CONCACAF

CONCACAF’s President, Victor Montagliani, last week completed a tour of three Caribbean member federations to witness first-hand their impressive ongoing football development initiatives and meet with local stakeholders to understand opportunities and challenges to growing the game in the region. Montagliani began his tour in Jamaica where he met with Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts and General Secretary Dennis Chung. The JFF leadership briefed Montagliani on plan to work with the Jamaican government to enhance the National Stadium and on the impressive growth of the local men’s league, the Jamaica Premier League and the development of the women’s game. Next, Montagliani visited the Bonaire Football Federation where he joined President Ludwig Balentin to meet with local football stakeholders, the federation’s Council, football facilities supporting the growth of the sport and the territory’s Commissioner of Sport. After a successful Bonaire visit, the Concacaf President visited the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) where he met with President Wayne Ford and his leadership team to discuss the ongoing growth of football in Guyana, including attending a special ceremony for the unveiling of a new multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue being developed through a partnership between the GFF and Blue Water Shipping, with support from the local government, Concacaf and FIFA, and officially opening the country’s U13 girl’s nationwide football competition at the GFF national training center. The tournament is backed by the GFF and will include 40 local participating schools with the aim of encouraging more girls in Guyana to engage with football. The Concacaf President was joined on his visits by the confederation’s Director of Member Services for the Caribbean region, Howard McIntosh, Director of Caribbean Member Association Affairs, Horace Reid, Member Association Affairs Senior Manager, Sofia Malizia and Protocol Manager Nidia Mercado. #Concacaf #FIFA #LoveForOurGame https://lnkd.in/g5kV4JaN

CONCACAF has announced that Hollywood Park in Inglewood, CA, has been selected to host the next two editions of the Concacaf Nations League Finals. The competitions’ matches will be played at the world-renowned SoFi Stadium, one of the host venues for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ - Canada, Mexico and the United States and home to the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Chargers. In 2023, the stadium also hosted a sold-out Concacaf Gold Cup Final between Mexico and Panama. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eZpAWAvn #Concacaf #ConcacafNationsLeague #FIFA #FIFAWorldCup2026

The renowned sportswear brand Macron, which has partnerships across a range of global sports, and CONCACAF, the Confederation for football in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, have announced a long-term partnership that will include Macron becoming the official sports equipment and apparel partner to Concacaf for the next six and a half years. The agreement, which covers all of Concacaf’s men’s national team, women’s national team, under-20 and under-17 and club competitions, is Macron’s first confederation-wide partnership with a FIFA confederation and will provide the Italy based international sports equipment brand with significant visibility in the Concacaf region during a time at which the sport is expected to grow tremendously. https://lnkd.in/eiYkQcDk

CONCACAF has announced key details about the 2025 Gold Cup, the Confederation’s flagship men’s national team championship, including the date for the tournament draw, match dates and the identity of the 14 stadiums in the United States and Canada that will host the competition’s matches. The 18th edition of the competition will be played next summer, between June 14 and July 6, and will feature 16 men’s national teams. Just one year out from the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Gold Cup will provide a highly competitive tournament for the region’s best teams and an opportunity for even more fans to engage with the sport at a pivotal time for its growth in North America, Central American, and the Caribbean. #2025GoldCup #FIFAWorldCup2026 #GoldCup https://lnkd.in/gnz3jRqP

CONCACAF’s commitment to supporting the ongoing growth and development of its Member Associations was underscored by the Confederation successfully delivering its Executive Mentorship Program (EMP) in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The Concacaf EMP team recently visited the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association and, separately, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation to deliver a program that has fast become integral to supporting federations in enhancing all aspects of their administration and governance. The Concacaf EMP was launched by Concacaf President Victor Montagliani in 2019 as a key part of his #OneConcacaf vision to unite the region and provide support and opportunity for all 41 of the Confederation’s Member Associations. https://lnkd.in/d85ZVRqx

Today, ahead of the start of Gamergy Mexico 2024, one of the world’s largest video game conventions, CONCACAF, officially launched its new youth brand, Concacaf Kick-Off. This platform has been created to connect younger audiences with the Confederation’s main football events and competitions, using entertainment spaces such as gaming, music, and influencers. To appeal to younger generations, the Concacaf Kick-Off brand is full of bold and dynamic colors and shapes. The brand essence is “a new game begins,” inviting young fans to be part of our game, whether through playing, becoming or fan or engaging through digital platforms.  As part of the brand’s launch and broader strategy, Concacaf has joined forces with Gamergy‘s parent company, GGTech Entertainment, a leader in esports, gaming, and immersive entertainment event development. Philippe Moggio, Concacaf General Secretary, said: “We are very excited to unveil our new youth brand Concacaf Kick-Off. Through this new platform, we are looking to reach younger audiences and introduce Concacaf to new trends, including in the world of gaming. We also look forward to working with GGTECH and many other partners to create entertainment opportunities to bring younger fans closer to Concacaf’s main events”. Juan Diego Garcia Squetino, GGTECH Director of Business for the Americas, said: “There is no need to describe what football means to the entire audience, which is why we at GGTECH are very proud to be able to work alongside one of the most prestigious sports organizations in the world on its new strategy for young audiences. Welcome Concacaf to the new era of entertainment.” https://lnkd.in/ekbGbJtA #Concacaf #ConcacafYouth #ConcacafKickOff

Public Investment Fund (PIF) and CONCACAF have announced a multi-year partnership that will support their shared ambition to grow football at every level of the game in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The partnership will support the growth of the sport at all levels, inspiring more people to take up football, as well as boost #Concacaf tournaments for men, women and youth of both national teams and clubs. Additionally, the two organizations will collaborate to strengthen and advance #Concacaf #footballdevelopment initiatives with a focus on providing children and youth with access to the sport in all 41 Concacaf federations. https://lnkd.in/eDnA3UKM

CONCACAF and Snacks Yummies, a high-quality snack and chip company based in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, have announced a multi-year partnership. This agreement designates Taqueritos as the Official Snack Sponsor for the next three editions (2024, 2025, and 2026) of the Concacaf Central American Cup, an annual tournament that crowns Central America’s club champion and qualifies six clubs for the Confederation’s premier club competition, the Concacaf Champions Cup. "We are excited to be part of the Central American Cup alongside Concacaf; it's a unique opportunity to celebrate football and support the teams and players that represent the best of our region. Alongside Taqueritos, we bring our passion for flavors to each match and celebrate the greatness of the sport together," said Luis Alberto Weddle, Category Manager of Snacks Yummies. “We are very pleased to welcome Taqueritos as the first-ever Central American-based partner for the Concacaf Central American Cup,” said Concacaf Chief Commercial Officer Heidi Pellerano. “This partnership will provide Taqueritos with an unprecedented opportunity to engage with Central American football fans and their clubs as they battle on the pitch to be crowned champions,” added Pellerano. Dinant https://lnkd.in/e5iswnva

CONCACAF has joined forces with the Generation Amazing Foundation to foster football development across the region. As part of Concacaf’s Bigger Game Social Responsibility strategy, 2024 marks the second year of this transformative initiative, culminating in a two-day celebration of sport and community in Belize which took place earlier this year. Concacaf and Generation Amazing remain committed to building a long-term football infrastructure that not only cultivates talent but also promotes social values among young people. Local coaches engaged in intensive training sessions over a two-day period. These sessions were specifically designed to equip coaches with the necessary tools to create positive impacts within their communities through football. The festival play, a highlight of the event, saw these newly trained coaches bring their learnings to life, facilitating engaging and fun activities for over 600 children and 50 coaches from local communities. By the next FIFA Men’s World Cup in 2026, Generation Amazing expects that all 41 Concacaf Member Associations will have benefitted from the programme, touching the lives of 100,000 children and empowering 1,000 coaches. #FootballForSocialChange #Concacaf #GenerationAmazing Nasser Al-Khori https://lnkd.in/ex-jyWau

One month ago today, we celebrated the launch of Miami SCORES, Powered by Concacaf! ⚽️   This exciting partnership between CONCACAF and America SCORES is supported by the FIFA Foundation and will bring after-school football and education programs to Miami’s youth.   We're thrilled to be empowering young people through the beautiful game and fostering a love of learning. Check out the video from the launch event!   #Concacaf #FIFA #FIFAFoundation #MiamiSCORES #AmericaSCORES #YouthDevelopment #Community