September 11 – The race is hotting up in the Caribbean for qualifying places at the CFU Caribbean Cup finals in Jamaica this November. The finals will not only crown the Caribbean champions but will also provide the region’s qualifiers for the CONCACAF 2015 Gold Cup and the 2016 Copa America Centennario, both to be played in the US.
By Paul Nicholson in Miami
December 8 – CONCACAF has completed the final draw for the CONCACAF Women’s Championship 2014. The eight team finals, to be played this October, will not only crown a CONCACAF champion but will also qualify three teams for the finals next year in Canada (Canada qualify automatically as hosts) with a fourth team getting a play-off against the third-placed CONMEBOL team.
September 2 – The final national team squads for the Central American Cup Tigo 2014 that kicks off tomorrow have been announced, boasting multiple World Cup players amongst MLS and Europe-based players. However, there is a strong contingent of home-based players in each squad, serving not only as a reflection of each nation’s best 11, but also as a point of comparison for each nation’s respective club leagues.
By Paul Nicholson
August 20 – With just two weeks to go before the start of the Central American Cup 2014, telecoms group Tigo have stepped up as title sponsors for the championship which is being played in the US for the first time.
By Paul Nicholson
August 13 – The debut of a team from Belize in the CONCACAF Champions League will have to wait for at least another season after confederation inspectors ruled that their pitch was unplayable. Belize Premier League champions Belmopan Bandits will be replaced in the competition by Costa Rica’s Club Sport Herediano.
August 4 – A regional club Futsal championship will make its debut in CONCACAF at the end of this month in Guatemala. The draw for the inaugural CONCACAF Futsal Club Championship was held last week with six clubs representing their member associations.
July 31 – Honduras is to host the CONCACAF U17 boys championship in February next year. Meanwhile the confederation has announce that the crucial 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship, the regional qualifier for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada next year will be played in four host cities in the United States: Chicago, Kansas City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
July 25 – Jamaica has stepped up to host the CONCACAF U20 championship next January. Before that the Caribbean island is hosting the finals of the CFU Men’s Caribbean Cup this November 9-18.
July 18 – Costa Rican fans living in the US will have the opportunity to see their World Cup heroes back in competitive action this September when the Copa Centroamericana kicks off in Washington with the Los Ticos taking on Nicaragua in the opening match.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 11 – Canada is hoping to use next year’s Women’s World Cup as a springboard to bidding for the men’s equivalent in 2026 when in theory it should be CONCACAF’s turn to host.
By Ben Nicholson
June 24 – The MLS has experienced a 6.1% year-on-year average increase in attendance, as recorded prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup. The league average attendance currently sits at 18,497 spectators per game.
June 16 – Reports are starting to emerge that David Beckham may ditch his plans for a Miami expansion, instead opting to join a consortium led by, as of yet unnamed, Asian investors who are interested in bidding for Chivas USA.
By Ben Nicholson
June 12 – The prospect of a Miami Beckham United gracing the MLS stumbled again after their plan B soccer stadium proposal has been shot down.
By Paul Nicholson
May 30 – Group 4 of the Women’s CFU Cup, the inaugural Caribbean Football Union event for senior women, kicks off today in Haiti. To date the tournament is being hailed a success despite the unforeseen withdrawals of Dominica, Guadeloupe and now Anguilla.
May 29 – The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the USA has struck a deal with ESPN to televise nine matches televised this year. Six regular season games are scheduled to be televised on either ESPN 2 or ESPN 3, whilst both playoff semifinals and the championship game will be shown on ESPN 2.