December 2003

VOLUME 13 / NUMBER 6

CONFEDERATION OF NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL NEWSLETTER

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
31 December 2003
Caribbean Football Union Congress
Martinique
15 January 31 March 2004
Preliminary Womens Under-19 Qualifying
CFU & UNCAF
2-12 February 2004
2004 CONCACAF Mens Olympic
Qualification Final Round
Guadalajara, Mexico
17-18 February 2004
2006 CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying
Intra-Caribbean Round First Leg

Costa Rica (Red), who finished as the top team in 2002 WC qualifying, looks to repeat
when 2006 FIFA World Cup Qualification begins (Photo: J.Brett Whitesell/ISI)

FIFA WORLD CUP 2006 QUALIFYING BEGINS

Thirty-four CONCACAF teams now know their route to the FIFA

World Cup Finals Germany 2006, with the completion of the Qualifying
draw on Friday, 5 December 2003 in Frankfurt, Germany.
The qualifying campaign will kick off in February 2004 with the last
games scheduled for November 2005; almost two years of intense competition to see who will represent the Confederation in Germany 2006.
The CONCACAF World Cup qualifying draw had 34 nations placed
into six pots (A-F). Twenty teams were drawn into ten parings from Pots
E and F to play home and away series to produce ten qualifiers. These ten teams will then
be joined by the 14 remaining teams, that received first round byes (Pots A, B, C, D), for a
second round consisting of twelve pairings, also to play home and away. The twelve victorious teams from the second round will enter a semi-final round made up of three groups
of four. The two teams topping each of the semi-final groups will enter a final round group
of six teams.
This final group will play home and away fixtures from 9 February - 12 October 2005 at
which point the top three will advance directly to the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
The fifth-place finisher will compete in a home and away playoff against fifth-place finisher from the Asian Football Confederation, for one of the last berths into the event. These
games will take place in November 2005.
CONCACAF World Cup 2006 Qualifying
Intra-Caribbean Round
18 February 2004 Leg 1
Grenada vs. Guyana
Bermuda vs. Montserrat
Haiti vs. Turks & Caicos Islands
British Virgin Islands vs. St. Lucia
Cayman Islands vs. Cuba
Aruba vs. Suriname
Antigua & Barbuda vs. Netherlands Antilles
Dominica vs. Bahamas
US Virgin Islands vs. St. Kitts & Nevis
Dominican Republic vs. Anguilla
31 March 2004 Leg 2
Guyana vs. Grenada
Montserrat vs. Bermuda
Turks & Caicos Islands vs. Haiti
St. Lucia vs. British Virgin Islands
Cuba vs. Cayman Islands

Suriname vs. Aruba

Netherlands Antilles vs. Antigua & Barbuda
Bahamas vs. Dominica
St. Kitts & Nevis vs. US Virgin Islands
Anguilla vs. Dominican Republic
Mixed Zones Round
12-13 June 2004 Leg 1
Group 1 USA vs. Grenada/Guyana Winner
Group 2 El Salvador vs. Bermuda/Montserrat
Group 3 Haiti/Turks & Caicos vs. Jamaica
Group 4 Panama vs. British V.I./St. Lucia
Group 5 Cayman Islands./Cuba vs. Costa Rica
Group 6 Aruba/Suriname Winner vs. Guatemala
Group 7 Antigua & Barbuda/Netherlands Antilles
vs. Honduras
Group 8 Canada vs. Belize
Group 9 Mexico vs. Dominica/Bahamas
Group 10 Barbados vs. U.S.V.I./St.KittsNevis
Group 11 Dominican Republic/Anguilla vs.

25 February 7 March 2004

2004 CONCACAF Womens Olympic
Qualification Final Round
San Jos, Costa Rica
1 March 30 April 2004
Preliminary Futsal Qualifying CONCACAF
17 March 2004
2004 CONCACAF Champions Cup Quarterfinal Series
First Leg
24 March 2004
2004 CONCACAF Champions Cup Quarterfinal Series
Second Leg
31 March 2004
2006 CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying
Intra-Caribbean Round Second Leg
28 April 2 May 2004
CONCACAF Congress
Grenada

Trinidad & Tobago

Group 12 Nicaragua vs. St.Vincent & Grenadines
19-20 June Leg 2
Group 1 Grenada/Guyana vs. USA
Group 2 Bermuda/Montserrat vs. El Salvador
Group 3 Jamaica vs. Haiti/Turks & Caicos
Group 4 British V.I./St. Lucia vs. Panama
Group 5 Costa Rica vs. Cayman Islands/Cuba
Group 6 Guatemala vs. Aruba/Suriname
Group 7 Honduras vs. Antigua & Barbuda/
Netherlands Antilles
Group 8 Belize vs. Canada
Group 9 Dominica/Bahamas vs. Mexico
Group 10 US Virgin Islands/St. Kitts & Nevis
vs. Barbados
Group 11 Trinidad & Tobago vs. Dominican Rep
/Anguilla
Group 12 St.Vincent & Grenadines vs. Nicaragua

2004 Semi-Final Round (Three Groups of Four)

18 August Game 1
4-5 September Game 2
8 September Game 3
9-10 October Game 4
13 October Game 5
17 November Game 6
2005 Final Round (Six-Team Round-Robin)
9 February Game 1
26-27 March Game 2
30 March Game 3
4-5 June Game 4
8 June Game 5
17 August Game 6
3-4 September Game 7
7 September Game 8
8-9 October Game 9
12 October Game 10
November Legs 1, 2 Fourth-Place Playoff vs. Asia

PAGE 2

CONCACAF NEWS - December 2003

PRESIDENT JACK WARNERS MESSAGE

2004 OLYMPIC REPORT

In the same way we close 2003, with

more than our fair share of football activity,
we approach another year of frenetic football
activity.
I feel it is therefore appropriate that my
end of year message to you should be on the
topic of WORK. For a while football is all
about playing, this as we know, is for the field.
Everything else is about work. We may play
at our work; even enjoy our work, but work is
what we have to do if we want to be successful on the field of play.
An increasing number of our teams are qualifying for international competitions, with National Associations like Panama, for
example, who have never before qualified for International FIFA
competitions participating in the recently concluded FIFA U-20
Youth Championships in the United Arab Emirates. A glance at
the calendar for the year ahead, indeed the years ahead, will show
that we have many more opportunities for success but our success
will not come easily. In fact, it will not come without hard work
on our part.
Competition is the tip of the iceberg of the hard work that is necessary to reach the stage of development we have reached and the
stages we must reach in the years ahead so as to avoid stagnation.
The kind of work that goes into enabling a team to attain the
highest levels of play is barely noticeable to all but a few discerning
members of the public. But without good administrative and management practices, proper planning, the right teachers and teaching
material and the optimal use of financial resources, the highest levels of play will never be attained.
Successful clubs and national teams, intelligent coaches, competent referees, good playing fields and facilities do not just appear
overnight. The seeds of success are own years before, with people
turning ideas into action. This is not play; this is work, hard work the most important work that every member Association and
Federation must undertake.
Sometimes it seems that not every Association/Federation is
aware of the work such success entails. A point which I repeated
several times during the recent meeting of CONCACAF members at
the FIFA Congress in Doha and which I shall continue to repeat as
often as is necessary.
It takes work to properly manage an Association / Federation,
to ensure not just success on the field of play, but to ensure
progress, which is even more important than success. Success is as
a result of progress. We cannot allow ourselves to stagnate. CONCACAF, through our governing body FIFA, provides assistance in
the form of both finance and personnel. Finance through the FAP
and GOAL programs and, personnel, by the sponsoring of persons
to conduct courses in all areas of football development. The GOAL
program has facilitated the construction of magnificent facilities
throughout the region and FIFA's Financial Assistance Program
(FAP) provides each national association with US $1 million over
every four-year period.
It takes work to ensure that the monies received are utilized for
the benefit of football. It is very heartening for me that FIFA is
changing the ways in which the FAP money is to be accounted for,
thus making our work a little easier. We should not view this as
policing, but rather providing much needed guidance and assistance in our development.
In the same way that I expect all member associations to work
at success, you should also expect me, as your President, to work
for you so as to ensure our success as a Confederation. Your success is my success and my success is your success. Let us therefore
continue to work together to ensure continued growth and success
both on the field of play in 2004 as well as for the years ahead.
A bright and prosperous 2003 Christmas and the best of everything that you wish yourselves in 2004 and the continuing years.

CONCACAF unveils 2004 Mens Olympic Final Round

Qualification Fixtures
CONCACAF unveiled the completed fixtures for the
2004 Men's Under-23 Olympic Final Round
Qualification scheduled for Guadalajara, Mexico from
2- 12 February.
The tournament will feature two groups of four teams
with Canada, Honduras, Panama and USA in Group A
at the Estadio 3 de Marzo in Guadalajara, while Group B is composed of Costa Rica, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and the host
Mexico at the Estadio Jalisco.
The event kicks off the on Monday, 2 February 2004 and will
have six consecutive first round doubleheaders (three each in
Groups A and B) until Saturday, 7 February with kick off times to
be determined in due course.
The top two teams in each group advance to the semifinals on
10 February, with Group A winner taking on Group B Runner-up
and Group B winner facing the runner-up from Group A. The
semifinal losers will meet in the third-place game on 12 February,
while the two finalists, who will also meet on 12 February, earn
CONCACAF's automatic berths to the 2004 Olympics in Athens,
Greece.
Mens Olympic Qualifying Final Round Schedule
Group A: Canada, Honduras, Panama, USA
Group B: Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Costa Rica
02.02.2003
03.02.2003
04.02.2003
05.02.2003
06.02.2003
07.02.2003
10.02.2003
12.02.2003

Costa Rica vs. Jamaica; Mexico vs. Trinidad & Tobago

Canada vs. Honduras; Panama vs. USA
Costa Rica vs. Trinidad & Tobago; Mexico vs. Jamaica
Honduras vs. Panama; Canada vs. USA
Trinidad & Tobago vs. Jamaica; Mexico vs. Costa Rica
Canada vs. Panama; Honduras vs. USA
Semifinals: Group A Winner vs. Group B Runner-up
Group B Winner vs. Group A Runner-up
Third-Place Game/Final

Estadio Jalisco
Estadio 3 de Marzo
Estadio Jalisco
Estadio 3 de Marzo
Estadio Jalisco
Estadio 3 de Marzo
Estadio Jalisco
Estadio Jalisco

Mexico advances to Final Round of Womens Olympic

Qualification in Costa Rica
Mexico earned the last berth into the Final Round of 2004
CONCACAF Womens Olympic Qualification, after winning a preliminary triangular over Nicaragua and the host Honduras from
10-14 December 2003.
The final round of Olympic Qualification that runs from 25
February 7 March 2004 in San Jos, Costa Rica, will feature two
groups of four teams with Canada, Jamaica, Guatemala and the
host in Group A, while Group B is composed of Haiti, Mexico,
Trinidad & Tobago and the USA.
The top two teams in each group advance to the semifinals.
The two finalists will earn CONCACAFs automatic berths to the
2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

CANADA, USA REACH QUARTERFINALS

Canada and the USA reached the quarterfinals

of the 2003 FIFA World Youth (U-20) World
Championship in UAE (United Arab Emirates).
Both CONCACAF representatives eliminated
teams from Africa in the Round of 16 as Canada
topped Burkina Faso 1:0 on a goal by Josh Simpson in Abu Dhabi
on 8 December, while the USA got tallies from Justin Mapp and Ed
Johnson to defeat Ivory Coast 2:0 in Dubai.
Prior to the Round of 16, the USA advanced out of the first
round after winning the Group F title with a 2-1-0 (6 Points) overall record, while the Canadians qualified after finishing as one of
four best third-place teams with a 1-1-1 (3 Points) ledger.
The run ended in the quarterfinals as both suffered heartbreaking 2:1 losses in overtime on 12 December in Abu Dhabi, UAE, as
Canada was eliminated by Spain and the USA fell to Argentina.

CONCACAF NEWS - December 2003

CANADA TO HOST 2004

CONCACAF WOMENS U-19
FINALS QUALIFYING

CONCACAF confirmed that Canada will

host the Final Round of
the Women's Under-19
qualifying tournament
next year.
This will be the second time in history that CONCACAF has
staged a qualifying event for the U-19 World
Championship; the most recent one took
place in Trinidad & Tobago in 2002.
The Canadian Soccer Association plans
to host the 2004 event at both Ottawa's
Frank Clair Stadium and Montreal's McGill
University Molson Stadium from 28 May - 6
June 2004.
No stranger to staging a U-19 Women's
competitions, Canada was the venue for the
inaugural FIFA U-19 World Championship
in 2002. Canada reached the final, but
dropped a 1:0 result to the USA in 'golden
goal' extra time.
A record 23 National Associations have
confirmed their participation in the CONCACAF U-19 qualifying rounds. The preliminary zonal competitions are schedule to take
played from 15 January - 31 March 2004.
Seven nations will join Canada in the
eight-team CONCACAF Final Round that
will qualify two squads to the 2004 FIFA U19 World Championship being held from 1027 November in Thailand.
Confirmed National Associations for
2004 CONCACAF U-19 Qualification:
Anguilla, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands,
Canada, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica,
Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico,
Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and The Grenadines,
Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, USA, US
Virgin Islands.

PAGE 3

USA WINS FUTSAL

QUADRANGULAR

The USA (2-1-0, 6 Points) won the Futsal

quadrangular in Anaheim, California from 57 December 2003, after finishing ahead of
Guatemala (2-1-0, 6 Points) on goal difference , +8 to +5 in the round robin standings,
which also included Canada (1-1-1, 4 Points)
and Mexico (0-2-1, 1 Point).
The tournament began on 5 December,
with the "chapines" defeating the "tricolor"
9:3, while the "stars & stripes" topped the
"maple leafs" 5:3.
On following day of competition (on 6
December), Guatemala stunned the USA 1:0,
in their first meeting since the 1996 CONCACAF Futsal Championship semifinals (won
by USA 7:3), while Canada held Mexico to a
2:2 draw.
The quadrangular concluded on 7
December, with Canada defeating Guatemala
5:3, while the USA posted a 7:0 victory over
Mexico.
All four CONCACAF teams are in preparations for next year's CONCACAF
Qualification event that eventually leads to
the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship.
A record 20 CONCACAF National
Associations will compete in the preliminary
rounds of the tournament for one of seven
berths to the Final Round in Costa Rica (July
2004) that will advance two teams to the
World Championship event to be hosted by
Chinese Taipei from 29 November - 19
December 2004.

USA wins Futsal quadrangular trophy.

Photo by Charlie Cuzzetto

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS
CUP TO BE EIGHT-TEAM
FORMAT IN 2004
The 2004 CONCACAF Champions Cup as
been re-formatted to an
eight-team tournament
and will continue to be
a straight knockout
event, as it has been in
the last two years, with teams playing over a
home-and-away system that begins on 17
March 2004.
The 2004 breakdown will feature two
clubs each from Mexico and the USA, one
team from the Caribbean Football Union
(CFU) and three clubs will advance from
Union Centroamericana de Ftbol (UNCAF)
Championship.
2004 Champions Cup Teams
CFU (1): CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh
(TRI) or W Connection FC (TRI)
MEXICO (2): CF Monterrey, Clausura
2003 Champions; TBD, Apertura 2004
Champions
UNCAF (3): CSD Comunicaciones (GUA)
or CSD Municipal (GUA) or Deportivo
Saprissa (CRC) or LD Alajuelense (CRC).
USA (2): Chicago Fire, 2003 Major League
Soccer (MLS) Regular Season & US Open
Cup Champions; San Jose Earthquakes,
2003 MLS Cup Champions.
Schedule
Quarterfinal Series: First leg 17 March,
Second leg 24 March; Semifinal Series:
First leg 14 April, Second leg 21 April;
Final Series: First leg 4 May Second leg
11 May.
The CONCACAF Champions Cup is the
longest running international competition in
the region and has been the premier club
competition in the Confederation since its
inception in 1962. The Mexican team Toluca
won the last tournament in 2003.

OSCAR THAMAR TORRES SET TO RETIRE

CONCACAF GOLD CUP 2005 DATES SET

Oscar Thamar Torres will retire from his position as

CONCACAF's Deputy General Secretary for Central
America at the end of the year.
Oscar Thamar's service to football spans 30 years,
starting as a club director in his native Guatemala. He
joined CONCACAF in 1977, becoming Deputy General
Secretary a year later and then adding the title and tasks of General
Secretary, UNCAF when that body was created in 1990.
In addition to his multi-responsibilities across Central America,
he has also served as Match Commissioner or General Coordinator
for many FIFA and CONCACAF events throughout the years.
In 2000, he was awarded CONCACAF's supreme award by being
inducted into the CONCACAF Hall of Fame.
While bidding farewell to Oscar Thamar, CONCACAF also
named and welcomed his successor, Rafael Tinoco Kipps, a personality already well known in the region and familiar with the many
challenges and opportunities facing football in Central America.

Following a meeting of its Executive

Committee in Miami, Florida USA on 4
November 2003, CONCACAF announced the
dates of the 2005 edition of the Gold Cup.
The twelve-team tournament, that brings
together the top nations from across the
CONCACAF region every two years, will take
place from 1-17 July 2005 in venues to be confirmed at a later date.
Mexico won the most recent edition of the CONCACAF Gold
Cup, in 2003, that was hosted in Foxboro, Massachusetts; Miami,
Florida USA and Ciudad de Mxico, D.F.
Qualifying rounds for 2005 Gold Cup in the regions of Central
America and the Caribbean will begin in the second half of 2004.
CONCACAF Gold Cups Championship Results
1991 - USA vs Honduras 0:0, (4:3 penalties)
1993 - Mexico vs USA 4:0
1996 - Mexico vs Brazil 2:0
1998 - Mexico vs USA 1:0

2000 - Canada vs Colombia 2:0

2002 - USA vs Costa Rica 2:0
2003 - Mexico vs Brazil 1:0 aet

PAGE 4

CONCACAF NEWS - December 2003

AROUND THE CONFEDERATION

President Warner inaugurates Sportscentrum in Suriname
CONCACAF President and
FIFA Vice President, Jack
Warner inaugurated the Emile
de la Fuente Sportscentrum in
Paramaribo, Suriname as part
of the FIFA GOAL Programme
for the Surinaamse Voetbal Bond (SVB) on 1 November 2003.
The Sportscentrum was named after Emile de la Fuente, who was
President of the SVB from 1952-1955 during which time he was
instrumental in the construction of Suriname's national stadium,
that honours the name of Andre Kamperveen.
Built on land donated by the Suriname government and financed
by FIFA GOAL, the Emile de la Fuente Sportscentrum is a major element in the SVB's initiatives to develop the game in the country.
In addition to Mr. Warner, FIFA was represented by GOAL
Bureau member Mr. Harold Taylor (TRI) and FIFA Development
Officer Mr. Keith Look Loy (TRI).

725 FIFTH AVENUE, 17th FLOOR, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10022

Jamaica Football Federation elects new President,

Crenston Boxhill
Crenston Boxhill was elected the new President of the Jamaican
Football Federation (JFF) after defeating Captain Horace Burrell
during the elections held on 23 November in Montego Bay.
Captain Burrell, who held the leadership of Jamaica's football for
the past nine years, lost to Boxhill on a 54-49 vote count. It was the
first time that Burrell, a former army officer, was challenged since he
defeated Heron Dale in 1994 for the presidency.

"You have done very well and you have set the platform for us to take the baton and take Jamaica's football to the next level," Boxhill said of Burrell.
Boxhill, who unveiled his team's manifesto,
based his campaign on administrative reform. He
promised his administration would be transparent and inclusionary.
Burrell said he still has a life in football and
would use it as best as he could to benefit Jamaica.
"I have other football appointments," he said. "I'm a member of
the disciplinary committee of FIFA, I'm also the first vice-president
of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and also a member of the
disciplinary committee of the CONCACAF. So I still have a lot to do
and maybe even more."
US Virgin Islands Soccer Federation holds elections
The US Virgin Islands Soccer Federation (USVI) held a Special
General Meeting on 9 November 2003 at the Hotel on the Cay in St.
Croix, for electing Officers to a four-year term (2003-2007).
Mr. Derrick Martin was elected the new USVI President after
defeating Mr. Epiphane Joseph by a 7-4 margin, while Collister
Fahie continues as 1st Vice President as he ran unopposed.
Clifton Williams edged Alexander St. Rose, 6-5, to become the
new 2nd Vice President, while Hillarin Frederick topped Conrad
Whyte by a similar margin (6-5) for the Assistant Secretary
Administration position.
Frankie Nelson was elected Assistant Secretary Operation after
defeating Ernest Felix 7-4 in the voting, while Yohannes Worede
topped Ferdinand Francis by a 6-5 margin to become the Elected
Floor Member.