CONCACAF cancels U-17, U-20 tournaments
Brazilian players celebrate after their team’s 2-1 victory over Mexico at the end of FIFA U-17
World Cup Brazil 2019 soccer match at Arena Bezerrao in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Nov. 17,
2019. Associated Press/Eraldo Peres,File
Caribbean Life, JANUARY 22-28, 2021 31
By Nelson A. King
The Confederation of
North, Central America and
Caribbean Association Football
(CONCACAF), the governing
body for football (soccer)
in the region, has announced
the cancellation of its U-17
and U-20 tournaments.
“Due to the ongoing impact
of COVID-19 on the football
calendar and continued concerns
over international travel,
FIFA recently announced
the cancellation of the FIFA
U-17 and U-20 Men’s World
Cups, scheduled to take place
in Peru and Indonesia in 2021,
respectively,” said CONCACAF
in a statement on Jan. 4.
“Given FIFA’s decision,
the continued uncertainty
regarding the impact of
COVID-19 in our own region,
and concerns regarding
youth teams traveling in this
environment, CONCACAF has
come to the difficult decision
to cancel the 2020 CONCACAF
Under-17 Qualifiers
and Championship, and the
2020 CONCACAF Under-20
Championship,” added the
confederation, which represents
41 countries in North
and Central America and the
Caribbean.
FIFA announced the cancellation
of the 2021 edition
of the U-17 and U-20 tournaments
in December 2020,
according to Looptt.com.
It said that the world governing
body for football also
announced that the next edition
of both tournaments
would be held in 2023 at the
venues due to host this year’s
tournaments.
Mexico won the 2019 CONCACAF
U-17 tournament,
beating the USA 2-1 in a
thrilling match that went to
extra-time, Looptt.com said.
It said Trinidad and Tobago
U-17 team made it to the
Round of 16, where they were
beaten 4-1 by Honduras.
The 2020 CONCACAF U-20
tournament was originally
scheduled to be held in
Honduras between June 20
and July 5, 2020, Looptt.com
said. However, it said that, on
May 13, 2020, CONCACAF
decided to postpone the tournament
due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
At the 2018 CONCACAF
U-20 tournament, Looptt.
com said Trinidad and Tobago
failed to make it out of Group
A of the tournament staged in
Bradenton, Fl.
The USA won the tournament,
beating Mexico 2-0 in
the finals in November 2018,
Looptt.com said.
/Looptt.com
/Looptt.com
/Looptt.com
/Looptt.com
