Concacaf Girls U-15 Championship starts Aug 5th

Concacaf has announced the match schedule for the 2024 Concacaf Girls’ U-15 Championship. The fifth edition of the competition will be played from August 5-11, 2024, and feature a record 34 Concacaf Member Associations.

Matches will be split between three host countries: Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica and Aruba. League B will be hosted with the Central American nation hosting League A, and League C will play in Aruba.

All three leagues will include a Group Stage and direct elimination Knockout Stage play, and they will crown their champion. The number of teams per league has been determined based on the Concacaf Women’s U-17 Rankings of March 2024 and the final number of participants.

Two teams from Trinidad and Tobago will participate, the first team of the U-15 Girls and a High Performance team with the latter coming in as a replacement for Nicaragua. Matches will be played at the Ato Boldon and Larry Gomes Stadiums

TTFA President Kieron Edwards spoke on the importance of the tournament and T&T’s hosting of League B.

“Hosting League B of Concacaf Girls U15 Championship is a tremendous opportunity for Trinidad and Tobago. It not only showcases our commitment to youth development and women’s football but also boosts local tourism and community engagement. This event will inspire young athletes across the nation and play its part towards leave a lasting legacy for future generations,” Edwards said.

“From a footballing standpoint itt provides our young girls with the opportunity to compete at an international level, fostering their growth and development in the sport. The championship highlights the importance of women’s football, encouraging greater participation and support for the sport among girls and young women.

“Successfully hosting an international tournament such as this willinstill a sense of pride and unity among the sporting fraternity and our citizens, showcasing Trinidad and Tobago’s capabilities on a global stage,” Edwards said.

The T&T Girls U-15 Team will compete in Group C of League b alongside Grenada, Curacao, Antigua & Barbuda while the High Performance team has been placed in Group D with Guatemala, St. Kitts & Nevis, US Virgin Islands.

Marlon Charles will serve as head coach of the T&T Girls U-15 team and has also been overseeing the High Performance program from which the second team has been selected.

“What an exciting time and blessing for these young ladies to be able to participate in this tournament,” Charles said.

“To have thirty-six players able to play in this competition is a great opportunity for us. This augers well for local women’s football, the program and in particular for the players selected.

Charles further stated, “When we look at our players and the progress made since the last outing in Antigua in 2023 (CFU series), there have been significant improvements over the period. This is now another opportunity and an experience for them to understand the game a bit more. Overall we are happy with what is taking place. From a technical and tactical point of view there is still some progress to be made but I believe they have developed physical, mentally and socially. It is definitely an exciting time for us.”

Group stage play for all three leagues will take place between August 5-8, followed by the Semifinals and the final position matches on August 9 and the Finals, where the leagues’ Champions will be crowned, on Sunday, August 11, 2024.

Further details on the T&T Squads and ticketing details for the games will be provided in due course.

Fans will be able to follow all the action through Concacaf Go.

The last edition of the Concacaf Girls’ U-15 Championship took place in 2022 in Tampa, FL, USA. Twenty teams participated in the tournament (divided into two Leagues). In League A, the United States claimed a third straight title after defeating Canada 4-1 in the Final. Nicaragua was crowned winners of League B following a 3-1 win over Aruba.

See Fixtures here