Julie Smith is one of the most recognized copy writers on Sports Betting and currently writes for Instant Action Sports. Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.
Soccer's North and Central American as well as the Caribbean governing body was looking for something new to bring excitement to the region and apparently they finally found the solution. The CONCACAF worked for a whole year in a project to announce the new image of the regional soccer; the CONCACAF Champions League will officially launch the new continental club championship to start in August 2008.
The new model appears as an attempt to create a world class competition in the area as an answer to the gap between the soccer tournaments around the world. While Europe has its own Champions League, South Africa has the Copa Libertadores and North America has the well known MLS; the Central America and the Caribbean region teams were playing a very basic tournament which undeniable was losing its interest through the years.
The ambitious plan pretends to have 24 teams from all sectors of the CONCACAF region; four teams of United States, Mexico and the Caribbean along with two from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama, plus one team from Belize, Canada and Nicaragua.
With a format consisting in eight teams seeded directly to the first round: two each from the United States and Mexico, and one a piece from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. The other 16 playing home and home series in a preliminary round in late August and early September.
Four groups of four teams will compete in the first round in September and October, with the top two clubs from each group advancing to the knockout phase playing home-and-away elimination matches. The quarterfinals will begin in February '09; semifinals begin in March; and the finals will take place in late April. The champion, to be crowned in April of 2009, will represent CONCACAF at the FIFA Club World Cup 2009 in December.
The CONCACAF Champions League will replace the Champions Cup which will cease to exist after the 2008 edition. “The Champions' League is the logical next step for CONCACAF and its member associations" said U.S Soccer President Sunil Gulati, according to him “The CONCACAF has started a competition that will quickly grow in recognition and respect; with a spot in the World Club Championship at stake, the teams will take it very seriously.”
Hopefully, the new format of the tournament will fulfill the expectations of the soccer players and more important will capture its fans’ interest. Because expansion is not always a good idea, it needs more organization, a lot more effort and of course a lot of money.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
The four key attributes of successful sports coaches
By: Phil Adams-Wright | 25/11/2009Sports coaches often have a lot that is asked of them, not only are they there to train players and athletes but they need to be a lot of other things too in order to be a success. A good sports coach is not just the coach who has the most successful team. In many cases a sports coach will be aiming to have a team of players that enjoy the sport they’re playing.
Skating on ice
By: Brigette | 25/11/2009Ice skating is a popular leisure time activity and it is also very popular as a sport. There are several popular sports played on ice such as ice hockey, curling and synchronized skating. We also enjoy the immensely popular figure skating which is an Olympic sport consisting of either a single person or a pair performing spins, jumps and other challenging moves on ice.
Softball Tips – Softball Nutrition Tips
By: Marc Dagenais | 25/11/2009The food that you eat affects the way you perform on the field. There are short term and long term effects, and being aware of them would help you keep your food intake at bay if you want to always be at the top of your game.
Choosing the Best Pool / Billiard Table For Your Rec Room
By: Jimmy Mathews | 25/11/2009Once you've made the decision to purchase a billiard table, you are presented with the task of choosing which one is right for you. There are many different factors that could determine which one you should buy including, how big it is, what it's made from, the size and material...
Building a Billiard and Game Room on a Budget
By: Jimmy Mathews | 25/11/2009Building a billiard and game room on a budget can be a challenge that the whole family can get involved in. A billiard and game room will be a great place for gatherings and for entertainment. The Plan There should be a plan put in place when building a billiard and game...
Boys Night Out in the Basement - the Ultimate Poker Room
By: Jimmy Mathews | 25/11/2009Over the past fifteen years poker has become very popular. It has moved from a back room casino game into the homes of many who invite their friends over once a week or twice a month for a poker party. As with many leisure pursuits, some people are content with...
Billiard Room Designs
By: Jimmy Mathews | 25/11/2009Billiards is a classic game that has been played in some form or another for centuries. It's a game for people of all ages, and today is being played in pool halls across the country. The popular trend however, is for people to get out of the pool halls in...
Best Game Room Accessories
By: Jimmy Mathews | 25/11/2009So, you've built your game room. You have the bar, the refrigerator and the furniture. You have the pool table or card table. It still doesn't seem quite right? What's missing? Accessories. What are the best game room accessories that will give that bland game your personal touch? The possibilities...
Nascar: Getting Ready for the Big Day
By: Julie Smith | 10/02/2008 | Sports & FitnessPreparations are beginning for the 50th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 17. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway catalogued as the most important and prestigious race on the NASCAR Calendar is around the corner and the annual season opening is already in action.
No Clear Winners After “super Tuesday”
By: Julie Smith | 10/02/2008 | PoliticsAfter Super Tuesday neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have a clear winner and the battle goes on to the next round. Elections were held in 24 states to determine presidential nominees for the major political parties.
Daytona 24 Hours Review: Gannasi Gets 3rd Straight 24-hour Win
By: Julie Smith | 04/02/2008 | Sports & FitnessAfter 24 exhausting hours, the North America’s most prestigious sport car race was won by the team for Chip Ganassi Racing team. Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti, Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas gave Ganassi’s owner an unprecedented third straight win last Sunday at the Daytona International Speedway. The race also set a record this year with 15 different leaders and 694 laps were completed.
Concacaf Announced the Official Launch of the New Champions League
By: Julie Smith | 04/02/2008 | Sports & FitnessSoccer's North and Central American as well as the Caribbean governing body was looking for something new to bring excitement to the region and apparently they finally found the solution. The CONCACAF worked for a whole year in a project to announce the new image of the regional soccer; the CONCACAF Champions League will officially launch the new continental club championship to start in August 2008.
Dubai Cup is Coming!
By: Julie Smith | 20/01/2008 | Sports & FitnessThe first of 10 meetings of the Dubai Cup already kicked off this week with the opening rounds of the 2008 Dubai International Racing Carnival starting last Thursday with a record number of top rated horses set to compete in the world’s most international and richest festival in racing.
Ivanovic is Chelsea’s Second Acquisition of the Year
By: Julie Smith | 20/01/2008 | Sports & FitnessAfter two seasons in the Lokomotiv the centre back finally agreed to sign a contract with the Chelsea. The Premier League Club will spend around 20 million Pounds for the Serbian player.
Neuheisel Returns to College Coaching
By: Julie Smith | 06/01/2008 | BasketballRick Neuheisel is returning to UCLA, the school where he achieved the best moments of his career as a quarterback. He began his playing career at UCLA in 1979 as a non scholarship player on special teams where few years later he was named the Most Value Player in UCLA’s 1984 Rose Bowl victory. The 46-years-old comes to his Alma Mater team to replace Karl Dorrell who was fired on December 3 after five seasons.
Hillary Clinton Versus Obama: New Hampshire is Next
By: Julie Smith | 06/01/2008 | PoliticsWhat happened in Iowa last Thursday gave us a little idea of what the United States is willing to do for the next presidential elections. Though the selection process consists of a long way; Obama’s victory in the caucus with some 38% of the vote marks a turning point in the US political history.