Next year's CONCACAF Champions League competition will look significantly different from current and previous versions. Ted Howard, CONCACAF's acting general secretary, announced today that the preliminary round would be eliminated from the competition, and all 24 qualifying clubs will proceed directly to a group stage containing eight groups of three teams each.

Here is what we don't need. In the summer the CONCACAF region was right in the midst of the Mohammed Bin Hammam scandal after Chuck Blazer revealed a money for votes rigging scheme that involved officials of the Caribbean Football Union receiving wads of cash from Bin Hammam for their support to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president.

Warner caught on video discussing 'cash gifts'

Footage taken from a speech made by Warner to members of the Caribbean Football Association (CFU) on May 11

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-10-12 09:34:47 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Aaahr! Me maties, where is that Caribbean loot?

Chuck Blazer, the whistleblower who first brought to light the bribe for votes scandal which implicated Mohammed Bin Hammam and Jack Warner is now in the crosshairs of an FBI investigation looking into payments received in his offshore accounts in the Caymans and Bahamas.

Banned Ex.Co. member Mohamed Bin Hammam has slammed Sepp Blatter and Chuck Blazer following his expulsion from football last week.
He compared Blatter to a tyrant wiping out his rivals and called for Blazer to go before the FIFA Ethics Committee for receiving suspicious payments.
Bemoaning his life ban from football, the former Asian Football Confederation chief told Sky News, "This is the act of the dictators and we have witnessed this through history.

Another reason to dissolve CONCACAF?:

ZURICH (AP) -- Caribbean soccer leaders were given 48 hours by FIFA to explain their part in a Trinidad meeting where Mohamed bin Hammam allegedly offered them bribes or face life bans from the sport.

Caribbean Football Union members have been asked for their "truthful and complete" versions of events, FIFA said Tuesday.

CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament hosts the United States have got their campaign back on track following a rocky group phase. The Americans sealed a place in the semi-finals of the competition after defeating previously unbeaten Jamaica by two goals to nil in the last eight. The other quarter-finals saw tournament favourites Mexico come from behind to get the better of Guatemala whilst penalty shoot outs prevailed in the other two matches with Honduras and Panama coming out on top against Costa Rica and El Salvador respectively.

When SoundersFC.com says that a trialist is not just in camp but going to play in a Reserve Match (7pm, Starfire, Free) it leaves the land of rumor. Matt Gaschk introduces Myron Samuel of St. Vincent and Grenadines not just Cillian Sheridan of the earlier post here. Samuel is 18 and already has a handful of CAPs for the small island's national team.

Mexico are the defending Gold Cup champions

The latest edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the top tournament for national teams in the North and Central America region, begins on June 5th with the United States hosting the event for the tenth time. Mexico are the defending champions having thrashed the United States in the 2009 final by five goals to nil and this year's host nation would like to make up for that setback.

Chuck Blazer's, FIFA's USA member whistleblowing has irked the CFU

In all of the talk of FIFA "reform" and "breakaways", let us not lose sight of CONCACAF as one of the most dysfunctional regional associations.

After all, this "crisis" was precipitated by Chuck Blazer's whistleblowing of $40,000 bribes being paid out in a meeting of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) arranged by Jack Warner in lieu of votes for Mohammed Bin Hammam, the challenger to Sepp Blatter.

Jack Warner, vice-presidente da Fifa e presidente da Concacaf, suspenso neste domingo enquanto se investiga um suposto caso de fraude eleitoral, denunciou neste domingo em um comunicado uma "doação" de US$ 1 milhão de Joseph Blatter Concacaf. Warner disse estar "surpreso" pela suspensão e a considerou um "abuso" nos procedimentos disciplinares do Comitê de Ética da Fifa.

Puerto Rico Islander NOT in Sounders CCL Group

But do advance to the CFU Championship Final. One of Defence Force or Alpha United will be the CFU's 3rd team and be a potential opponent.

Canadian Championship still undecided after lightning and heavy rain canceled this week's 2nd leg.

Puerto Rico Islanders will face off against Haitian club Tempête FC in the final of the 2011 CFU Caribbean Club Championship.

Defending champions from last year, Puerto Rico Islanders are hoping to become the first team in over a decade to win back-to-back titles having overcome the challenge of Alpha United on Wednesday.

In a match played at the Guyana National Stadium, Puerto Rico Islanders FC defeated Alpha United of Guyana 3-1 in the CFU (Caribbean Football Union) semifinal last night.

In doing so, they secured a berth in this year's edition of the CONCACAF Champions League tournament.

The draw for the next tournament was announced today and once again the MLS road to CONCACAF glory runs through Mexico.

The Preliminary Round matches will be played on July 16-28 (1st Leg) and August 2-4 (2nd Leg). The Group Stage is tentatively scheduled to begin the second week of August.

On Wednesday the Seattle Sounders FC will get a decent idea of who they are to face in the next version of the CONCANCAF Champions League. The draw on Wednesday the 18th will how Seattle fans what will be their most exotic ensured away trip of the year. Three of four Caribbean teams would in some ways be ideal.

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers will battle the Puerto Rico Islanders tonight Friday, April 29th, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium. The Islanders, the reigning Div 2 champions and also the reigning CFU Club Championship winners, are undefeated in the NASL so far this season winning 2 games away and another in their home debut.

The draw for the 2011 CFU Club Champions' Cup was announced today. Fifteen teams from 11 countries will contest the competition, with two-legged ties in the first two rounds, and single-match knockouts in the semifinals and final. The top three teams will appear in the preliminary round of the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League.