GUYANA AND the Netherlands Antilles have been moved into the first round of a revamped Digicel Caribbean Cup schedule, announced Thursday by the Caribbean Football Union (CFU).
The new calendar, altered due to a heavy event schedule in the region, has the first stage of the tournament beginning October 6, instead of the previously announced August 18, and will end on December 5. Four teams will qualify for next year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup June 5-25.
Twenty-three teams are entered, one less than originally announced due to the withdrawal of the Bahamas.
Martinique remains as the host of the final stage and will be seeded as one of the last eight teams along with defending champion Jamaica. The last group stage will commence on November 26 with the top two in each group qualifying for knockout semifinals.
Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin, the Cayman Islands and Anguilla are joined in Group ‘A’ in Bayamon, Puerto and will play from October 6-10. Group ‘C’ will be played in Paramaribo, Suriname, from October 13-17 and include the host nation, Guyana, St. Lucia and the Netherlands Antilles.
The Dominican Republic capital of Santo Domingo will be the venue for Group ‘D’, a three-team group including the host nation, the British Virgin Islands and Dominica, also set for October 13-17.
Group ‘B’ will have Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts/Nevis and Montserrat. The venue and dates for that group have not been set.
The winners of Groups ‘A’ and ‘B’ will advance to second-round Group ‘E’ from October 22-26 with host Grenada and Guadeloupe. Trinidad and Tobago will host Group ‘F’ from November 2-6 and be joined by Haiti, the winner of Group ‘C’ and one of two first-round group runners-up.
Group ‘G’ in Antigua/Barbuda will be played from November 10-14 with Cuba, the Group ‘D’ winner and another first-round group runner-up.
The three second round group winners and runners-up will then advance to the third and final stage.
More complete schedules will be released at a later time.
DIGICEL CARIBBEAN CUP
FIRST ROUND
Group A: Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin, Cayman Islands, Anguilla
At Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Wednesday, October 6
Saint-Martine vs Cayman Islands
Puerto Rico vs Anguilla
Friday, October 8
Cayman Islands vs Anguilla
Puerto Rico vs Saint-Martin
Sunday, October 10
Anguilla vs Saint-Martin
Puerto Rico vs Cayman Islands
Group B: Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts/Nevis, Montserrat
Venue, Schedule TBA
Group C: Suriname*, Guyana, St Lucia, Netherlands Antilles
At Paramaribo, Suriname
Wednesday, October 13
Guyana vs St. Lucia
Suriname vs Netherlands Antilles
Friday, October 15
Netherlands Antilles vs Guyana
Suriname vs St Lucia
Sunday, October 17
St Lucia vs Netherlands Antilles
Suriname vs Guyana
Group D: Dominican Republic*, British Virgin Islands, Dominica
At Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Wednesday, October 13
Dominican Republic
Friday, October 15
British Virgin Islands vs Dominica
Sunday, October 17
Dominican Republic vs Dominica
SECOND ROUND
Group E: Grenada, Guadeloupe, Group A winner, Group B winner
October 22-26
Group F: Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Group C winner, first-round group runner-up
November 2-6
Group G: Antigua/Barbuda, Cuba, Group D winner, first-round group runner-up
November 10-14
FINAL ROUND
November 26-December 5
At Fort-de-France, Martinque
Group H: Martinique, Group F winner, Group G runner-up, Group E runner-up
Group I: Jamaica, Group G winner, Group E winner, Group F runner-up
Semifinals
Group H winner vs Group I runner-up
Group I winner vs Group H runner-up
Finals
Third Place
Semi-final losers
Championship
Semi-final winners