Freekick june2014 eng 9 2

ISSUE CONCACAF.com

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APR/MAY

2014

CRUZ AZUL WINS CCL TITLE, QUALIFIES FOR FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP April 23 Cruz Azul became the CONCACAF club champion for a record-setting sixth time when it captured the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League title on the away-goals rule after a 1-1 draw with Toluca in the second leg of the final. The two sides played to a scoreless stalemate in the opener on April 15 in Mexico City.

As a result of the triumph, Cruz Azul qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup next December in Morocco. Mariano Pavone, the tournament’s Golden Ball winner as the best player, scored what proved to be the championship-clinching goal in the 41st minute.

“I congratulate CONMEBOL for inspiring players and fans throughout a century of fantastic football, and thank them for extending the legacy of this hugely successful event to CONCACAF territory.

The American continent may have been discovered in 1492, but I can’t imagine a better way to unite this continent than with football and an exceptional celebration of talent in 2016.”

– JEFFREY WEBB, CONCACAF President and FIFA Vice-President

CONCACAF AND CONMEBOL ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT TO BRING

COPA AMÉRICA

2016

TO THE UNITED STATES

“We are proud to play a leading role in the celebration of the centennial of a tournament born to unite all America. Year after year, the Cup has gained prestige, which has allowed the opening of doors to the football of an entire continent. Now, CONCACAF and the United States will play host to the world’s oldest national team competition.”

– EUGENIO FIGUEREDO, CONMEBOL President FACTS AND FIGURES • The Centennial Cup America will be held in cities across the United States in the summer of 2016, kicking off on June 3rd and culminating with the Final on June 26th.

November’s Caribbean Cup – and the champion of UNCAF, winner of the Central American Cup scheduled to be staged in the fall of 2014.

CONCACAF qualifiers to the Centennial America Cup.

• The Centennial Cup America falls between the 2015 and 2017 editions of the biennial CONCACAF Gold Cup, which decides the • In the 16-team field, CONMEBOL’s ten Member Associations – • The final two CONCACAF teams to earn a ticket to the Centennial regional champion of North America, Central America and the Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Cup America 2016 will be determined by a four-team playoff.

Caribbean.

Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela – will be joined by six competitors The four national teams advancing furthest in the 2015 edition • The previous edition of Copa America was celebrated in from CONCACAF, including host and 2013 Gold Cup champion of the CONCACAF Gold Cup that are not the ones already Argentina in 2011, with Uruguay claiming a record fifteenth United States, and six-time Gold Cup champion Mexico. qualified to the Centennial Cup America via the mentioned title. The next edition of the tournament is set to be played in criteria (Mexico, the United States, CFU winner and UNCAF • Additional CONCACAF representatives will include the 2014 Chile in 2015. winner), will dispute playoff matches to determine the final two champion of the Caribbean Football Union – victor in

ON THE FIELD

HIGHLIGHTS

CONCACAF AND CONMEBOL ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT TO BRING COPA AMERICA 2016 TO THE UNITED STATES May 1 CONCACAF and CONMEBOL revealed that the Centennial Edition of the Copa America will be played in the United States in 2016.

The Centennial Cup America will mark the first time the historic South American championship has been played outside of that region, and represents the most important sporting event to come to North American shores in decades – rivaling the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 1996 Summer Olympic Games and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in grandeur and relevance to the world of sport.

DRAW SETS GROUPS FOR 2014/15 CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE May 28 The road to the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup started in May, when the draw for the 2014/15 CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) took place at the InterContinental in Miami. The 24 qualified clubs set to contest the seventh edition of the continental championship were sorted into eight groups of three.

Current holder Cruz Azul, which has captured a record six CONCACAF club titles, headlines Group 6. The Mexico City-based

side will meet 2013/14 semifinalist Alajuelense (Costa Rica) and Chorrillo FC (Panama).

After winning two straight Liga MX championships, Leon will make its tournament debut, squaring off against Group 7 opponents Isidro Metapan (El Salvador) and Belmopan Bandits (Belize).

Major League Soccer champion Sporting Kansas City, a 2013/14 quarterfinalist, was drawn into Group 2 and will face Saprissa (Costa Rica) and Real Esteli (Nicaragua).

The groups will be contested on a round-robin, home-and-away, four-game format, running August – October. Only the eight first-place teams will progress to the quarterfinals, which will kick-off in early 2015.

Schedules will be announced in the coming weeks. The groups for the 2014/15 CONCACAF Champions League are as follows:

LOGO UNVEILED May 13 The logo design for the Centennial Cup America seeks to embody and celebrate the rich heritage of the world’s oldest national team competition as it celebrates one hundred years of existence, while reflecting a unique occasion set to unite football from across the whole of America.

Wematch, the commercial rights holder for the Centennial Cup America, announced the naming of Univision as the official Spanishlanguage broadcaster in the U.S. for the tournament.

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HIGHLIGHTS

OTHER NEWS

CONCACAF, UEFA SIGN MoU OF MUTUAL COMMITMENT April 5 CONCACAF signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for mutual co-operation towards the development of the game.

The MoU – similar in nature to that signed between CONCACAF and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in April 2013 – comes as the fruit of long dialogue between the two Confederations.

CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb and UEFA President Michel Platini, signed the agreement that will reinforce a mutual commitment to development in

the Caribbean region, while providing for administrative and operational cooperation between the two Confederations.

The agreement is a framework to provide CONCACAF with technical assistance and support, while fostering cooperation and dialogue for the purpose of building a strong legacy with sporting, social, cultural and educational benefits.

“This is another important step as part of CONCACAF’s new vision of integration, which aims at gathering the best know-how from each global football community to be able to customize it for the good of the

development of our game,” said Webb.

Platini, in his first visit to the Caribbean said, “It is the duty of us who are in the daily business of the game to join forces for the development of global football.”

FACTS AND FIGURES • Last year CONCACAF took part in a joint INTERPOLFIFA Integrity in Sport workshop in New York, and participated in a similar workshop in Guatemala in 2012.

• In November 2013, CONCACAF appointed Dr. Laila Mintas as Director of Sports Integrity.

CONCACAF SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH INTERPOL TO COMBAT MATCH-FIXING May 12 CONCACAF announced the signing of a formal cooperation agreement with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) aimed at intensifying the ongoing work to combat match-fixing in football.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organizations will enhance joint efforts to safeguard the integrity of the sport through the sharing of resources and experiences in relation to sports integrity initiatives.

The MoU covers the areas of coordinated training programs and workshops against matchfixing and corruption in sports through prevention and education programs for players, referees and officials within all three regions of CONCACAF. CONCACAF recently launched a blanket prevention initiative titled ‘Protect Yourself and Keep Your Sport Clean’ for players, coaches and officials participating in CONCACAF championships at all age levels.

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PROTECTING INTEGRITY OF FOOTBALL REMAINS A PRIORITY FOR CONCACAF May 14 Protecting the integrity of the game was top of mind during a joint FIFA-INTERPOL Workshop, officially opened by CONCACAF President and FIFA Vice President, Jeffrey Webb.

The workshop, entitled ‘Train the Trainer for Football Players and Referees’ was delivered over a 3-day period by INTERPOL’s Integrity in Sport Program Manager, Julie Norris. The course, which is aligned with INTERPOL’s Guide for Effective Training to ensure consistency of standards globally, had over 25 participants from a cross section of areas within CONCACAF, and a Major League Soccer Representative.

Participants will be able to facilitate the recognition of match fixing propositions and specifically address issues of corruption.

WEBB PRAISES KICK IT OUT AT LONDON EVENT May 21 CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb expressed support for Kick It Out during an address he delivered at a dinner event celebrating the England-based organization’s 20 years of campaigning work.

“I congratulate Kick It Out for celebrating 20 years of campaigning for equality in football,” Webb said in his speech.

“This organization has facilitated respect among professional clubs, players, fans and communities to tackle all forms of discrimination.”

Kick It Out works throughout the football,

educational and community sectors to challenge discrimination, encourage inclusive practices and campaign for positive change.

Webb, Chairman of FIFA’s Taskforce Against Racism and Discrimination, was among a line-up of guests that included former United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Martin Luther King Jr. “Two decades ago, Kick it Out had a vision,” Webb continued. “The vision for football to be a sport where individuals flourish in a supportive community. Where fairness is practiced and enforced for the

good of the game.

“It is indeed a nice vision. And the only possible way in which we could achieve it is if we all work together.” One of the ways Webb proposed bringing that concept to reality is to create a career advisory panel and establish development symposiums to identify and prepare talent for positions within football.

The FIFA Vice President is a proponent of a zero-tolerance stance towards discrimination.

Last year, at the FIFA Congress in Mauritius, Member Associations approved new antiracism measures.

CONCACAF SALUTES LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY FOR EFFORTS IN RAISING CANCER AWARENESS THROUGH SPORT May 15 As part of its broad Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, CONCACAF recognizes the important work of New Yorkbased non-profit organization the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), which hosted the first-ever LLS Soccerfest in the South Bronx on Sunday, May 18.

Professional soccer teams lend support, with guest appearances from members of the New York Red Bulls (MLS), the New York Cosmos (NASL), Sky Blue FC (NWSL), as well as legendary players from the national teams of the United States and Mexico.

LLS is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancers.

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NEW CONCACAF ONLINE SHOP CONCACAF announces the launch of its new official online store, CONCACAFShop.com.

This new online shopping experience offers fans and supporters a wide array of CONCACAF national and club teams’ official merchandise.

CONCACAFShop.com also carries officially licensed CONCACAF country gear.

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ON THE FIELD

GOOD LUCK COSTA RICA, HONDURAS, MEXICO AND THE U.S.

WE ARE

FACTS AND FIGURES • Costa Rica is the current Central American Cup champion and has lifted the trophy a record seven times. Honduras is next with three titles, while Guatemala and Panama have won one apiece.

• Belize, El Salvador and Nicaragua round out the list of participants.

Four teams from CONCACAF are participating in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, marking a difference from the three teams that qualified for South Africa 2010 (Honduras, Mexico, and USA).

• The Central American Cup has been contested 12 times, starting in 1991.

• Costa Rica and Honduras have hosted it three times each, while it has been played in El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama twice.

UNCAF’S CENTRAL AMERICAN CUP TO BE HELD IN THE UNITED STATES IN LATE SUMMER 2014 May 20

COSTA RICA

HONDURAS

MEXICO

USA

Qualified for fourth-ever World Cup, after a 1-1 draw at Jamaica.

2013 goes down in history as the year that Costa Rica’s national team won more games since its debut in 1921. (Victories: 13 matches class A).

FIFA Ranking: 34 (May 2014)

On the last day of the final round of qualifying on October 15, 2013, Honduras clinched its third FIFA World Cup appearance with a 2-2 draw at Jamaica.

Qualified for six consecutive World Cups, advancing to the Round of 16 in each of the last five World Cups.

FIFA Ranking: 30 (May 2014)

FIFA Ranking: 19 (May 2014)

The U.S. Men’s National Team qualified in first place in the CONCACAF Final Round of Qualifying. They qualified for seven consecutive World Cups, advancing as far as the quarterfinals in 2002.

FIFA Ranking: 14 (May 2014)

GROUP STAGE SCHEDULE:

GROUP STAGE SCHEDULE:

GROUP STAGE SCHEDULE:

GROUP STAGE SCHEDULE:

Saturday, 14 June 2014 Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza Uruguay vs. Costa Rica

Sunday, 15 June 2014 Estadio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre France vs. Honduras

Friday, 13 June 2014 Estadio das Dunas, Natal Mexico vs. Cameroon

Monday, 16 June 2014 Estadio das Dunas, Natal Ghana vs. USA

Friday, 20 June 2014 Arena Pernambuco, Recife Italy vs. Costa Rica

Friday, 20 June 2014 Arena da Baixada, Curitiba Honduras vs. Ecuador

Tuesday, 17 June 2014 Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza Brazil vs. Mexico

Sunday, 22 June 2014 Arena Amazonia, Manaus USA vs. Portugal

Tuesday, 24 June 2014 Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte Costa Rica vs. England

Wednesday, 25 June 2014 Arena Amazonia, Manaus Honduras vs. Switzerland

Monday, 23 June 2014 Arena Pernambuco, Recife Croatia vs. Mexico

Thursday, 26 June 2014 Arena Pernambuco, Recife USA vs. Germany

GROUP A BRAZIL CROATIA MEXICO CAMEROON

GROUP E SWITZERLAND ECUADOR FRANCE HONDURAS

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GROUP B SPAIN NETHERLANDS CHILE AUSTRALIA

GROUP F ARGENTINA BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA IRAN NIGERIA

GROUP C COLOMBIA GREECE CÔTE D’IVOIRE JAPAN

GROUP G GERMANY PORTUGAL GHANA USA

GROUP D

UNCAF officially confirmed that it will play the Central American Cup in the United States from September 3-13, 2014. In addition to providing a series of berths in important international tournaments, the Central American Cup USA 2014 will serve to celebrate UNCAF’s upcoming 25th anniversary.

This edition of the tournament – the region’s championship for national teams and

FACTS AND FIGURES • CONCACAF’s qualifying tournament will award three direct tickets to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015. A fourth CONCACAF team will reach a playoff with a South American rival, with yet another World Cup ticket on the line.

• Costa Rica hosted the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup during March and April, commencing a period of just over one year during which the region will host all three of FIFA Women’s World Cup events.

BELGIUM ALGERIA RUSSIA KOREA REPUBLIC

Last February, the Executive Committee of UNCAF revised in detail the possible date options for the event, in order to allow Central American national teams to call on their top stars for this tournament. The match dates have been selected to coordinate with FIFA’s international calendar, so that all teams can play the tournament with their “A” teams.

U.S. TO HOST CONCACAF WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP ON ROAD TO WORLD CUP CANADA 2015 May 16 The United States will host the CONCACAF Women’s Championship 2014, which also serves as the finals of the Confederation’s qualifying tournament for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015.

A record 31 nations from across the region have indicated interest in participating in the preliminary qualifying process, from which eight teams will emerge to play in the CONCACAF Women’s Championship 2014, to be played in the U.S. in the fall of 2014. Venues and exact dates of that event will be announced in the near future.

DEAL RENEWAL WITH TRAFFIC SPORTS FOR SPONSORSHIP RIGHTS April 28

URUGUAY COSTA RICA ENGLAND ITALY

GROUP H

a qualifying competition for the CONCACAF Gold Cup – will include unique details and features as Central American countries begin their quest towards the prestigious FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 (six continental champions, reigning World Cup champion and tournament host) and the Centennial Cup America 2016 (10 nations of CONMEBOL in South America, plus six teams from CONCACAF).

CONCACAF announced that Traffic Sports has purchased the sponsorship rights to all of the Confederation’s properties, including the Gold Cup and the CONCACAF Champions League, to become its official Corporate Partnership Agency.

The multi-year renewal agreement includes rights to the next four editions of the biennial Gold Cup (2015, 2017, 2019, 2021), as well as seven additional seasons of the annual CONCACAF Champions League, from the 2015/16 edition through the 2021/22 tournament. The deal also incorporates rights to all other events organized by the Confederation, such as youth tournaments, Olympic qualifiers and Futsal.

FACTS AND FIGURES • Gold Cup sponsorship grew over 50% in 2013.

• In 2012, Traffic Sports was named the commercial rights partner for the successful 2013 Gold Cup. The firm is also currently handling commercial rights for the 2014/15 season of the CONCACAF Champions League.

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ON THE FIELD

ON THE FIELD

CFU REVEALS CARIBBEAN WOMEN’S CUP FORMAT, GROUPS April 11 Qualifying in CONCACAF for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicked off in May with the inaugural Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Caribbean Women’s Cup. The first round, consists of 19 teams split into four groups of four teams each and one of three teams. The five group winners, plus the two best second-place finishers from Groups 1, 2, 4 and 5, will join host Trinidad & Tobago in the eight-team final round, which will be played August 17-27.

CARIBBEAN WOMEN’S CUP FIRST ROUND GROUP 1 (May 21-28, 2014)

GROUP 2 (May 21-28, 2014)

GROUP 3 (May 21-28, 2014)

GROUP 4 (May 28-June 4, 2014)

GROUP 5 (June 16-23, 2014)

Antigua & Barbuda (host)

Puerto Rico (host)

Turks & Caicos Islands (host)

Haiti (host)

Dominican Republic (host)

Aruba

Barbados

Cayman Islands

Cuba

Anguilla

St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Dominica

St. Kitts & Nevis

Guadeloupe

Jamaica

U.S. Virgin Island

Martinique

Suriname

St. Lucia

CONCACAF SUPPORTS NWSL SEASON OPENER IN HOUSTON April 15 CONCACAF Executive Committee member Sonia Bien-Aime attended the Houston Dash’s first-ever game at BBVA Compass Stadium, showing the Confederation’s support to the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

As part of her trip, Bien-Aime, an internationally-recognized proponent of

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women’s football, met with NWSL Executive Director Cheryl Bailey and Houston Dash President Chris Canetti. She also took part in the pre-game coin toss. A sellout crowd of 8,097 watched defending champion Portland Thorns FC post a narrow 1-0 victory.

WOMEN’S RESPONSE IMPRESSES CFU PRESIDENT April 18 With the inaugural Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Women’s Caribbean Cup, CFU President Gordon Derrick is pleased with the response from the organization’s member associations.

The tournament, which will crown a champion, will double as a regional qualifying

for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “It is very encouraging that many of the CFU members have taken up this challenge, it is a very good start,” Derrick said. “We hope to have a very competitive tournament and will seek to build on its momentum and increase on the numbers until we have full

participation for future tournaments.

Of the CFU’s 31 members, 20 registered for the competition. Those numbers are stark contrast to qualifying for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, when only three Caribbean nations (Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana and Haiti) participated.

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HEADLINE TITLE

FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT WEBB TALKS DEVELOPMENT IN UNCAF REGION April 4

President Webb discusses football development with officials in the UNCAF region during a meeting in Costa Rica. FIFA President, Joseph Blatter, was invited to address UNCAF leadership.

CONCACAF PRESIDENT GRATIFIED

BY CARIBBEAN PROGRESS TRINIDAD & TOBAGO April 9 President Jeffrey Webb is pleased with plans presented by the Trinidad & Tobago Football Association (TTFA) that will ensure the sport’s continued development in the nation.

On his first official trip to the twin-island republic, Webb met with Trinidad & Tobago President Anthony Carmona, as well as several other senior government officials.

Giving his assessment of the country’s plans for football development, Webb said, “Trinidad and Tobago has a legacy to maintain as one of the Caribbeans best and I am certain that, with a continued focus on training and forward planning, performances on the pitch and improvements to the TTFA administration will be realized in the near future.”

“This is the first time in the history of CONCACAF that its President has visited our territory. Mr. Webb’s attendance is very important to us because we have been working on our development and progress for years, and we have finally gotten the chance to put our work to the rest of the region.”

– MARCEL BAFAU, French Guiana Football Federation (GFF) President

FRENCH CARIBBEAN April 10 One year after his first official visit to the French Caribbean, President Jeffrey Webb journeyed to French Guiana to meet with football leaders in that region. This comes almost one year after being accepted as full members at the CONCACAF Congress in Panama.

“The French territories have shown their commitment to developing football in their

INAUGURAL COACHING COURSE IN ST. VINCENT May 15 Development was top of mind during a recent visit to St. Vincent and the Grenadines

by CONCACAF President and FIFA VicePresident, Jeffrey Webb. During a brief stop

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in Kingstown, St. Vincent, President Webb opened the D License Coaching course, visited the FIFA Goal Project site, and met with Government and the Federation Officials.

region,” said Webb. “With their integration into the CONCACAF region as full members, they now have further capacity to develop the game.”

A pressing action item to emerge was the need for a purpose-built technical facility that would assist the French speaking territories, French Guiana in particular, with the development of its youth programs.

FIRST-EVER CONCACAF BEACH SOCCER COACHING COURSE April 4 The first-ever CONCACAF beach soccer coaching course opened in April at the Sheraton Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

FIFA instructor Angelo Schirinzi led the intensive three-day gathering for 13 coaches from four of the confederation’s member associations. Additional presentations were made by CONCACAF beach soccer manager Betto Lima, while Josep Ponset – head of competitions for Beach Soccer Worldwide – also attended.

The program is a fundamental component of CONCACAF’s concentrated efforts to promote beach soccer throughout the region.

By placing an emphasis on coaching education, the primary objective is to create a model that will lift this version of the sport from the grassroots level all the way to international play.

Though a CONCACAF- affiliated nation has never hosted a FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, its representatives at the competition have experienced much success.

CONCACAF “D” LICENSE COURSE IN ANTIGUA May 9 The much anticipated CONCACAF “D” license coaching course opened at the Antigua Recreation Grounds with more than 30 of the country’s entry level coaches in attendance.

The program that concluded on May 11 was conducted by CONCACAF Development Officer Lenny Lake of St. Kitts & Nevis and instructor Joe Supe. It covered a wide range of areas, including principles of coaching, training by age, fundamentals of planning a training session, physical training, health and security, as well as other elements related to coaching youth football.

CONCACAF has invested more than 80 percent of its annual budget to development programs including the D License coaching initiative, Grass roots programs, venue development youth and senior competitions.

FACTS AND FIGURES

BEACH SOCCER COACHING COURSE IN GRAND CAYMAN April 27

• In 2011, El Salvador defeated Argentina and Italy on its way to a fourth-place finish. Last year, the Cuscatlecos lost narrowly in the quarterfinals, 2-1, to eventual runner-up Spain.

After completion of the inaugural CONCACAF Beach Soccer Coaching Course, the second edition opened in Grand Cayman.

22 referees and 10 coaches took part in the three-day program.

• Mexico had the best-ever placement by any CONCACAF side, when it came in second after falling to host Brazil in the 2007 final.

STEERING FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT IN BARBADOS May 17 In Bridgetown, Barbados, CONCACAF President and FIFA Vice-President, Jeffrey Webb met with the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Freundel Stuart and Minister of Sports, Hon. Stephen Lashley, to discuss the planned approach to development of football on the island.

During the trip, Webb got a firsthand look at the areas most needing development and visited the FIFA Goal Project and existing stadium facilities.

The discussions with Barbados’ leaders were focused on improving partnership and increasing collaboration, to ensure the country’s goals are achieved.

UP COMING MEETINGS June 9, São Paulo Executive Committee

June 9, São Paulo XXXVII CFU Ordinary Congress

June 10, São Paulo XXIX CONCACAF Ordinary Congress XX CONCACAF Extraordinary Congress

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