Miami  – The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) today announced the addition of Puerto Rico FC to the 2017 Caribbean Club Championship field.

As current champion of the Luis Villarejo Cup, Puerto Rico FC will represent Puerto Rico in the Caribbean championship, which is set to kickoff next month in venues across the region.

With the addition of Puerto Rico FC, a record 21 clubs from 12 countries – headed by Trinidad & Tobago’s Central FC, the two-time defending champion – have qualified for the 19th edition of the competition, which will determine the region’s representative to the next edition of the Scotiabank CONCACAFChampions League.

The first round consists of five groups of four teams, which will play a round-robin format from late February through March. Greenbay Hoppers FC (Antigua & Barbuda), Don Bosco FC (Haiti), Montego Bay United FC (Jamaica), and System 3 Sport Academy (St. Vincent & the Grenadines) will all host the group stage.

Additionally, Puerto Rico FC will now host Group D, at Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel, from March 14 to 18.

Group Stage Venues:
Group A: Antigua Recreation Ground – St. John’s, Antigua & Barbuda,
Group B: Stade Sylvio Cator – Port-Au-Prince, Haiti
Group C: Montego Bay Sports Complex – Montego Bay, Jamaica
Group D: Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel – Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Group E: Victoria Park – Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

The five group winners will advance to the final round, scheduled to be played from May 14-21. That final round will now be hosted in Trinidad & Tobago by Central FC, which will receive a bye to the final round.

The champion of the Caribbean Club Championship earns a place in the newly re-formattedCONCACAF Champions League, while the second, third and fourth-placed clubs will participate in the Confederation’s newly launched club championship tournament for Caribbean and Central American teams, which kicks off in August.

2017 Caribbean Club Championship Participating teams
*Alphabetical order

Bequia United FC (St. Vincent & the Grenadines)
Central FC (Trinidad & Tobago)
Cibao FC (Dominican Republic)
Club Barcelona Atletico (Dominican Republic)
Club Sportif Moulien (Guadeloupe)
Don Bosco FC (Haiti)
Elite Sport Club (Cayman Islands)
Flames United SC (Sint Maarten)
Greenbay Hoppers FC (Antigua & Barbuda)
Grenades FC (Antigua & Barbuda)
Inter Moengo Tapoe (Suriname)
Montego Bay United FC (Jamaica)
Police FC (Montserrat)
Portmore United FC (Jamaica)
Puerto Rico FC (Puerto Rico)
Racing FC des Gonaives (Haiti)
San Juan Jabloteh FC (Trinidad & Tobago)
Scholars International (Cayman Islands)
SV Transvaal (Suriname)
System 3 Sport Academy (St. Vincent & the Grenadines)
USR Sainte‐Rose (Guadeloupe)

First Round Schedule

GROUP A (Antigua & Barbuda)
February 22, 2017
Racing FC vs Inter Moengo Tapoe
Greenbay Hoppers vs Bequia United FC

February 24, 2017
Bequia United FC vs Racing FC
Greenbay Hoppers vs Inter Moengo Tapoe

February 26, 2017
Inter Moengo Tapoe vs Bequia United FC
Greenbay Hoppers vs Racing FC

GROUP B (Haiti)
March 1, 2017
Police FC vs Cibao FC
Don Bosco FC vs USR Sainte-Rose

March 3, 2017
Cibao FC vs USR Sainte-Rose
Don Bosco FC v Police FC

March 5, 2017
USR Sainte-Rose vs Police FC
Don Bosco FC vs Cibao FC

GROUP C (Jamaica)
March 1, 2017
Club Barcelona Atletico vs Elite Sport Club
Montego Bay United FC vs Grenades FC

March 3, 2017
Grenades FC vs Club Barcelona Atletico
Montego Bay United FC vs Elite Sport Club

March 5, 2017
Elite Sport Club vs Grenades FC
Montego Bay United FC vs Club Barcelona Atletico

GROUP D (Puerto Rico)
March 14, 2017
Scholars International vs Portmore United FC
Puerto Rico FC vs SV Transvaal

March 16, 2017
Portmore United FC vs SV Transvaal
Puerto Rico FC vs Scholars International

March 18, 2017
SV Transvaal vs Scholars International
Perto Rico FC vs Portmore United FC

GROUP E (St. Vincent & the Grenadines)
March 8, 2017
Flames United SC vs San Juan Jabloteh
System 3 Sport Academy vs Club Sportif Moulien

March 10, 2017
San Juan Jabloteh vs Club Sportif Moulien
System 3 Sport Academy vs Flames United SC

March 12, 2017
Club Sportif Moulien vs Flames United SC
System 3 Sport Academy vs San Juan Jabloteth

END

IMAGE: Puerto Rico FC logo