May 1 – Concacaf is handing over the organization and management if its Caribbean Club Shield club competition to the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) from the 2024 edition onwards.
Under the new organisation the Caribbean’s second tier club competition will become an official CFU competition, and rebranded as the CFU Club Shield. It will qualify two clubs to the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, the top tier of club football competition in the Caribbean.
While Concacaf will continue to provide support for the CFU Club Shield, handing its organisation to the CFU will give the Caribbean leadership more control of the competition in the region with the aim of stimulating the growth of clubs and leagues across the Caribbean region.
“The development of regional club football is a major priority for Concacaf and alongside our Caribbean member associations, we are dedicated to fully supporting the growth of clubs and leagues across a region known for its passion for the sport,” said Concacaf president, Victor Montagliani.
The decision to hand control of the competition to the CFU and allow it to be rebranded marks something of a rehabilitation for the CFU
The CFU has struggled as a regional body since the corruption scandals of 2015 that saw the US Department of Justice indict more than 40 FIFA officials. Concacaf president Jeff Webb from the Cayman Islands, and former FIFA vice president and Concacaf president Jack Warner from Trinidad and Tobago were two of the highest profile football administrators from the Caribbean that were indicted.
Following the dramatic unveiling of the case against FIFA the CFU – once the most significant power broker in Concacaf and with influence on a global stage – was pretty much dismantled as sub-regional body.
“This collaboration with the CFU is a testament to the leadership of the CFU President and highlights the ambition we share to deliver opportunities that will take the game in the Caribbean to the next level,” said Montagliani.
The implication being that CFU has regained the wider trust of Concacaf.
Established in 2018 by Concacaf, the Caribbean Club Shield is open to semi-professional and amateur teams holding current championship titles in their domestic leagues.
The tournament format involves up to 16 clubs, in four groups of four. The winners of each group progress to the semifinals, with the ultimate finalists earning berths in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, subsequently qualifying for the Concacaf Champions Cup.
In 2023, Suriname’s SV Robinhood won their second championship title.
“We welcome the cooperation from Concacaf in ushering in this new era of the CFU delivering an important club competition and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the Confederation to grow club and league football in the region,” said CFU president, Randolph Harris.
“We are excited to deliver a competition that is as robust as any on the field of play and to delivering administration that meets and exceeds the mark,” added Harris.
The 2024 competition will be played July 25 to August 4, with Concacaf saying the venue for this year’s competition to be announced in the coming weeks.
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