Thirteen teams from across the region will be competing in the 2014 Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU) Championship Cup. The tournament is one of the major events on the CFU calendar and is the official qualifying tournament for the 2014/2015 CONCACAF Champions League.
This year’s tournament has been divided into three (3) groups with four teams; while defending champions Valencia Football Club from Haiti, has been granted a bye to enter the competition in the final round.
CFU President Gordon Derrick, has hailed the increase of clubs entering the competition as a reflection of the interest and willingness of regional clubs to test their mettle against the best CONCACAF has to offer.
“I consider them the lucky 13 and three of them will advance to face top flight competition in the CONCACAF Champions League. We in the CFU executive are encouraged by this response and bodes well for our agenda of developing football at every level in the Caribbean “I want to wish every team success in this competition and those who move forward , may they continue to make the CFU proud,” said Derrick.
In Group 1 the teams are Centro Dominguito from Curacao; Bayamon from Puerto Rico; Bodden Town from the Cayman Islands, and Unite Saint Rosienne from Guadeloupe.
Group 2 consists of the Association Sportive de Mirebalais from Haiti; Waterhouse Football Cub from Jamaica; Inter Moegotopoe from Suriname, and Caledonia AIA from Trinidad and Tobago.
In Group 3 football fans will find Harbour View Football Club from Jamaica; Alpha United from Guyana; Defence Force Football Team from Trinidad & Tobago, and Sporting Vereniging Notch from Suriname.
All games are scheduled to be played simultaneously from March 19-26 with the final round set for April 16-21 in a knock-out format to crown a champion and the three places up for grabs at the CONCACAF Champions League.
The CFU Executive Committee has approved the following Clubs and cities as hosts for the Preliminary Round of the Championship: Group 1 Bayamon FC Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Group 2 will be hosted by Association Sportive de Mirebalais Petion Ville, Haiti and Group 3 will be hosted by Jamaica’s Harbour View FC.
The host for the finals will be announced at a later date.