 |
| 26 November |
Canada
|
9–0 |
Dominican Republic
|
| 30 November |
Honduras
|
5–0 |
Dominican Republic
|
| 3 December |
Honduras
|
2–0 |
Canada
|
Group B
| Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | +6 | 4 |
Trinidad and Tobago
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | –3 | 2 |
Puerto Rico
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | –3 | 0 |
| 28 November |
United States
|
2–0 |
Puerto Rico
|
| 1 December |
United States
|
4–0 |
Trinidad and Tobago
|
| 4 December |
Puerto Rico
|
1–2 |
Trinidad and Tobago
|
Group C
| Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mexico
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | +14 | 6 |
El Salvador
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 4 |
Netherlands Antilles
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 9 | –6 | 2 |
Grenada
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 13 | –11 | 0 |
| 26 November |
Mexico
|
7–0 |
Grenada
|
| 27 November |
El Salvador
|
2–0 |
Netherlands Antilles
|
| 30 November |
Netherlands Antilles
|
3–2 |
Grenada
|
|
El Salvador
|
0–2 |
Mexico
| |
| 3 December |
El Salvador
|
3–0 |
Grenada
|
|
Mexico
|
5–0 |
Netherlands Antilles
|
Group D
| Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 4 |
Haiti
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Bermuda
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | –3 | 0 |
| 28 November |
Haiti
|
2–1 |
Bermuda
|
| 1 December |
Costa Rica
|
4–2 |
Bermuda
|
| 4 December |
Costa Rica
|
1–0 |
Haiti
|
Round 2
Group A
| Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Honduras
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 6 |
|
Canada
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
|
Trinidad and Tobago
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | –4 | 2 |
|
United States
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | –3 | 1 |
| 7 December |
Canada
|
0–0 |
United States
|
|
Honduras
|
3–0 |
Trinidad and Tobago
| |
| 10 December |
Canada
|
0–1 |
Honduras
|
|
United States
|
1–3 |
Trinidad and Tobago
| |
| 12 December |
Canada
|
3–0 |
Trinidad and Tobago
|
|
Honduras
|
1–0 |
United States
|
Group B
| Teams | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 5 |
|
Mexico
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 4 |
|
El Salvador
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 3 |
|
Haiti
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | –8 | 0 |
| 7 December |
Costa Rica
|
1–1 |
El Salvador
|
|
Mexico
|
1–0 |
Haiti
| |
| 10 December |
El Salvador
|
1–3 |
Mexico
|
|
Costa Rica
|
3–0 |
Haiti
| |
| 12 December |
El Salvador
|
4–0 |
Haiti
|
|
Costa Rica
|
3–1 |
Mexico
|
Semifinals
|
Canada | 4 – 0 |
Costa Rica |
|---|---|---|
Third place match
|
Honduras | 2 – 1 |
Costa Rica |
|---|---|---|
Final
| 1978 CONCACAF U-20 Championship |
|---|
 Mexico Sixth title |
Qualification to World Youth Championship
The two best performing teams qualified for the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship.