Defence Force FC arrives in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup as a storied Caribbean representative with a proud history and defensive grit. The club earned the final berth in this year’s tournament by finishing third in the Caribbean Cup.
The twenty-time winner of their domestic league is built around a core of disciplined, hard‑working players, many of whom also serve in the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force. This unique structure fosters a strong collective mentality and physical resilience, as officers, soldiers and sailors are included in the team that includes only T & T nationals.
The team is built around the bedrock of goalkeeper Jabari St. Hillaire, whose command between the posts gives Defence Force a chance in tight games, and Rodell Elcock, a veteran defender whose organizational presence helps marshal the back line against fast, technical attacks.
While they may lack the depth and high‑end talent of clubs from MLS or Liga MX, their unity, physical tenacity, history of domestic dominance and hard-core support at the Hasley Crawford Stadium make them tricky opposition to navigate.
Facing the Philadelphia Union, Defence Force will need to bottle that discipline and collective spirit to challenge a tactically sophisticated MLS side.