...I mean, it's going to happen, right? Last year, we had an update on the format in January; but up until now, nothing. No confirmation of the field, nor the format, nor the dates. The only thing I could find so far is Alpha United requesting a bye to a second round of the tournament; the article asserts that the competition will begin this month.
The top story on http://www.cfufootball.org/index.php/tournaments/cfu-club-championship is about the Caribbean Cup (which qualifies teams for the Gold Cup but the website calls it the "Goal Cup"), not the CFU Club Championship like the page title says. Wikipedia doesn't have a page for the 2015 CFU Club Championship.
I have found very little too. French wiki does have a page but has no sources whatsoever, and appears to assume that the same countries as 2014 will have identical allocation this year! But you can poo-poo that as Guyana Defence Force will also represent Guyana this year. Another thing I have read however was a tweet from a sports journalist in Guadeloupe claiming that the competition will start this month!!! EDIT: Slight mention that Montego Bay will play along side Waterhouse, although they mention 2014/15 CCL, not 2015 CFU Club Championship! EDIT 2: Helenites won the US Virgin Islands title last month, and this article claims they are able to participate (whether they will is another matter) and that qualifiers will take place in March and May
Ligue des champions de la Caraïbe : le CSM et l'USR en Haïti Vendredi 6 Mars 2015 - 07h37 Les deux représentants guadeloupéens au 1er tour de la Ligue des Champions de la Caraïbe sont fixés. Ils iront tous les deux en Haïti du 15 au 19 avril. Après de longues semaines d'attente, l'information est enfin tombée cette nuit. Le CSM et l'USR, représentants guadeloupéens en Ligue des Champions de la Caraïbe, connaissent le lieu de leurs matches et leurs adversaires. Ils iront tous les deux en Haïti du 15 au 19 avril. Les Mouliens, double champions de DH en titre, l'America FC (Haïti), le Montego Bay United FC (Jamaïque) et le SV Excelsior (Surinam) dans le groupe 3. Les hommes de Joël Citadelle et de Camille Choquier sont dans le groupe 4 avec Don Bosco FC de Petion Ville (Haïti), Helenites Sporting Club (Îles Vierges américaines), et Lyford Cay FC (Bahamas). Retour complet dans notre édition de demain.
Ok, this team has to do a South American tour. But I'm glad to see different leagues getting represented in this edition (the USVI and Bahamas). Here's hoping Puerto Rico gets its club football situation together, and that the Dominican Republic and Cuba enter teams next time as well. I really want to know how the seeding was decided. W Connection and Waterhouse in the same group, and only one moves on to the semifinals? OTOH, Don Bosco might run over Group 4.
I think these groups was made before qualifications of clubs, so Jamaica and Guyana 2nd place meed champion of T&T and Antigua. This is the explanation. Unfortunately, clubs need big luck to play in a easy group, and is not by their performance in last editions. you realize that we will see a team like America FC or Don Bosco in CCL groups stage? Because sure both will lose in semifinals against W Connection/Waterhouse or Alpha/Moengotapoe and will play both for third place in small final of CFU Clubs Championship. Ranking by IFCR for CFU participants this year (rank in CONCACAF) 29. William Connections 275.18 Trinidad & Tobago 46. Waterhouse SC (Kingston) 229.51 Jamaica 69. Inter Moengotapoe 176.74 Suriname 80. Alpha United (Georgetown) 159.55 Guyana 98. America FC (Cayes) 139.32 Haiti 112. Montego Bay United FC 127.26 Jamaica 114. Central FC (California, Trinidad & Tobago) 123.27 Trinidad & Tobago 116. CS Moulien (Le Moule) 121.43 Guadeloupe 142. Don Bosco FC (Petion Ville) 107.10 Haiti 147. Helenites (Saint Croix) 102.20 US Virgin Islands 152. SV Excelsior Meerzorg 97.31 Suriname 154. USR (Sainte-Rose) 96.04 Guadeloupe 162. SAP FC (Bolans) 92.85 Antigua & Barbuda 183. Lyford Cay FC (Dragons) 79.50 Bahamas 275. Guyana Defence Force (Georgetown) 43.95 Guyana
My guess.... POT A - Hosts Alpha United (GUY1) W Connection (TRI1) America (HAI1) Don Bosco (HAI2) POT B - Ranking of previous edition Waterhouse FC (JAM2) Unite Sainte-Rose (GPE2) Inter Moengotapoe (SUR1) Montego Bay United (JAM1) [Champion from country that progressed furthest last year*] POT C - Champions CS Moulien (GPE1) SAP FC (ATG1) Helenites (VIR1) POT D - The rest! Lyford Cay Dragons (BAH1) [First appearance ever for a Bahamas club, hence why lowest seeded Champion] Central FC (TRI2) Guyana Defence Force (GUY2) SV Excelsior (SUR2) * If you take 2014 CCC, Waterhouse had went unbeaten (as did Alpha) but had a better GD. Additionally, they were the best performing CFU representative in 14/15 CCL. Why 3 teams in Pot C and 4 in Pot D? Because it works this way hahahahaha (but it gives all groups a "low seed") Tangent: This is how I think all draws which results in uneven groups should be done - every group should have a team from the lowest pot, and have the preceding pot be the one with fewest teams!
I hope for next editions, many countries will give clubs in CFU Club Championship. This is first step to increase number of CCL clubs from 24 to 32. I see this year new countries (Antigua, Bahamas and US Virgin Islands), this is great. But unfortunately countries which played in 2014, like Curacao, Cayman and Puerto Rico left. And I don't know why? Because clubs from Puerto Rico and Curacao made great matches last year (except Cayman). see here : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_CFU_Club_Championship#Group_1 Is right, Puerto Rico Bayamon lost in CCL groups with 1-10, 1-6 and 0-5 against Comunicaciones and Club America, but I think they made some money after these games
My Haitian blood says "Bon bagay." I'd gladly take América or Don Bosco's chances against the latter two; Alpha and Moengotapoe only have a better ranking because they play in the CFU tournament every year. Btw, @jared9999 : what will you do if América FC of Haiti makes the Champions League and gets drawn into the wilas' group (i.e. América vs. América)?
Will be great for Club America ) anyway in group A we can't know which will qualify ... Alpha play home, and is strong
Montego Bay-Moulien is the first game at 3:30 P.M. Here are the rest of the start times: Alpha-Inter Moengotapoe at 4:00 P.M. Helenites vs. Sainte-Rose at 4:00 P.M. SAP-Waterhouse at 5:30 P.M. America des Cayes-Excelsior at 6:00 P.M. Bosco-Lyford Cay at 6:30 P.M. W Connection-Guyana Defense Force at 8:00 P.M.
It wouldnt be a true CFU competition without a team pulling out at the last minute.... Waterhouse withdraw!
Jesus Christ, why? I hope that proposed franchise system in Jamaica first league will become reality and that something like this (or what happened in past when they didn't take part in CFU at all) won't happen again.
FT Don Bosco (HAI) 10 - 0 Lyford Cay (BAH) FT Helenites (USVI) 2 USR Sainte Rose (Guadeloupe) 2 Currently America des Cayes 2 - 1 Excelsior in the second half
FT Montego Bay United 1 - 0 CS Moulien FT America des Cayes 4 - 2 SV Excelsior FT W-Connection 7-1 Guyana Defence Force
Before we get too excited: this is the same Saint-Rosienne that finished below Bayamón in last year's CFU tournament. Then Bayamón that went on to receive some historic beatings in the Champions League. Speaking of historic beatings: there have been mismatches in this tournament, but I can't remember the last time a team dropped double-digits. Félicitations Don Bosco, and welcome to the big leagues, Lyford Cay!