August 4 – CONCACAF have launched an U13 Champions League tournament that kicks off today in Mexico City. The eight-team competition is the youngest official age-group tournament the confederation has ever held and will be played over four days.
Competing teams have been invited based on the performance of senior teams in the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League this season, and ensuring a geographical split with representation from the three sub-regions of North and Central America, and the Caribbean.
The eight teams competing are: Montreal Impact (Canada), CS Herediano (Costa Rica), CD Chalatenango (El Salvador), Harbour View FC (Jamaica), Aguilas UAS (Mexico), Toluca FC (Mexico), Chepo FC (Panama), DC United (USA).
“We are very excited about the kickoff of this inaugural Under-13 Champions League Invitational – our youngest category to date to compete in a CONCACAF-sanctioned tournament,” said CONCACAF Acting General Secretary Ted Howard.
All matches will be played at the Cruz Azul Acoxpa Stadium (the Cruz Azul training facility), in a round-robin group format, with all teams guaranteed three games. The top two teams in each of the four-team groups will then compete in a semi-final round on August 7, followed by the Final on Saturday, August 8.
“Scotiabank is proud and excited to support this new and unique under-13 tournament,” said John Doig, Chief Marketing Officer, Scotiabank. “The Bank has a strong belief in supporting young people in sport and engaging with young athletes to help them develop self-confidence, teamwork and leadership skills. Fostering these opportunities is the key to building strong communities all around the world.”
While the U13s are playing in their Champions League final tournament, the senior teams open up their 2015/16 campaigns with the first round of group matches, also starting today.
CONCACAF have launcehd U15 boys and girls competitions, played alternate years. The second U15 boys competition to be played in the Cayman Islands and Jamaica this August – and which had more than 36 countries entered – was postponed following the governance scandal that engulfed the confederation in May with the arrests of president Jeffrey Webb and executive committee member Eduardo Li. A smaller Caribbean-based tournament is understood to have been resurrected by the Caribbean Football Union.
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