Draw yields enticing matchups for CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship 2014 Cayman Islands

Eight-team event will determine three finalists for 2014 FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup in Canada

Grand Cayman (Tuesday, November 5, 2013) – The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) today conducted the draw for the CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship 2014 Cayman Islands.

At the Westin Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman, CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb oversaw proceedings, conducted by General Secretary Enrique Sanz, which determined the groupings and match schedule for the eleven-day football festival to be disputed on Grand Cayman from 9-19 January 2014.

Host Cayman Islands — seeded into Group B — will kick off against Mexico, while defending CONCACAF women’s under-20 champion United States – seeded in Group A – opens against Central American foe Costa Rica. Jamaica and Guatemala kick off tournament action on January 9, while Trinidad & Tobago and Honduras round out Group B, which begins play the next day.

“We can be proud that in women’s youth football, CONCACAF has produced world class teams that have in many ways set a benchmark in the sport,” said CONCACAF President Webb.

The two groups of four teams drawn on Tuesday will participate in round-robin play over the competition’s first six match days. The top two teams from each group will then advance to the semifinals, to be played on Friday, January 17.  The semifinal winners will dispute the final, and qualify directly to join host Canada in representing CONCACAF at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. The winner of the third place match also earns a coveted ticket to the World Cup.

“We can be confident that this next CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship will showcase players who in 2014 will go to Canada and win more awards for themselves, their country, and CONCACAF,” said Webb.

All tournament matches will be held at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex.  The complete tournament schedule can be found here, and below

The United States has won three of the four CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championships to date, including the inaugural tournament in 2006, and the last edition in 2012.  Canada was crowned champion in 2008.

CONCACAF will host all of FIFA’s Women’s World Cup events in 2014 and 2015, starting with the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica from March 15 to April 15, 2014, followed by the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada from August 5 to August 20, 2014 and culminating with the FIFA Women’s World Cup from June 6 to July 5, 2015.

CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship 2014 Cayman Islands

January 9–19, 2014

Grand Cayman (Truman Bodden Sports Complex)

FIRST ROUND GROUPS

Group A: United States, Guatemala, Jamaica, Costa Rica

Group B: Cayman Islands, Honduras, Trinidad & Tobago, Mexico

SCHEDULE

(Times U.S. EST and Cayman)

GROUP STAGE

Thursday, January 9

Guatemala vs. Jamaica, (5:00 p.m.)

United States vs. Costa Rica, (7:30 p.m.)

Friday, January 10

Honduras vs. Trinidad & Tobago, (5:00 p.m.)

Cayman Islands vs. Mexico, (7:30 p.m.)

Saturday, January 11

Costa Rica vs. Guatemala, (5:00 p.m.)

Jamaica vs. United States, (7:30 p.m.)

Sunday, January 12

Mexico vs. Honduras, (5:00 p.m.)

Cayman Islands vs. Trinidad & Tobago, (7:30 p.m.)

Monday, January 13

Jamaica vs. Costa Rica, (5:00 p.m.)

United States vs. Guatemala, (7:30 p.m.)

Tuesday, January 14

Trinidad & Tobago vs. Mexico, (5:00 p.m.)

Cayman Islands vs. Honduras, (7:30 p.m.)

SEMIFINALS

Thursday, January7

SF #1:  Winner Group B vs. Second Group A, (4:00 p.m.)

SF #2:  Winner Group A vs. Second Group B, (7:00 p.m.)

THIRD-PLACE MATCH & FINAL

Saturday, January9

Loser SF #1 vs. Loser SF#2, (4:00 p.m.)

Winner SF #1 vs. Winner SF#2, (7:00 p.m.)

*Order of matches in subject to change.

ABOUT CONCACAF

CONCACAF “The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football” is one of six continental confederations of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and serves as the governing body of football in this part of the world. It is composed of 41 national associations, from Canada in the north to Guyana, Surinam and French Guyana in the south.