Schedule modified to accommodate 10-team competition

NASSAU, Bahamas (Wednesday, May 8, 2013) – The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced today that the Guyana Football Association has officially withdrawn its beach soccer national team from the 2013 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship.

The initial notification was provided on Tuesday, approximately 24 hours before the competition was to kick-off at the Malcolm Park Beach Soccer and Futsal Facility in Nassau, Bahamas.  Officials from CONCACAF and Beach Soccer Worldwide, the event’s organizer, made every effort to facilitate the ability of Guyana to compete.  Administrative complications, however, were cited as the reason preventing the side from participating.

As a result, the tournament – which also serves the region’s qualifier for the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup — has been reduced to a field of 10 teams (two groups of three teams and one group of four teams).

Due to Guyana’s withdrawal, Group B, like Group C, will now be comprised of three teams: Mexico, Canada and Trinidad & Tobago.

The winners of each of the three groups will advance to the semifinals, along with the best second-place team.  The best second-place team will be determined after the second- and third-place teams from Group B meet again in a third match, as will the second- and third-place teams from Group C. Afterwards, the team with the best second-place record from all three groups will progress to the semifinals.

Action opens at 1:15pm EDT today with an encounter between the United States and Guatemala, followed by three other games.

The champion and runner-up from the CONCACAF event will qualify for the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, to be played in Tahiti, September 18-28.

A revised schedule can be found below.

2013 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship

May 8-12, 2013

at Nassau, Bahamas (all times EDT)

FIRST ROUND GROUPS

Group A:  Bahamas, United States, Guatemala, Puerto Rico

Group B:  Mexico, Canada, Trinidad & Tobago

Group C:  El Salvador, Costa Rica, Jamaica

Wednesday – May 8, 2013

United States v Guatemala, 1:15 p.m.

El Salvador v Jamaica, 2:30 p.m.

Puerto Rico v Bahamas, 3:45 p.m.

Mexico v Canada, 5:00 p.m.

Thursday – May 9, 2013

Costa Rica v Jamaica, 12:00 p.m.

United States v Puerto Rico, 1:15 p.m.

Bahamas v Guatemala, 3:45 p.m.

Mexico v Trinidad & Tobago, 5:00 p.m.

Friday – May 10, 2013

Canada v  Trinidad & Tobago, 10:45 a.m.

El Salvador v Costa Rica, 12:00 p.m.

Guatemala v Puerto Rico, 1:15 p.m.

Bahamas v United States, 2:30 p.m.

2nd Group B v 3rd Group B, 3:45 p.m.

2nd Group C v 3rd Group C, 5:00 p.m.

Saturday – May 11, 2013

Playoff 9th v 10th place, 1:15 p.m.

Playoff 7th v 8th place, 2:30 p.m.

Semifinal 1, 3:45 p.m.

Semifinal 2, 5:00 p.m.

Sunday – May 12, 2013

Playoff for 5th place, 2:30 p.m.

Playoff for 3rd place, 3:45 p.m.

Final, 5:00 p.m.