Reginald Francisca (left), president of the Netherland Antilles Football Association (NAFA), joins Ciro Kroon, Digicel Curacao's marketing communications manager (right) at a recent press briefing to announce the competition. Also in photo is Danielle Curiel, assistant manager, marketing communications, Digicel Curacao. Curacao will host a trio of Group A countries - Surname, Guyana and Grenada, September 6-10, at the Ergilio Hato National Stadium. - Contributed
HAVANA, Cuba:
The hunt for regional supremacy in football starts today when the preliminary rounds of the 2006/07 Digicel Caribbean Cup of football kicks off in the Pedro Marrero Stadium, Havana, Cuba.
Cayman Islands will first tackle the Bahamas Islands at 3:00 p.m. and in the second game of a double-header at 5:15 p.m., hosts and Group E favourites Cuba take on the Turks and Caicos.
The second round of games in the group take place on Monday and the last pair of games is scheduled for next Wednesday.
Jamaica will host matches in Group D, September 26-30. The other members of the group are Haiti, St. Lucia and St. Vincent & The Grenadines.
The competition, contested biannually, started in 1989 and was formally known as the Copa Caribe. It was also called the Shell Caribbean Cup, Shell/Umbro Caribbean Cup, Interforever Caribbean Cup and in 1999 and 2001 it was referred to as the Caribbean Nations Cup.
Largest ever
The expanded Digicel Caribbean Cup competition will culminate with the playing of the Final Round in Trinidad and Tobago in early February 2007.
It represents the largest ever Caribbean football tournament to be held in the region, with a record 25 teams participating in the competition and playing a total of 73 matches in comparison to 52 in the inaugural year.
A revised format of 10 preliminary qualifying groups will be contested to select the top eight teams for that round.
Increased investment
In keeping with Digicel's commitment to the growth of football in the region, Digicel has increased its investment to allow for the expanded format. Each of the 10 host countries will receive US$20,000.00, while host of the eight-team final round will get US$150,000.00.
The overall winners will get US$120,000.00, up from the US$100,000.00 that defending champions Jamaica took home last year after the final round played in Barbados. The runners-up will receive US$70,000.00, with US$50,000.00 and US$30,000.00 going to the third and fourth place teams.
Trinidad and Tobago have won the Championship on eight occasions: 1989, 1992, 1994 -97 and 1999. Jamaica have tallied three victories (1991, 1998 and 2005) while Martinique's lone victory came in 1993.
The tournament was not held in years 2000, 2002 and 2003. The Digicel Caribbean Cup is a qualifier for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
