Message Boards

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica - Caribbean rivals Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago will face off in the first round of the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship, while Costa Rica will play fellow Central American foe El Salvador when the tournament opens in February.

Wednesday's draw at the Rose Hall Resort and Spa placed United States with Panama and Cuba in Group B while Honduras, Canada and Barbados will comprise the Group D at the biennial championship February 14-27 in Jamaica.

Guatemala will join Jamaica and Trinidad in Group C, and Haiti will challenge Costa Rica and El Salvador in Group A.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals February 22-23 with winners of groups A and B facing the runners-up from the opposite group. Likewise, the winners of groups C and D will play the runners-up from the opposite group with all four winners moving on to the semifinals February 25 and qualifying for the U-17 World Cup.

The four semifinalists will join U-17 World Cup host Mexico as CONCACAF's representatives at the June 18-July 10 World Cup.

A complete match schedule is expected to be released by early next week.

Group A
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Haiti

Group B
United States
Panama
Cuba

Group C
Jamaica
Guatemala
Trinidad & Tobago

Group D
Honduras
Canada
Barbados