Free kick issue #10 english final

ISSUE CONCACAF.com

10

FEB/MAR

2015

2015 CONCACAF GOLD CUP GROUPS AND SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED March 12-Philadelphia, PA CONCACAF revealed the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup groups and match schedule, while awarding the 2015 Gold Cup Final to the city of Philadelphia and Lincoln Financial Field, to be played on Sunday, July 26, at 7:30pm EST. For the first time since the 2003 edition, the Gold Cup will feature a Third-Place Match, to be played on Saturday, July 25 at PPL Park – one day prior to the grand finale – making the Gold Cup finals weekend in Philadelphia a celebration of the sport.

“We are anticipating an exceptional Gold Cup in 2015, with a grand finale weekend to be played right here in Philadelphia, a city with a special affinity for the world’s game. The sport has never been more popular throughout the Confederation, and this year’s Gold Cup – the crown jewel of regional soccer – will certainly demonstrate like never before our region’s passion for the game.” – CONCACAF President, Jeffrey Webb “Philadelphia is a great sports city. From our passionate fans to our tremendous venues, Philadelphia offers a unique and exciting sports experience. This environment, and our ability to host large-scale events well, will combine for a top tier grand finale Gold Cup event. We are thrilled to be the host city for the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup weekend and are looking forward to showcasing the world’s most popular sport in our world-class city.” – Philadelphia Mayor, Michael A. Nutter

“Events like these are about venues and partnerships. We’re incredibly lucky as a city to have world-class partners like the Eagles and Union and their superb venues – Lincoln Financial Field and PPL Park. We can’t wait to help in rolling out the red carpet for CONCACAF this summer.” – Philadelphia Sports Congress Executive Director, Larry Needle The Philadelphia Sports Congress is a division of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau “We’re extremely proud and honored to host the Third Place Match at PPL Park. Hosting this game on Saturday and the Final at Lincoln Financial Field the following day will be one of the biggest celebrations of our sport this region has seen since the All Star Game in 2012.”

– Union CEO and Operating Partner, Nick Sakiewicz

THE 2015 GOLD CUP QUARTERFINALS • The quarterfinals will be played in Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium and New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, on Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19, respectively. The victorious quarterfinalists then move to Atlanta for the semifinals, at the Georgia Dome on Wednesday, July 22, before the tournament’s Grand Finale weekend in Philadelphia.

The twelve national teams schedule to participate have qualified for this year’s tournament. Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago and the United States, in alphabetical order, will compete for the Confederation Crown in July.

City of Philadelphia officials and CONCACAF President, Jeffrey Webb

• Taking place every two years, the Gold Cup has established itself as the region’s most popular national team tournament.

Featuring the Confederation’s best players from 12 top nations, the competition routinely draws capacity crowds and millions of television viewers across the region and around the world.

• Returning for the 2015 edition of the Gold Cup are long-time CONCACAF broadcast partners FOX and Univision, which hold the U.S. television rights in English and Spanish, respectively, along with radio broadcast partner Futbol de Primera.

FACTS AND FIGURES • Toyota Stadium, in the greater Dallas Metroplex, will host the opening games of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup on Tuesday, July 7, featuring reigning Gold Cup champion United States against Honduras preceded

by Panama v Haiti to kick off the evening.

• Costa Rica leads Group B, which commences the following day in Los Angeles, where the 2014 World Cup quarterfinalists take on Jamaica, followed by El Salvador versus Canada later in the evening at the StubHub Center. Six-time Gold Cup champion Mexico will play the following night, July 9 at Chicago’s Soldier Field – home to the 2013 Gold Cup final -against Cuba in Group C, in a match day which also will include Trinidad & Tobago versus Guatemala in the first game of the doubleheader.

2015 Gold Cup Coaches

2015 CONCACAF GOLD CUP GROUP A: USA, Panama, Haiti, Honduras GROUP B: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Canada, Jamaica GROUP C: México, Guatemala, Trinidad & Tobago, Cuba

SCHEDULE (ET) JULY 7, 2015

JULY 11, 2015

JULY 15, 2015

JULY 25, 2015

Toyota Stadium (Dallas, TX) 5:00 PM Panama vs. Haiti (FOX Sports 2/UDN) 7:30 PM USA vs. Honduras (FOX Sports 1/UniMas)

BBVA Compass Stadium (Houston, TX) 6:30 PM Jamaica vs. Canada (FOX Sports 2/Univision) 9:00 PM Costa Rica vs. El Salvador (FOX Sports 2/Univision)

Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC) 6:00 PM Cuba vs. Guatemala (FOX Sports 2/UniMas) 8:30 PM Mexico vs. Trinidad and Tobago (FOX Sports 2/UniMas)

PPL Park (Philadelphia, PA) 4:00 PM 3rd Place (FOX Sports 2/Univision)

JULY 8, 2015

JULY 12, 2015

JULY 18, 2015

StubHub Center (Los Angeles, CA) 8:00 PM Costa Rica vs. Jamaica (FOX Sports 2/UniMas) 10:30 PM El Salvador vs. Canada (FOX Sports 2/UniMas)

University of Phoenix Stadium (Phoenix, AZ) 6:30 PM Trinidad and Tobago vs. Cuba (FOX Sports 2/Univision) 9:00 PM Guatemala vs. Mexico (FOX Sports 2/Univision)

M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore, MD) 5:00 PM & 8:00 PM 1A vs. 3B/C* (FOX/Univision) 2A vs. 1B* (FOX Sports 2/Univision)

JULY 9, 2015

JULY 13, 2015

JULY 19, 2015

Soldier Field (Chicago, IL) 7:00 PM Trinidad and Tobago vs. Guatemala (FOX Sports 2/UDN) 9:30 PM Mexico vs. Cuba (FOX Sports 1/UniMas)

Sporting Park (Kansas City, MO) 7:00 PM Haiti vs. Honduras (FOX Sports 1/UDN) 9:30 PM Panama vs. United States (FOX Sports 1/UniMas)

Met Life Stadium (New York, NY) 4:30 PM & 7:30 PM 1C-3A/B* (FOX Sports 1/Univision) 2C-2B* (FOX Sports 1/Univision)

JULY 10, 2015

JULY 14, 2015

Gillette Stadium (Boston, MA) 6:00 PM Honduras vs. Panama (FOX Sports 2/UniMas) 8:30 PM USA vs. Haiti (FOX Sports 1/UniMas)

BMO Field (Toronto, CAN) 6:00 PM Jamaica vs. El Salvador (FOX Sports 1/UniMas) 8:30 PM Canada vs. Costa Rica (FOX Sports 1/UniMas)

JULY 26, 2015 Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA) 7:30 PM Championship Final (FOX Sports 1/Univision)

Please visit www.GoldCup.org to obtain tickets.

JULY 22, 2015 Georgia Dome (Atlanta, GA) 6:00 PM SF 1* (FOX Sports 1/UniMas) 9:00 PM SF 2* (FOX Sports 2/UniMas)

ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY SPONSORS 2015 CONCACAF GOLD CUP THROUGH INSURANCE SECTOR DEAL March 11 – Miami, FL CONCACAF and its commercial partnership agency, Traffic Sports, announced that Allstate Insurance Company, a leading North American insurance provider, will sponsor this year’s edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. “We are excited to welcome Allstate as an official sponsor of the CONCACAF Gold Cup,” said CONCACAF General Secretary Enrique Sanz. “Allstate has always been a great supporter of the sport in general and in the U.S. in particular, and we are pleased to announce their involvement in this year’s Gold Cup, to be played in 13 cities across the United States and, for the first time, in Canada as well.”

Allstate Insurance Company joins

CONCACAF as first-time sponsor of the Gold Cup – the preeminent national team tournament of the North, Central America and Caribbean region. With the agreement, Allstate Insurance Company becomes the Official Auto, Life, Home and Retirement Insurance Sponsor of the competition.

“Allstate has been a protector of soccer for many years, and we are looking forward to extending our support as an official sponsor of the CONCACAF Gold Cup,” said Pam Hollander, Vice President of Marketing for Allstate Insurance Company. “The Gold Cup provides a significant opportunity to connect with soccer’s most passionate fans and

reinforce Allstate’s commitment to keeping them in good hands.”

The company has a well-established history of supporting soccer events in North America, including backing for the U.S. and Mexican national teams and Major League Soccer, as well as grassroots football initiatives.

The sponsorship of this year’s Gold Cup was negotiated by CONCACAF commercial partnership agency Traffic Sports.

INSTITUTIONAL

CONCACAF ANNOUNCES CANDIDATES FOR THE XXX ORDINARY CONGRESS ELECTION March 3 – Miami, FL CONCACAF announced the candidates nominated for office at the upcoming elections to be held at the XXX CONCACAF Ordinary Congress.

In accordance with CONCACAF statutes, the General Secretary Enrique Sanz has received nominations to fulfill the posts for the CONCACAF and FIFA offices up for election.

Below are the nominations of candidates running for office for the 2015-2019 term: CONCACAF Executive Committee President:

Jeffrey Webb – Cayman Islands (incumbent, unopposed)

Vice-President – North America Zone:

Justino Compean – Mexico (incumbent, unopposed)

Vice-President – Caribbean Zone:

Horace Burrell – Jamaica (incumbent, unopposed)

Member – Central America Zone:

Pedro Chaluja – Panama

Female Member:

Sonia Bien-Aime – Turks and Caicos Islands

FIFA Executive Committee Member – Central America Zone:

Rafael Salguero – Guatemala (incumbent)

Member – Central America Zone:

Eduardo Li – Costa Rica

The submitted candidatures leave the FIFA Executive Committee post for the Central American region as the only contested position for election within CONCACAF. The XXX CONCACAF Ordinary Congress will take place on April 16, 2015.

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ON THE FIELD MEXICO WINS SIXTH CONCACAF UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE March 16-Honduras

Mexico won its second straight CONCACAF Under-17 Championship title and recordextending sixth overall, defeating Honduras in the final 3-0 at the Estadio Francisco Morazan.

The Tricolor also stretched its unbeaten streak in the competition to 24 straight games, while the host lost for the first time in six tournament outings.

Both sides previously earned places at the 2015 FIFA World Cup, where they will be joined by Costa Rica and the United States, which also qualified by winning single-match playoffs earlier in the day.

Kevin Magaña gave the Mexicans a seventh minute lead to silence the capacity crowd. The

influential Kevin Lara worked his way into the right side of the Honduran box and delivered a cross that the Guadalajara midfielder nodded home from eight-yards out.

Eight minutes later, Claudio Zamudio doubled the advantage with his third CU17 goal. Once again, Lara provided the service from the right, whipping in a cross that Zamudio headed from seven yards beyond right-diving goalkeeper Michael Perello.

Mexico put the game out of reach four minutes after the break through Ulises Torres.

A right-sided free kick -- pumped diagonally into the Honduran box -- was headed to the top of the six-yard box, where Torres found

the back of the net with his left foot.

The FIFA U-17 World Cup will be played October 17-November 8, 2015, in Chile.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC LAUNCHES PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE March 10-Dominican Republic

A filled-to-capacity Estadio Cibao FC was the site for the inauguration of the Liga Dominicana de Fútbol (LDF), the Dominican Republic’s first-ever fully professional league.

The historic event – watched by a crowd of 6,000 at the newly-constructed venue on the grounds of the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra – was attended by CONCACAF General Secretary Enrique Sanz.

“Congratulations to the Dominican Football Federation after more than a decade of work on the inauguration of the LDF,” said Sanz. “It is a historic step not only for the island, but for the Caribbean and the entire Confederation.

This is the beginning of a dream to further develop Dominican football, while taking it to the top level of competition.”

Inauguration speeches were made by Federacion Dominicana de Futbol (FDF) President Osiris Guzman, FIFA representative Gregory Englebrecht and Cibao FC President Manuel Estrella. The official kickoff for the match between host Cibao FC and Atlético Vega Real was presided over by Jaime David

Fernandez, the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Sport.

“The Federación Dominicana de Fútbol feels elated that the country has joined the world of football,” said Guzman. “I want to acknowledge the efforts made by this university, along with a group of entrepreneurs, to make sure this project was achieved.”

In September 2014, CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb was present at a gala event in Santo Domingo held by the FDF at which he endorsed the new league’s launch. Nearly six months later, that vision was realized.

The 10-team LDF was created to lift and further develop football in the country.

The clubs participating in first campaign are: Atlantico FC, Atlético de San Cristobal, Atlético Vega Real, Barcelona Atlético, Bauger FC, Cibao FC, Delfines del Este FC, Moca FC, Pantoja FC and Universidad Dominicana O&M.

LIGA DOMINICANA DE FÚTBOL Week 1 Results Cibao FC 2, Atletico Vega Real 2 Atletico San Cristobal 3, Delfines del Este FC 0 Moca FC 0, Bauger FC 0 Barcelona Atletico 1, Atlantico FC 0 Atletico Pantoja 2, Universidad O&M 1

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ON THE FIELD

WEBB OPENS DRAW FOR FIFA UNDER-20 WORLD CUP February 10-New Zealand FIFA Vice President and CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb officially welcomed all participants and spectators to the Draw for the 20th edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup at the SKYCITY Convention Centre.

“FIFA is very happy to be here in New Zealand to organize this event, which is its second biggest men’s tournament,” said Webb.

“The U-20 World Cup is a superb competition

that inspires many youths and creates the future stars of football. We hope that this will be the case in New Zealand this year too.”

From May 30 – June 20, New Zealand will be host to 24 teams, with the tournament spreading across seven cities and towns on the north and south islands. Participating teams from the CONCACAF region are Honduras, Mexico, Panama and USA.

FACTS AND FIGURES • This is the third FIFA World Cup that New Zealand is hosting, previously holding the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1999 and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2008.

OFFICIAL LOGO UNVEILED FOR SCOTIABANK CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE February 10- Miami, FL

CONCACAF and Scotiabank unveiled the logo and official name of its newly re-branded club championship, ahead of the quarterfinals of the competition now to be known officially as the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League.

The new name of the competition – the quarterfinals of which kick off later this month across the region – integrates CONCACAF partner and league title sponsor Scotiabank.

The new artwork incorporates Scotiabank’s globally recognized marks and colors into the traditional competition logo, revolving the angle of the trophy and adding the current

tournament dates to its base.

“The rollout of the new Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League is tangible confirmation of the evolution and strength of our region’s top club competition,” said CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb. “Our Champions League has never been more competitive, on and off the field, and the alignment with our partners at Scotiabank further validates this.”

Scotiabank joined CONCACAF in December of last year as official partner.

The multi-year agreement makes Scotiabank the first official partner in the history of CONCACAF, and covers multiple tournaments through 2018 at different levels, including the naming rights to the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League -- the region’s most important club competition.

“Our partnership with CONCACAF

and the introduction of a new logo for the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League is a testimony of our commitment for the talent of today and football stars of tomorrow,” said John Doig, Scotiabank’s Chief Marketing Officer. “As fans of the game and “Fans of the Fans”, we are thrilled to join their voices and also be able to call this tournament Our Champions League as we look forward to electrifying matches”.

FACTS AND FIGURES • The Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League is a yearly club football championship, disputed in league format among top club teams from the CONCACAF region, which includes North and Central America, and the Caribbean. The winner of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League earns a berth in the prestigious FIFA Club World Cup, played every December.

SCOTIABANK CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2014/15 SEMIFINALS 1ST LEG March 17 Final result: 3-0 CS Herediano vs Club América Estadio Eladio Rosabal Cordero, Heredia, CRC March 18 Final result: 2-0 Impact de Montreal (2) vs. LD Alajuelense Stade Olympique, Montreal, CAN

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2ND LEG April 7-9: Tuesday, April 7, 10:00pm ET (8:00 Local) LD Alajuelense vs. Impact de Montreal Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto, Alajuela, CRC Wednesday, April 8, 10:00pm ET (9:00 Local) Club América vs CS Herediano Estadio Azteca, México City, MEX

The winner of each of the semifinal pairings will advance to the final round, to be played over two legs in April.

ON THE FIELD

ENGLAND TO COMPETE IN CONCACAF UNDER-15 CHAMPIONSHIP AS INTERNATIONAL GUEST March 22 – Miami, FL CONCACAF announced the addition of the England National Under-15 Boys team to the list of competitors set to participate in the second CONCACAF Boys’ Under-15 Championship in August.

The event will now have 35 participating teams, which makes it the biggest tournament the region has ever hosted.

“Our focus has always been on development and increasing the international exposure for our young players,” said CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb. “Competition this year will be fierce, and there will certainly be stellar performances to watch as England participates with the best of CONCACAF’s talents.”

From August 11-23, teams from the

Caribbean, Central and North America will compete in Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Jamaica during the group stage. The semi-finals and finals will be hosted in Grand Cayman.

“On behalf of The FA, we are delighted to accept the invitation to take part in the CONCACAF youth tournament in the Cayman Islands this August,” said Greg Dyke, Chairman of The Football Association. “An essential part of development football is broadening players’ experience – both on and off the pitch – and giving them the chance to regularly test themselves against different styles and systems. I am sure it will be a great competition and wish all taking part the very best of luck.”

UNITED STATES NAMED HOST FOR CONCACAF MEN’S OLYMPIC QUALIFYING CHAMPIONSHIP 2015 February 12 – Miami, FL The CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship 2015 will be played in the United States from October 1-13 of this year.

The Olympic Qualifying Championship 2015 -- an under-23 competition -- will send two teams directly to the Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016, with a third nation earning the right to face South American Olympic qualifying runner-up Colombia in a playoff for one additional spot in Rio. All participating nations will be hoping to replicate

the success of the Confederation at the 2012 London Olympic Games, where CONCACAF nation Mexico took home the gold medal from the men’s football competition.

This year’s tournament will feature eight nations divided into two groups of four, with the top two finishers in each group after round-robin play advancing to the semifinals.

Host venues and ticketing information for the competition will be announced in the near future.

“We are looking forward to hosting the Olympic Qualifying Championship and showcasing the quality of soccer in the region. The Olympics hold a special place in the hearts of all Americans and this is a great opportunity to see these young athletes from across North, Central America and the Caribbean compete for the opportunity to reach their goal of playing in the Olympic Games.” - U.S. Soccer President, Sunil Gulati

FACTS AND FIGURES • CONCACAF teams scheduled to participate this August, by sub-region, are: • Caribbean (24): Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, SaintMartin, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, U.S. Virgin Islands, • Central America (7): Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, • North America (3): Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

FACTS AND FIGURES • The 2015 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship will include host USA, as well as North American automatic qualifiers Canada and Mexico. Those three countries will be joined by three nations from the Central American region and two from the Caribbean, with qualifiers in those regions to be disputed in coming months.

• The CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship USA 2015 kicks off on October 1, with group play continuing through October 7. The final match day for both groups, as well as the semifinal date, third-place match and the final, all fall within the FIFA match date window scheduled for October 5-13, 2015, meaning all nations will be able to call on their top under-23 players worldwide for the decisive phase of the championship, should they choose to do so.

• The final tournament schedule and kick-off times will be set following the qualifying tournaments in Central America and the Caribbean. The United States also hosted the previous CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship, in 2012, when matches were hosted in Kansas City, Los Angeles and Nashville.

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INSTITUTIONAL CONCACAF PRESIDENT VISITS NICARAGUAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION March 1 - Nicaragua

During his first official visit to the Federación Nicaragüense de Fútbol (FENIFUT), CONCACAF President and FIFA Vice President Jeffrey Webb expressed his pleasure with football’s increased participation and interest in the country.

The capital city of Managua welcomed Webb and the CONCACAF delegation, consisting of Vice President Captain Horace Burrell and General Secretary Enrique Sanz, with a cultural celebration at the Office of the Mayor.

“Nicaragua has much potential as a footballing nation, and I am pleased to see the steady progress of the National Association

under the leadership of its newly elected President, Mr. Jose Jacinto Reyes. As they continue to progress with the development of football, it is reassuring that the Government of Nicaragua is in full support of their mission.”

After hosting a luncheon with club presidents and the FENIFUT, the Central American Football Union (UNCAF) held an Executive Committee meeting in Nicaragua for the first-ever time. Presidents of the seven countries that comprise regional body, along with the CONCACAF delegation, discussed

the way forward for upcoming competitions, committees and administrative matters.

The visit concluded with a press conference that was well attended by members of the Nicaraguan press, followed by a presentation on behalf of the International Sports Press Association of America (AIPS) to the CONCACAF President, in which he was recognized for transforming CONCACAF into a more humanitarian, integrated and dynamic regional association.

COPA AMERICA CENTENNIAL MEETING February 10 - Uruguay

FIFA Vice President and CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb and CONMEBOL President Juan Angel Napout were in attendance as the third executive committee

planning meeting for the Copa America Centennial USA 2016 was hosted by the South American football confederation.

The group will meet again later this year

for the presentation progress reports and to ensure the competition’s smooth operation.

“We are making steady progress in the planning stages for the tournament, which we hope will be the most successful in the history of the Americas,” said Webb. “I express my gratitude to CONMEBOL for hosting our delegation, and look forward to more fruitful discussions leading up to 2016.”

– CONCACAF President, Jeffrey Webb “The planning of this historic event continues between our sister confederations. We are excited to take the next steps in this process as we evolve from strategy to actual implementation.”

– CONMEBOL President, Juan Angel Napout

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DEVELOPMENT SECOND CONCACAF CASE STUDY FEATURES BEST PRACTICES March 17 – Miami, FL

CONCACAF presents its second case study as part of the six development tools created by the Club Licensing Department in order to assist leagues and clubs throughout the confederation.

It focuses on the Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club and is intended to highlight and explain the current best practices of an exemplary football organization in the region.

Founded in Canada, in 1974, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC joined Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2011 as a club with a rich history of success and a bright future. The Whitecaps’ ownership group has invested significant resources into the club, while a professional administrative structure has been put in place in order to achieve success on and off the pitch.

The Whitecaps are co-led by President Bob Lenarduzzi and COO Rachel Lewis, which results in a unique reporting system that maximizes the effectiveness of both leaders.

These two executives oversee over 100

employees in nine departments. There is a clear emphasis on establishing and reaching goals, as well as utilizing clear internal and external communication strategies to ensure that all departments are working together to further improve the organization.

All activities at the club are guided by the mission statement: “To be a champion club on and off the soccer pitch”.

The club has also defined three values which it strives to embody at all times: unity, winning, and honour.

Both the mission statement and club values set the tone for all Whitecaps’ initiatives, providing employees with a blueprint as they complete their responsibilities.

The day-to-day operations of the following nine departments of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC result in the club functioning as a professional organization:

Finance and Administration Communications and Broadcast Marketing and Digital Sales and Service Corporate Partnerships Partnership Marketing Events Soccer Development Soccer Operations The Case Study provides an in-depth look at each of these areas in order to examine the elements required to run a professional football club. A department profile is included for each area, which includes the number of employees, department mission statement, and key responsibilities. A summary of each department’s activities, processes, goals, philosophies and unique attributes is given to provide practical examples of the day-to-day tasks of club employees.

The Vancouver Whitecaps FC represents one of the highest standards of professional football in CONCACAF, but lessons can be learned by clubs at all levels through a thorough examination of this Case Study in detail and adapting some of the elements to its unique realities. The CONCACAF Club Licensing Department will continue to work with clubs throughout the region in order to assist with these improvements.

CONCACAF TAKES PART IN FIFA GRASSROOTS SEMINAR March 1 - Spain

CONCACAF was well represented at a fourday FIFA grassroots seminar at the Spanish Football Federation’s (RFEF) Ciudad del Fútbol.

Confederation instructors Vin Blaine (Jamaica), Lenny Lake (St. Kitts & Nevis) and Etienne Siliee (Curacao) joined Marcos Tinoco, Anton Corneal and Rodrigo Kenton – the region’s FIFA Technical Development officers -- at the comprehensive workshop.

The program examined trends in grassroots football, reviewed events organized from 2011-2014 and discussed key objectives for the next four-year cycle.

FIFA reported that over the previous four years, 300 grassroots courses and festivals were organized and 15,000 coaches were trained in 143 countries. Significantly, more than 350 similar events are slated to take place from 2015-2018 and FIFA’s grassroots budget in support of those activities has been increased from USD $8 million to USD $10.5 million. A total of 60,000 young people have taken part in FIFA grassroots festivals to date, with 80,000 more expected by 2018.

Key upcoming priorities are the establishment of self-sufficient, long-term grassroots projects in cooperation with the

member associations and expanding the scope of countries benefiting from grassroots programming. Other areas to address included the formation of grassroots collaborations with the confederations and the facilitation of a conduit between grassroots and youth football at both the amateur and elite levels.

The FIFA grassroots seminar concluded with a festival involving about 160 children from the RFEF’s academy.

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ON THE FIELD

MEXICO WINS CONCACAF BEACH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE April 4 - El Salvador

Ramon Maldonado scored two goals and set up another to help lift Mexico to a 4-0 win over Costa Rica in the final of the 2015 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship at Estadio de Futbol Playa.

Both teams already clinched berths for FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup later this year in

Portugal.

Mexico captured its record third CONCACAF title, breaking the mark it shared with the Americans.

Mexico, which also won the competition in 2008 and 2010, conceded three or fewer goals in each of its six 2015 CBSC games.

BEACH SOCCER TAKING ROOT March 8 – Antigua & Barbuda

Beach soccer, within weeks of its introduction by the Antigua & Barbuda Football Association (ABFA), has become a sensation with current and former national footballers alike.

More than 20 players turned out for the national team’s first official training session held at Castaways Beach.

Head coach Janiel Simon welcomed the participants’ enthusiasm.

“They feel like they can be a big part of this,” remarked Simon. “Beach soccer has just started and they are very excited about it. It is a sport in which you can have a lot of fun

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from the different aspects of the game like the bicycle kicks, the diving headers…knowing that it’s a shorter version with three periods.

They are very happy about it, very happy about the fact that they can continue their careers in a different version of the game.”

The Mexicans will be making their fourth trip to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup after also competing in 2007, 2008 and 2010. Costa Rica will appear in the tournament for the second time, previously qualifying in 2009.

HIGHLIGHTS CONCACAF BEYOND THE PITCH – EPISODE 1: LIGAMX – TRAILER March 24 – Miami, FL

CONCACAF is proud to present the trailer from Episode 1 of the new CONCACAF Beyond the Pitch video series. This initiative is part of the six development tools created by the Club Licensing Department in order to assist leagues and clubs throughout the Confederation. Episode 1 features Mexico’s top-flight league -- LigaMX -- and focuses on how it operates from an administrative perspective. To watch this episode, please visit CONCACAF.com.

The full documentary, lasting just under 30 minutes, will be released in April. It will provide our region’s stakeholders with an indepth look at key performance indicators and organizational structure of one of the world’s best-run leagues.

The trailer offers a glimpse into the documentary’s examined elements and the lineup of impressive leaders interviewed

by CONCACAF in Mexico City last year, including -- but not limited to -- Justino

Compean (President, Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación), Fernando Cerrilla (General Secretary, Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación), Decio de Maria (President, LigaMX), Enrique Bonilla (Director, LigaMX), Hector Gonzalez Inarritu (Director of National Teams Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación), Miguel Herrera (Head Coach, Mexico), and Jesus Martinez (President, Club de Fútbol Pachuca).

as referees and other officials.

The purpose of CONCACAF Integrity Officer Program workshops is educate members of the football family about the

facets of match-fixing with the objective of ultimately protecting the game’s participants from organized criminals determined to influence results.

CONCACAF INTEGRITY WORKSHOP A SUCCESS March 2 - Panama

The CONCACAF Integrity Officer Program took an important step in its continuing battle against match manipulation, when two days of workshops were held in Panama to support the Panamanian Football Federation’s (FEPAFUT) own efforts in this area.

CONCACAF Integrity Officer Hubert Isenia conducted presentations on February 23 & 24 to more than 600 participants, including separate sessions with players and coaches from each first-division team, as well

“The CONCACAF Integrity Officer Program plays a critical role in educating our football family, so that match manipulation can be prevented. The workshop in Panama was very well received and is part of the Conferderation’s ongoing efforts to safeguard our sport.” - CONCACAF General Secretary, Enrique Sanz

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HIGHLIGHTS

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica 2014 (March– April) - Costa Rica successfully hosted the tournament that attracted a total of 284,320 spectators, a new attendance record.

CONCACAF CELEBRATES WOMEN’S ACHIEVEMENTS March 7- Miami, FL

On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, celebrated globally on March 8, CONCACAF recognized women’s achievements and showed its support to their significant efforts to drive a positive impact for equality, development, and peace worldwide.

“The football family congratulates women for their valuable achievements and determination to promote social change through their quest for equality and diversity,” said FIFA Vice President and CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb. “CONCACAF is proud of the extraordinary role of female players, referees and leaders who

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advocate to further develop through this beautiful sport.”

Football empowers females as the sport’s universal nature constitutes a driving force that instills equality and fair play, while fostering the ongoing transformation of society. Football is a powerful platform that serves to encourage the education and development of women.

“Sport has the ability to transcend differences of sex, race, religion and nationality. In addition, sports help to build strong, positive role models that influence by their actions and their values. The experience of playing in teams, as well as following as fans,

can boost girls’ self-confidence and leadership skills. The potential for sport to contribute to the empowerment of women and girls is huge,” said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UnderSecretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, the organization that leads the international commemoration of the day.

This year, events worldwide were held in the context of the 20th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing at which 189 governments adopted a visionary roadmap for women’s empowerment and gender equality.

HIGHLIGHTS

CONCACAF hosts “Let’s Develop Women’s Football” (October 2014) - In Philadelphia, CONCACAF hosted the conference gathering global leaders in women’s football.

U.S. wins CONCACAF Women’s Championship (October 2014) - U.S. defeated Costa Rica 6-0 in the CONCACAF Women’s Championship (CWC) final at PPL Park in Pennsylvania.

CONCACAF Girls’ Under-15 Championship (August 2014) - The first-ever Girls’ Under-15 Championship was held in the Cayman Islands. Canada emerged as champion winning 4-1 over Haiti.

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HIGHLIGHTS

WOMEN IN FOOTBALL From launching girls’ grassroots programs, to hosting international competitions and innovative summits, to the creation of women’s football committees, and the expansion of career opportunities through the involvement of more women in the governance of the game, CONCACAF is leading the development of women’s football on and off the pitch.

2014 was a memorable year for the progression of the women’s game as the region hosted both of FIFA’s tournaments for youth

players – the U-17 and U-20 Women’s World Cups in Costa Rica and Canada, respectively.

In August 2014, CONCACAF conducted the first-ever Under-15 tournament for girls, in the Cayman Islands. In addition, Canada is in the process of preparing for FIFA Women’s World Cup, which has expanded from 16 to 24 teams.

These competitions are expected to leave a legacy for national teams and clubs, while creating a solid foundation for CONCACAF’s upcoming generations.

Canada hosts FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (August 2014) - Canada welcomed the world’s elite under-20 athletes to its shores once again in 2014. In the final Germany defeat Nigeria 1-0.

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There are currently more than 26 million registered female players and 30 women’s football leagues at the national association level, including three futsal and three beach soccer leagues, throughout the region. In total, there are 25 youth leagues (U13, U15 and U17), which demonstrate the current focus on women’s youth development, as well as the potential for further growth.

TCIFA President Sonia Bien-Aime, a global voice at FIFA (July 2014) - Sonia Bien-Aime, one of FIFA’s and CONCACAF’s Executive Committee members, was elected TCIFA President.

HIGHLIGHTS

MAXXIS JOINS SCOTIABANK CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE AS OFFICIAL TIRE SPONSOR March 3 – Miami, FL

CONCACAF and its commercial partnership agency, Traffic Sports, announced that Maxxis, a leading international tire company, has signed on as the official tire sponsor of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League.

“We are excited to welcome Maxxis as an official sponsor of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League,” said CONCACAF General Secretary Enrique Sanz. “As the top tournament for club teams in the region, the Champions League has proved its world

class level. That standard is mirrored by Maxxis’ impressive international standing in the tire business.”

Maxxis, an international tire producer and distributor with operations on four continents, joins the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League as Official Tire Sponsor, with rights to use of Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League marks, promotional rights, activation rights at stadia throughout the region, televised signage, and branding in official tournament

media and materials.

“In Maxxis we are honored to be the official tire sponsor of the prestigious soccer tournament, the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League,” said Paul Huang, Director of the Maxxis Latin American Division. “We understand that this is the perfect opportunity in the sport scenario and for soccer fans to know our commitment to provide 100 percent quality, 100 percent service and 100 percent trust.”

The championship match between defending champion Mexico and host Honduras provided an ideal venue to celebrate football’s action, in addition to inspiring commitment and cooperation from the national and international communities towards change that promotes wellbeing and social safety.

“Peace brings out the best in a human being, and football is the best way to achieve it.

With that in mind, we will make our best effort to raise that type of lifestyle within Honduras and the world,” said FENAFUTH General Secretary, Alfredo Hawit. “For this reason, we share in the mission of The Non-Violence Project Foundation”.

Fans of all ages attending the game had the chance to participate in educational workshops conducted by the global organization, whose mission is to inspire and motivate youth to become aware of ways to resolve and prevent

conflicts without resorting to violence. The workshops promoted the NVP campaign “Violence ends when education begins.”

At the end of the session, participants received training materials with positive messages about fundamental values and peace, plus receive recognition for participating.

“For the Non-Violence Project Foundation, it is an honor to collaborate alongside CONCACAF and FENAFUTH, as we strive to promote a culture of respect, peace and non-violence within the community,” said NVP President, Yoko Ono. “Through such joint efforts, this message emphasizes the immense power education holds as a tool to keep young children away from violence in the world.”

CONCACAF, FENAFUTH AND NVP PROMOTE MESSAGE OF PEACE AND DIVERSITY March 13 - Honduras

CONCACAF, the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras (FENAFUTH) and The Non-Violence Project Foundation (NVP) united for the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship Final at Francisco Morazán Stadium in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

The three organizations have joined forces in order to spread a powerful message of social responsibility, focused on peace and nonviolence awareness.

“The Confederation is proud to support initiatives that use the power of sport as a global platform to promote peace and diversity, and contribute further to educate, while inspiring the youth of our region,” said CONCACAF General Secretary, Enrique Sanz.

“We are grateful for NVP’s support and hope to continue expanding a voice of respect and equality throughout football and society in general.”

For more information about NVP visit www.nonviolence.com/about/

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HIGHLIGHTS

CONCACAF HOSTS INTERNATIONAL REFEREE SYMPOSIUM PRESENTED BY COMEX/FUTLINE March 20-Miami, FL

CONCACAF opened its International Referee Symposium presented by Comex/Futline, the latest in a series of such workshops for FIFA international referees from across the Confederation.

This International Referee Symposium welcomed 50 participants this year to the FIFA international referee list. Designed as a motivational and informational series of sessions for this elite group of officials, the event programming focused on technical matters as well as the philosophy of refereeing.

“We are pleased to welcome this group of top international referees to Florida for the International Referee Symposium presented

by Comex/Futline,” said CONCACAF General

Secretary Enrique Sanz. “Further development of our world class referees is an important responsibility that goes hand in hand with CONCACAF’s commitment to broad based development efforts in support of the game across the region.”

The symposium format featured classroom meetings as well as field training sessions, to be led by six former World Cup referees, headed

by CONCACAF Director of Refereeing Sonia Denoncourt. Event instructors include retired FIFA international referees Armando Archundia (MEX), Arturo Brizio (MEX), Edgardo Codesal (MEX) and Brian Hall (USA), as well as FIFA Referee Instructors Peter Prendergast and Rodolfo Sibrian. FIFA Fitness

Instructor Alan Brown will also be on hand to oversee the fitness and training areas of the sessions.

Comex, a leader in manufacturing, marketing and distribution of more than 1500 solutions -- decorative paints, textures, sealants, products for wood care, and more -- with presence from Canada to Panama and in South America and Asia, has supported CONCACAF initiatives in referee development since 2013.

The company also provides its Futline brand disappearing spray – an important tool in allowing officials to effectively manage matches -- to CONCACAF referees during official competitions such as the ongoing Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League.

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