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NEW YORK - The three-time defending champion United States will face Haiti to open the CONCACAF Women's World Cup Qualifying tournament in Playa del Carmen on October 28, immediately after Costa Rica takes on Guatemala.

The full schedule for the October 28-November 8 championship in Cancun and Playa del Carmen was unveiled Friday with host Mexico beginning its campaign against Guyana on October 29, immediately after Trinidad & Tobago faces 2006 runner-up Canada.

The group stage will conclude on November 2 with semifinals between the group winners facing the runners-up from the opposite group three days later, and the championship and third-place matches on November 8.

Besides crowning the eighth CONCACAF women's champion, the eight-team event also will qualify two sides directly for next year's Women's World Cup in Germany June 26-July 17. The third-place finisher will advance to a playoff against Europe's fifth-best team for a third berth.

This will be only the second time the CONCACAF women's championship has been staged outside of the United States or Canada, and first since the inaugural event in Haiti in 1991.


CONCACAF Women's World Cup Qualifying
All Times U.S. Eastern

FIRST ROUND
Group A: Canada, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana
Group B: United States, Costa Rica, Haiti, Guatemala

Thursday, October 28
At Playa del Carmen
Costa Rica vs. Guatemala, 6 p.m.
United States vs. Haiti, 8:30 p.m.

Friday, October 29
At Cancun
Trinidad & Tobago vs. Canada, 6 p.m.
Mexico vs. Guyana, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 30
At Playa del Carmen
Haiti vs. Costa Rica, 6 p.m.
United States vs. Guatemala, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, October 31
At Cancun
Canada vs. Guyana, 7 p.m.
Mexico vs. Trinidad & Tobago, 9:30 p.m.

Monday, November 1
At Playa del Carmen
Guatemala vs. Haiti, 7 p.m.
United States vs. Costa Rica, 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday, November 2
At Cancun
Guyana vs. Trinidad & Tobago, 7 p.m.
Mexico vs. Canada, 9:30 p.m.

SEMIFINALS
Friday, November 5
At Cancun
Group A winner vs. Group B runner-up, 7 p.m.
Group B winner vs. Group A runner-up, 10 p.m.

FINALS
Monday, November 8
At Cancun
Third-Place
Semifinal losers, 6 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Semifinal winners, 9 p.m.