Honduras gets a third Champions League spot

[Full-Time]

NEW YORK (Monday, 11 May 2009) – Honduras will get a third team in next season’s CONCACAF Champions League due to Belize not meeting the standards for an adequate stadium, the confederation’s Executive Committee decided Monday.

Tournament regulations require teams play their home games within their own country in facilities that meet minimum requirements with regard to the field, lighting, changing rooms and fan amenities. CONCACAF allowed for a one-year grace period for teams to meet the standards but after that, teams were to be replaced from other countries based on the performance of their clubs in the previous Champions League.

Marathon already has assured itself of a berth in the 24-team field as winner of the Honduran Apertura championship, while the Clausura winner will claim the second berth. The team with the next most total points from both seasons will earn the third place.

http://fulltimefootballshow.blogspot.com/2009/05/honduras-gets-third-team-in-champions.html

[nazzer]

Assuming the third team from honduras takes the Belize spot in the draw this means the Voyageurs Cup winner could end up facing a much tougher opponent in the prelim round than last year.

[Trident]

did this honduran team get a .5 or a full spot?

[Richard]

The original CONCACAF statement...

5/11/2009 - NEW YORK -- Honduras will get a third team in next season’s CONCACAF Champions League due to Belize not meeting the standards for an adequate stadium, the confederation’s Executive Committee decided Monday.

Tournament regulations require teams play their home games within their own country in facilities that meet minimum requirements with regard to the field, lighting, changing rooms and fan amenities. CONCACAF allowed for a one-year grace period for teams to meet the standards but after that, teams were to be replaced from other countries based on the performance of their clubs in the previous Champions League.

Marathon already has assured itself of a berth in the 24-team field as winner of the Honduran Apertura championship, while the Clausura winner will claim the second berth. The team with the next most total points from both seasons will earn the third place.

The inaugural Champions League winner will be crowned Tuesday when Atlante hosts Cruz Azul in the second leg of the final in Cancun, Mexico.

In its regular semiannual meeting chaired by President Jack Warner, the board also approved the Central American Football Union (UNCAF) to host next year’s CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship in Guatemala in January and selected Costa Rica as the site of next year’s U-17 Women’s Championship in March.

“Tomorrow’s Champions League finale begins an exciting summer in CONCACAF that also will include an unprecedented 13-city Gold Cup,” Warner said. “We are also very proud to be hosting the CONCACAF and FIFA congresses next month in the Bahamas.”

In light of Mexico's withdrawal from the Copa Libertadores, the Executive Committee directed General Secretary Chuck Blazer to assess the current situation with CONMEBOL competitions to determine whether continued participation by CONCACAF was desirable. He is to evaluate and take the necessary steps to either end the relationship or correct it.

Additionally, the board heard reports regarding the progress of planning for the CONCACAF Gold Cup July 3-26 in 13 venues across the United States and approved two teams for participation in the inaugural Youth Olympic Games next year in Singapore: Cuba in the men’s tournament, and Trinidad & Tobago for the women’s competition.

FIFA designated the participants for the inaugural six-team, under-15 events to be by invitation.

[Duane Rollins1555362254]

I was at the Belize national stadium in January...you truly have to see it to believe it. Rusted stands on half the field only, a track with weeds coming out and large dirt patches throughout the pitch. It's truly sad. My high school field was literally better.

[Duane Rollins1555362254]

quote:Originally posted by nazzer

Assuming the third team from honduras takes the Belize spot in the draw this means the Voyageurs Cup winner could end up facing a much tougher opponent in the prelim round than last year.

It looks liuke it will be Real España

[CanadianSoccerFan]

quote:Originally posted by MediaGuy

I was at the Belize national stadium in January...you truly have to see it to believe it. Rusted stands on half the field only, a track with weeds coming out and large dirt patches throughout the pitch. It's truly sad. My high school field was literally better.

Same thing blew me away when I went there last summer. Saw a few "stadiums" including that of the league champions Hankook Verdes and could not believe the sight.

The competition will be better off with more Honduran teams anyway.

[ottawaguy2009]

I suppose, despite the many hurdles soccer fans face in Canada:

-lack of media support;

-lack of funding (CSA won't put out enough $ to hire a proper coach);

-etc. etc. (insert qualms here);

we do still have the money and resources to build stadia. Belize, a soccer hungry nation, can't afford to provide proper venues for their teams and their supporters. That's a shame.

A third Honduran team will provide much challenge indeed. I predict a central american final for next year as well.

[Fort York Redcoat1555362293]

quote:Originally posted by ottawaguy2009

I suppose, despite the many hurdles soccer fans face in Canada:

-lack of media support;

-lack of funding (CSA won't put out enough $ to hire a proper coach);

-etc. etc. (insert qualms here);

we do still have the money and resources to build stadia. Belize, a soccer hungry nation, can't afford to provide proper venues for their teams and their supporters. That's a shame.

A third Honduran team will provide much challenge indeed. I predict a central american final for next year as well.

As well as...?

This year has two Mexican teams, no?

[TFC07]

We should get that spot! Too bad we don't have enough teams in Canada to justify of getting more CCL spots.

[Tuscan]

We don't need a second spot yet. The single spot does two things:

1. The Voyageurs Cup/NCC becomes that much more of an important competition since it is the only way for the single Canadian team to get into the CCL

2. And while some may disagree with this, only having a single team in the CCL sort of puts the entire country behind them. All fans paid attention to the Impact's run, not just those in Montreal

[CanadianSoccerFan]

A better goal would be to get an automatic place in the group stage for the Canadian champ

[coppercanuck]

^ I thought that might come with the second spot. CONCACAF will have to re-seed the countries eventually (after 2nd year). Guatemala hasn't really proved anything at the CCL level. Neither has MLS for that matter.

1/3 or 2/3 in Canada might be a useless argument. If it could ever be 1/6 v 2/6 then it would be a valid discussion.

[Trident]

We'll not have 2 spots any time soon.

What we will have is a full spot, instead of a half.