February 24 – The Caribbean’s top regional club competition, the 2021 Flow Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship, will be centralised in the Dominican Republic, May 14-26 and, while the region’s Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield (CCCS) will be played in Curacao, April 23 and May 2.
In a year when club competition has been halted in a number of Caribbean countries due to the coronavirus pandemic, centralising the competitions was the only realistic chance of ensuring play took place with the various Covid travel restrictions and health protocols required.
“Club football in the Caribbean is a priority for Concacaf and I would like to express our gratitude to the federations in the Dominican Republic and Curacao for their commitment to hosting these important competitions,” said Concacaf General Secretary, Philippe Moggio.
The 2021 Flow Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship is for professional clubs and will be hosted in in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The winning club will qualify for the Concacaf Champions League with the next two placed clubs qualifying for the Scotiabank Concacaf League. The fourth placed team will play off against the winner of the Shield competition for a spot in the Concacaf League.
Two clubs from each of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica – Delfines del Este FC (DOM), O&M FC (DOM), Cavaly AS (HAI), Don Bosco FC (HAI), Portmore United FC (JAM), Waterhouse FC (JAM) – will compete in to groups of three, with the top two going forward to semi-finals.
Professional ambitions
The Caribbean Club Shield competition will be played between 14 clubs from 14 Caribbean Member Associations who the regional confederations said “are working with Concacaf towards a long-term vision to professionalize the club game across the region.”
The 14 clubs who will play in Willemstad, Curacao, are: SV Racing Club Aruba (ARU), SV Real Rincon (BOE), RKSV Scherpenheuvel (CUW), South East FC (DMA), Olympique de Cayenne (GUF), AS Gosier (GLP), Fruta Conquerors FC (GUY), AS Samaritaine (MTQ), Metropolitan FA (PUR), St. Paul’s United FC (SKN), Platinum FC (LCA), Hope International FC (VIN), Flames United SC (SMA), and Inter Moengo Tapoe (SUR).
They will play in two groups of four and two groups of three with the four group winners going through to the semi-finals.
“Both the Flow Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship and the Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield allow for great competition between clubs in the Caribbean region and we are very much looking forward to delivering them in April and May,” added Moggio.
The draw for the Group Stages of both competitions will take place Thursday and Friday this week in Miami.
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