JULY 2003

VOLUME 13 / NUMBER 3

CONFEDERATION OF NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL NEWSLETTER

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
12-27 July 2003
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Foxboro, Massachusetts and Miami, Florida USA;
Mexico City, Mexico
1-16 August 2003
Pan American Games
Dominican Republic
13-30 August 2003
FIFA Under-17 World Championship
Finland (Helsinki, Lahti, Tampere, Turku)
6-7 September 2003
Opening round CONCACAF Mens Olympic
(Under-23) qualification first leg

USA wins 2002 Gold Cup championship in Los Angeles. (Photo: Tony Quinn/SoccerPixUSA)

12-13 September 2003

CONCACAF Workshop for Match Commissioners
Dr. Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence
Trinidad & Tobago

2003 CONCACAF GOLD CUP PREVIEW

The seventh edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the regions premier competition for national teams, is next on the calendar, being
played in two USA venues, Foxboro, Massachusetts and Miami, Florida
and in Mexico City from 12-27 July.
The kick off will involve Groups C and D in Foxboro's Gillette
Stadium, on 12 July, with the champion being crowned 15 days later at
the famous Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
This is the first time in a decade that the Gold Cup will be staged in
two countries. The last time the Estadio Azteca hosted the CONCACAF final a record-crowd of
120,000 saw Mexico claim the 1993 title over the USA (4:0).
The 2003 competition will have the three previous champions from the six prior Gold Cup
tournaments Canada (2000), Mexico (1993, 1996, 1998) and the USA (1991, 2002) along
with the Central Zone qualifiers Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador; Caribbean representatives Jamaica, Cuba and Interzone Playoffs winners Honduras and Martinique.
Mexico City will be the venue for Group A, with Honduras and the five-time FIFA world
champions Brazil joining the host country, while Group B, to be played at Miamis Orange
Bowl, has Guatemala, Jamaica and the 2001 Copa America champion Colombia.
The two groups at Foxboro feature El Salvador, Martinique and the defending champion
USA, in Group C while Group D has Canada, Costa Rica and Cuba.
Two of the dates at Gillette Stadium will feature tripleheader matches on for 12 and 16
July. Along with the two first round matches on the respective dates, a regular season Major
League Soccer game will complete the tripleheaders as the New England Revolution host the
NY/NJ MetroStars on 12 July and the Dallas Burn visit Revs four days later.
The last time more then two games were played in one date and venue in the USA, was
during the inaugural CONCACAF Gold Cup, as the L.A. Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles,
California hosted a record-four first round group matches on 3 July 1991.
The 2003 Quarterfinals begin on 19 July with two matches (Quarterfinal 1, Quarterfinal 2)
in Foxboro, while another one (Quarterfinal 4) will take place in Miami. Quarterfinal 3 is set
for Mexico City on 20 July. As host nations, Mexico and the USA will automatically placed
into Quarters 1 and 3 respectively, should they qualify.
Quarterfinal 1 will match the winner of Group C against the second-place team from
Group D, while Quarterfinal 2 will pair the Group D winner against the second-place finisher
in Group C unless the USA finish second in Group C, in which case they will face the Group
B winner, with the reverse pairing to follow in Foxboro.
The same case will apply in Mexico City: Quarterfinal 3 will match the Group A winner
against the second-place team from Group B, unless Mexico finish second in Group A, in
which they will play in that quarterfinal against Group B winner. Quarterfinal 4 will be the
remaining crossover pairing from Groups A and B in Miami.
(continued on page 2)

2003 CONCACAF GOLD CUP SCHEDULE

Group A: MEXICO, BRAZIL, HONDURAS
Group B: COLOMBIA, GUATEMALA, JAMAICA
Group C: USA, EL SALVADOR, MARTINIQUE
Group D: COSTA RICA, CANADA, CUBA
12.07.2003
D1: Costa Rica v D2: Canada 13:00 at Foxboro
C1: USA v C2: El Salvador 18:30 at Foxboro
13.07.2003
A1: Mexico v A2: Brazil 12:00 at Mexico City
B3: Jamaica v B1: Colombia 15:00 at Miami
14.07.2003
D2: Canada v D3: Cuba 18:30 at Foxboro
C3: Martinique v C1: USA 20:30 at Foxboro
15.07.2003
B2: Guatemala v B3: Jamaica 20:00 at Miami
A2: Brazil v A3: Honduras 21:00 at Mexico City
16.07.2003
D3: Cuba v D1: Costa Rica 16:30 at Foxboro
C2: El Salvador v C3: Martinique 21:00 at Foxboro
17.07.2003
B1: Colombia v B2: Guatemala 20:00 at Miami
A3: Honduras v A1: Mexico 21:00 at Mexico City
19.07.2003
QF1: Winner GRP C v 2nd GRP D** 15:00 at Foxboro
QF2: Winner GRP D v 2nd GRP C** 18:00 at Foxboro
QF4: Winner GRP B v 2nd GRP A** 20:00 at Miami
20.07.2003
QF3: Winner GRP A v 2nd GRP B** 12:00 at Mexico City
23.07.2003
SF1: Winner QF1 v Winner QF4 20:00 at Miami
24.07.2003
SF2: Winner QF2 v Winner QF3 21:00 at Mexico City
26.07.2003 Third Place Match (SF losers) 20:00 at Miami
27.07.2003 Final (Semifinal winners) 12:00 at Mexico City
ALL TIMES LOCAL TO VENUE
** as host countries, should Mexico and USA qualify for the
quarterfinals, they will play in Quarterfinals 1 and 3 respectively
regardless of whether they finish first or second in their groups.
The pairings remain the same, to be repositioned as necessary.

PAGE 2

PRESIDENT JACK A.
WARNERS MESSAGE

There has never been a more

important CONCACAF Gold
Cup than the one which is soon
to kick off in Boston, Mexico
City and Miami. For all the
nations of CONCACAF which
have qualified for the finals,
there are two major reasons for
serious application to the task at hand.
First, is the chance to compete against each
other, as well as Brazil and Colombia, for the
prestige of being CONCACAF champion and
entering the next FIFA Confederations Cup.
Second, is the knowledge that qualifying
games for the next World Cup begin early next
year and every game is important in preparation as many more CONCACAF countries will
be praying and hoping for a place in the finals
in Germany in 2006.
Why more than usual? Simply because we
shall have four places in the next World Cup,
in my opinion, as our previous three places is
increased to 3.5 and if our fourth placed team
can not beat the Asian fifth placed team for
that spot, I shall be shocked.
Thus, no matter who might normally be
regarded as favorites to qualify, there are places
available and many a nation with less hope
before will look at this opportunity with great
anticipation. For this, they can thank the performances of our three nations in the World
Cup of Korea/Japan (Costa Rica, Mexico and
the USA) as well as the arguments we have
advanced within the FIFA Executive Committee.
The Gold Cup of 2003 is therefore bristling
with opportunity and challenge and excitement
and an ever-increasing standard of play.
We shall still be talking about the Gold Cup
and examining its consequences when another
great event lands in our region, the FIFA Women's
World Cup of 2003. Obviously, there is great
sadness that this event had to be taken away
from China because of the health concerns over
the incidence of SARS in that country and we
sincerely hope that all is soon well in China and
that the guarantee of the next Women's World
Cup will help lessen their disappointment.
At the same time, however, there is great
pride that when FIFA had to find, urgently,
another nation to organize the event, they
studied the proposals from several nations
before looking west and awarding the tournament to the United States.
It is a huge task. To organize a FIFA world
championship in fewer than four months is a
daunting challenge but we wish the United
States Soccer Federation well, in the secure
knowledge that they will do the job...as countries in all three of CONCACAF's zones - from
Canada in the north to Guatemala and
Trinidad and Tobago in the south - have done
so in the past.
Of course, this will be the 10th FIFA world
championship final to be played in the CONCACAF region. This follows three FIFA World Cups
(Mexico 1970 and 1986; USA 1994); the FIFA
Womens World Cup (USA 1999, 2003); various
youth finals in Canada (FIFA U-17 World
Championship 1987, U-19 Womens World
Championship 2002), Mexico (FIFA World
Youth Championship 1983), Trinidad & Tobago
(FIFA U-17 World Championship 2001); and
Futsal World Championship (Guatemala 2000).

CONCACAF NEWS - JULY 2003

Semifinal 1, which will match the winner of
Quarterfinal 1 against the winner of Quarterfinal 4, will be played 23 July in Miami.
Semifinal 2, pairing the winners of Quarterfinals 2 and 3, will be held the following evening
in Mexico City. The third-place match is set for 26 July at the Orange Bowl, with the final on
Sunday afternoon 27 July at Estadio Azteca.
Scouting the teams
Brazil One of the two invited teams from CONMEBOL, Brazil are in their third
Gold Cup. Lost twice in nine tournament matches, while outscoring their opponents 16:5, but have never won the CONCACAF competition. The Samba Kings
advanced to the finals in 1996, but lost 2:0 to Mexico in Los Angeles, California USA. Two
years later at the same venue, Brazil were stunned by the USA 1:0 in the semifinals. Carlos
Alberto Parreira, who led the Samba Kings to the first FIFA World Cup in 24 years in USA
1994, is once again back at helm.
Canada Making their sixth appearance at the CONCACAF event, but third
straight under technical director Holger Osieck. Reached the semifinals in 2002,
losing the eventual champions USA 4:2 on penalties in Pasadena, California. The
Canadians went on to defeat Korea Republic 2:1 in the third-place match in 2002. Claimed
their first international honor in 115 years of football winning the 2000 Gold Cup, defeating
Colombia 2:0 in the finals in Los Angeles, California USA.
Colombia One of the two invited teams from CONMEBOL, the 2001 Copa
America champions are taking part in the Gold Cup for only the second time in
history. Reached the 2000 Gold Cup finals but dropped a stunning 2:0 decision
to Canada in Los Angeles, California USA. Colombia is once again guided by technical director Francisco Maturana.
Costa Rica - Winners of the UNCAF (Central America) Torneo de Naciones in
Panama this past February, the Ticos are in their sixth CONCACAF tournament in
2003. Costa Rica missed out on the 2002 crown after losing in the finals to the
host USA 2:0 in Pasadena, California. Advanced to back-to-back semifinals in 1991 and
1993. The Ticos have former USA coach, Steve Sampson in charge.
Cuba One of the two qualifiers from the Caribbean, is making their second
consecutive and third overall trip to the Gold Cup. Allowed only a goal in two
first round matches and just missed a berth to the 2002 quarterfinals, losing to
the USA via a penalty kick 0:1 and then holding Korea Republic scoreless 0:0 to conclude
group play. Peruvian Miguel Company has been the technical director for Cuba since 2002.
El Salvador Advanced to their fourth Gold Cup as one of the three direct
qualifiers from the UNCAF Torneo de Naciones in Panama this past February.
Reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 tournament but suffered a 4:0 blanking at
the hands of the host in Pasadena, California USA. Technical director Juan Ramon Paredes
is looking to rebuild with a young squad.
Guatemala Under technical director Victor Manuel Aguado, the Chapines
earned one of the three direct berths from the UNCAF Torneo de Naciones in
Panama. Have made five previous appearances at the Gold Cup and finished
fourth in 1996, losing to the USA 3:0 in third-place game in Los Angeles, California.
Honduras Were forced to qualify to the 2003 Gold Cup at the Interzone
Playoffs after finishing fourth at the UNCAF Torneo de Naciones in February.
With newly appointed technical director Edwin Pavn, Honduras posted back-toback victories against Trinidad & Tobago and the host Martinique in the Interzone Playoffs
in April for their sixth appearance at the CONCACAF event. Honduras best finish at the
Gold Cup was second-place, losing a 4:3 penalty kick thriller to the USA in Los Angeles,
California in the 1991 finale.
Jamaica One of the two qualifiers from the Caribbean are making their fifth
overall appearance at the Gold Cup. The Reggae Boyz reached the semifinals on
two occasions (1993, 1998). Jamaicas best finish came in 1993 as they shared the
bronze medal with Costa Rica after both played to a 1:1 draw in the third-place game in
Mexico City. Technical director Carl Brown is in charge of the squad.
Martinique Are back for their second straight (third overall) Gold Cup
appearance in 2003 under technical director Thodre Antonin. Earned one of the
two berths at the Interzone Playoffs in April. After going winless in their first trip
to the CONCACAF event in 1993, Martinique advanced to the quarterfinals in 2002 and
dropped a 6:5 decision on penalties to Canada after a 1:1 draw at the end of regulation and
two overtime periods in Miami, Florida USA.
Mexico One of only two nations to have played in all six previous Gold Cups
and was the first team to capture three consecutive titles (1993, 1996, 1998).
One of only two CONCACAF teams to always advance out of the first round. Had
a tournament best 16-game unbeaten streak snapped at the 2000 quarterfinals, losing to the
eventual champions Canada 2:1 on a golden goal in San Diego, California USA.
Argentinean native Ricardo La Volpe is in charge of the tricolor.
USA The defending champions are competing in their seventh Gold Cup.
Under technical director Bruce Arena, the USA have not lost a Gold Cup match in
this millennium, the last defeat coming in the 1998 finals against Mexico (0:1).
Has the most victories in tournament play with 20 and is the only CONCACAF team to win
all their first round group matches for a perfect 14-0 since 1991.

Gold Cup Preview Continued

CONCACAF NEWS - JULY 2003

PAGE 3

TOLUCA WILL MEET MORELIA IN 2003

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP FINAL

CD Toluca FC reached the final of the 2003

CONCACAF Champions Cup in dramatic fashion,
overturning a three-goal deficit against Club
Amrica to level their semifinal series, then beat
the four-time continental champion on a golden
goal to earn a date with CA Monarcas Morelia.
Its the second consecutive year the Champions Cup final will
an all-Mexican affair, and marks just the second time in the 41-year
history of the event that clubs from the same country will square
off in the final. Toluca and Morelia will play for the 2003 title on
dates to be determined.
Toluca reached the 2003 final after forward Emanuel Ruiz
scored the golden goal two minutes into the extra time to defeat
host Club Amrica 5:4 aggregate in the second leg of the their semifinal series at the Estadio Azteca in Ciudad de Mxico on 14 May.
Trailing 4:1 on aggregate going into second-leg match, Toluca
scored three unanswered goals in the final 20 minutes to earn a 3:0
victory and force golden-goal overtime before Ruiz stunned the
Amrica crowd with his match-winner.
Toluca has not won the Champions Cup since 1968, while
Morelia will be looking for their first-ever CONCACAF title, after
losing a heartbreaking 1:0 decision to Pachuca CF of Mxico for the
2002 crown.
Morelia advanced to this years finale after eliminating CD
Necaxa (MEX) in the semifinal series 6:0 on aggregate.

VENUES ANNOUNCED FOR

FIFA WOMENS WORLD CUP

U.S. Soccer Federation

unveiled six stadiums that
will stage the 2003 FIFA
Womens World Cup in the
USA from 20 September - 12 October.
The six venues include four Major League
Soccer stadiums and one from the Women's
United Soccer Association: Columbus Crew
Stadium in Columbus, Ohio; Home Depot
Center in Carson, California; Lincoln
Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
Washington, D.C.s RFK Stadium; Gillette
Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts; PGE
Park in Portland, Oregon.
So far 13 teams (of 16) have qualified for
the 2003 FIFA Women World Cup.
Joining the defending champion and
host will be automatic qualifier China, who
was scheduled to stage the 2003 event, but
FIFA relocated the tournament to the USA
due to the SARS outbreak.
The remaining berths are as follows:
AFC:
Korea Republic, Korea DPR;
CAF:
Ghana, Nigeria;
CONCACAF: Canada;
CONMEBOL: Argentina, Brazil;
OFC:
Australia;
UEFA:
France, Germany,
Norway, Russia, Sweden.
The final world cup berth will be determined in a home-and-home playoff between,
Japan and Mexico, who captured the bronze
medal at the Women's Gold Cup, which doubled as the CONCACAF World Cup qualifier
last year.

CONCACAF TEAMS DRAW 2003 FIFA U-17

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ASSIGNMENTS

Costa Rica, Mexico and USA learned their fate

as they were drawn into tough groups when the
draw for FIFA Under-17 World Championship
Finland 2003 was held on 11 June in Helsinki,
Finland.
Costa Rica was drawn into Group B, along with Argentina,
Australia and two-time U-17 champion Nigeria, while Mexico was
placed in Group A, with China, Colombia and the host. Playing in
their 10th consecutive world championship at this level, the USA
was placed in Group D joining Korea Republic, Sierra Leone and
Spain. Brazil, Cameroon, Portugal and Yemen round out the teams
as they will were placed in Group C.
CONCACAF President Jack A. Warner (TRI), FIFA Vice
President and Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the FIFA
U-17 World Championship, conducted the ceremony for the tournament which will take place 13 30 August. The top two teams in
each group advance to the knockout stage.
FIFA Under-17 World Championship - Finland 2003

Group A
(Tl Stadium,
Helsinki)
Finland
China
Mexico
Colombia

Group B
Group C
(Kupittaa Stadium, (Ratina Stadium,
Turku)
Tampere)
Argentina
Yemen
Australia
Portugal
Costa Rica
Cameroon
Nigeria
Brazil

2003 FIFA Women's World Cup venues

Columbus Crew Stadium
Columbus, Ohio; Capacity: 22,555
Gillette Stadium
Foxboro, Massachusetts; Capacity: 68,000
Home Depot Center
Carson, California; Capacity: 27,500
Lincoln Financial Field
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Capacity: 70,000
PGE Park
Portland, Oregon; Capacity: 28,359
(With temporary bleachers)
RFK Stadium
Washington, D.C.; Capacity: 53,000

JACK WARNER OPENS

COACHING SEMINAR

CONCACAF President Jack Warner (TRI)

will opened the CONCACAF Seminar entitled
Tactics and Systems of Play, which is part of
the 2003 Development Programme at the Dr.
Joo Havelange Centre of Excellence in
Trinidad from 16-17 May.
Mr. Warner will addressed 72 coaches
from 15 countries at the opening ceremony
of the CONCACAF Seminar on 16 May).
Vice President of the Union of European
Football Coaches and senior UEFA
Technical Instructor, Dr. Zdenek Sivek conduct the seminar in collaboration with two
FIFA Instructors, Lincoln Phillips and Alvin
Corneal, who was a member of the 2002
FIFA World Cup Technical Study Group.
In the past three years, more than 600 people from countries within the Confederation
have attended a variety of courses and workshops in Coach Education, Sports Medicine,
Refereeing and Administration.

Group D
(Lahti Stadium,
Lahti)
Korea Republic
USA
Spain
Sierra Leone

The curriculum will focus on:

1) History & Development of Playing Systems
2) Modern Tactics
3) Choosing the Right System
4) Future Systems of Play
The Development Programme continued
the following month with an intensive fourday workshop for Senior Administrators
from 1013 June at the Centre of Excellence.
The CONCACAF/FA Workshop for senior administrators ended on a high note with
a stirring address to participants by Maurice
Watkins, a director of Manchester United.
Watkins along with Football Association
(FA) officials Graham Noakes, Mark Ives and
Kim Fisher conducted the four-day workshop.
Thirty-eight administrators from 18
countries took part in the event, which was
staged as part of a collaboration agreement
between CONCACAF and the F.A. The workshop was entitled Contracts, Transfers and
Structures for Development and focused on
developing effective league and administrative structures as well as the new FIFA regulations governing the transfer of players.
The next CONCACAF Development
Programme in Trinidad & Tobago is a workshop for Match Commissioners from 12-13
September 2003.

CONCACAF President Jack Warner (center)

with instructors at the coaching seminar last May

PAGE 4

CONCACAF NEWS - JULY 2003

NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

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

Guyana Football Federation re-elects Colin Klass

Colin Klass was re-elected President of the Guyana
Football Federation (GFF) Annual General Meeting at the
Ocean View International Hotel and Convention Centre in
Georgetown, Guyana on 26 April.
Klass, who has been at the GFF Presidency since 1989, was unanimously elected to another four-year term.
A member of the Caribbean Football Union Executive
Committee, Klass is also the CONCACAF Committee Chairman for
Five-A-Side Football (Futsal).
Along with the GFF Presidency, Franklin Wilson was elected
Second Vice President, while Aubrey Major assumed the Assistant
General Secretary - Organizing position from 2003-2007.
The elections for the three remaining GFF positions of First Vice
President, Treasurer and Assistant General Secretary
Administration will occur in 2005.
Turks & Caicos Islands FA reaching out and reaching up
The Turks & Caicos Islands Football Association
(TCIFA), one of CONCACAF's members, is reaching
out and reaching up.
First, they are reaching out to all Turks and Caicos Islanders playing football anywhere in the world to get in touch if he, or she, feels
the ability is there to represent the country. Then, TCIFA intends to
enter national teams in six of the FIFA world championships, including the FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women's World Cup.
This is the message CONCACAF gladly circulates on behalf of its
ambitious member:
As an integral part of the development of National Teams, the
Turks & Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA) is calling on all

Turks & Caicos Island soccer players living overseas interested in

representing their country, to contact the TCA immediately.
As part of our development plan for soccer in the TCIFA, we
intend to enter National Teams into qualifying tournaments for the
following competitions:
FIFA World Cup (Men & Women)
FIFA World Youth Championships (U-20, Men)
FIFA U-19 Women's World Championships
FIFA U-17 World Championships (Men)
FIFA Futsal World Championships (Men)
If you are a Turks & Caicos Islander playing soccer overseas and
feel you have the ability to represent your country in the above competitions, please contact the TCIFA immediately. We would also like
to hear from any youth player, 13 years or older. We would like to
record your details in our database so that going forward you could
be contacted to represent your country in the above competitions.
The TCIFA became the 200th member of FIFA in 1998 and
annually benefits from its Financial Assistance Programme (FAP).
This annual grant has enabled us to open a full time office (located
on Providenciales), employ three full time members of staff
(Technical Director, Football Development Officer & Football
Administrator) and purchase equipment needed for our grassroots
development programmes (e.g. Youth & women's football).With
assistance from FIFA (FAP & Goal Project), we recently opened
(October 2001) the first phase of our National Academy (Center for
the development of football), comprising of a first-class full sized
football pitch, changing rooms and modern floodlight system.
The TCIFA intends to continue with its long-term development
plans by providing a full sized artificial training pitch, dormitories,
administrative offices and parking facilities.
source: football.tc