England to Compete in CONCACAF Under-15 Championship as International Guest

Three Lions’ Boys’ U-15 Team will join second edition of Confederation’s youth tournament in August

Grand Cayman (Monday, March 22, 2015) – The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced today the addition of the England National Under-15 Boys team to the list of competitors set to participate in the second CONCACAF Boys’ Under-15 Championship in August.

The event will now have 35 participating teams, which makes it the biggest tournament the region has ever hosted.

“Our focus has always been on development and increasing the international exposure for our young players,” said CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb. “Competition this year will be fierce, and there will certainly be stellar performances to watch as England participates with the best of CONCACAF’s talents.”

From August 11-23, teams from the Caribbean, Central and North America will compete in Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Jamaica during the group stage. The semi-finals and finals will be hosted in Grand Cayman.

“On behalf of The FA, we are delighted to accept the invitation to take part in the CONCACAF youth tournament in the Cayman Islands this August,” said Greg Dyke, Chairman of The Football Association. “An essential part of development football is broadening players’ experience – both on and off the pitch – and giving them the chance to regularly test themselves against different styles and systems. I am sure it will be a great competition and wish all taking part the very best of luck.”

“This tournament is already making history for being the largest of its kind to be hosted in the Cayman Islands,” said Minister for Sports of the Cayman Islands, Hon. Osbourne Bodden. “To have the English national U-15 team compete, adds to its growing status and prestige and is a welcomed addition to the tournament. It is a credit to CONCACAF and to the Cayman Islands to have developed the capacity to host a tournament of such caliber, to attract so many quality teams from across the region and beyond.”

CONCACAF teams scheduled to participate this August, by sub-region, are:

Caribbean (24): Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, U.S. Virgin Islands,

Central America (7): Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama,

North America (3): Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

IMAGE: Cayman Islands U-15 caymanfootball.com