The 2021 Caribbean Club Championship (officially the 2021 Flow CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the 23rd edition of the Caribbean Club Championship (also known as the CFU Club Championship), the first-tier annual international club football competition in the Caribbean region, held amongst clubs whose football associations are affiliated with the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), a sub-confederation of CONCACAF.
The tournament was played in the Dominican Republic between 15 and 25 May 2021. As a result of the cancellation of the 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship was expanded to include a number of teams originally set to participate in the 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield.
The winners of the 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship qualified to the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League, and the second, third and fourth place teams qualified to the 2021 CONCACAF League, as long as they comply with the minimum CONCACAF Club Licensing requirements for the CONCACAF Champions League or CONCACAF League.
Portmore United, having won the title in 2019, are the title holders. The 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the title was not awarded.
Teams
A total of 13 teams from 11 associations entered the expanded 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship. Among the 31 CFU member associations, four of them were classified as professional leagues and each may enter two teams in the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship. Before the expansion of the tournament, six teams from three associations originally entered. However, the two teams from Jamaica later withdrew, and only four teams from two associations (Dominican Republic and Haiti) entered the expanded tournament. Originally, a total of 14 teams from 14 associations which were classified as non-professional leagues entered the 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield. After its cancellation, 9 of the 14 teams instead participated in the expanded 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship. Initially, 11 teams would participate, but Racing Club Aruba (Aruba), South East (Dominica) and Platinum FC (Saint Lucia) withdrew, while Hope International (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) were added.
+Associations which enter two teamsAssociationTeamQualification method (hosts)Universidad O&M2020 Liga Dominicana de Fútbol championsDelfines del Este2020 Liga Dominicana de Fútbol runners-upCavaly2019 Série de Clôture and 2020 Série d'Ouverture aggregate table best teamDon Bosco2019 Série de Clôture and 2020 Série d'Ouverture aggregate table 2nd best team
+Associations which enter one team (originally entered the 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield)AssociationTeamQualification method (for 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield)Real Rincon2018–19 Bonaire League championsScherpenheuvel2019–20 Curaçao Promé Divishon championsOlympique de Cayenne2019–20 French Guiana Honor Division championsGosier2019–20 Guadeloupe Division of Honor championsSamaritaine2019–20 Martinique Championnat National championsMetropolitan2018–19 Liga Puerto Rico championsHope International2019–20 SVGFF Premier Division championsFlames United2020–21 Sint Maarten Senior League championsInter Moengotapoe2018–19 SVB Topklasse champions
+Withdrawn teamsAssociationTeamQualification method (for 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield if applicable)Portmore United2018–19 National Premier League championsWaterhouse2018–19 National Premier League runners-upRacing Club Aruba2018–19 Aruban Division di Honor championsSouth East2020 Dominica Premier League championsPlatinum FC2019 SLFA First Division champions
Association with professional league whose teams did not enter
Notes
Venues The matches were played at the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in Santo Domingo and Estadio Panamericano in San Cristóbal.
Original format Before the expansion of the tournament, the 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship would originally be played at the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, between 14 and 26 May 2021, and six teams from three associations entered. The original draw for the group stage was held on 25 February 2021, 11:00 EST (UTC−5), at the CONCACAF Headquarters in Miami, United States. The six teams were drawn into two groups of three. The two teams from hosts Dominican Republic were placed in Pot 1, the two teams from Haiti were placed in Pot 2, while the two teams from Jamaica were placed in Pot 3. This ensured that teams from the same association could not be drawn into the same group.
Pot 1 (hosts)Pot 2Pot 3
The original draw results and schedule were as follows: Group stage Group A: Universidad O&M, Cavaly, Portmore United 14 May 2021, 18:30: Universidad O&M v Cavaly 16 May 2021, 18:30: Cavaly v Portmore United 18 May 2021, 18:30: Universidad O&M v Portmore United Group B: Delfines del Este, Don Bosco, Waterhouse 14 May 2021, 21:00: Delfines del Este v Don Bosco 16 May 2021, 21:00: Don Bosco v Waterhouse 18 May 2021, 21:00: Delfines del Este v Waterhouse Knockout stage Semi-finals 21 May 2021, 18:30: Group A Winners v Group B Runners-up 21 May 2021, 21:00: Group B Winners v Group A Runners-up Third place match 23 May 2021, 17:00: Semi-final 1 Losers v Semi-final 2 Losers Final 23 May 2021, 20:00: Semi-final 1 Winners v Semi-final 2 Winners CONCACAF League playoff 26 May 2021, 20:00: Club Championship 4th place v Club Shield Winners
Group stage After the expansion of the tournament, the new draw for the group stage was held on 23 April 2021, 11:00 EDT (UTC−4), at the CONCACAF Headquarters in Miami, United States. The 15 teams were drawn into four groups: three groups of four teams (Groups A–C) and one group of three teams (Group D). The four teams from the Dominican Republic and Haiti were placed in Pot 1 and drawn to position 1 of the four groups. The 11 teams originally set to participate in the 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield were placed in Pot 2 and drawn to positions 2, 3 and 4 of the four groups. This ensured that teams from the same association could not be drawn into the same group.
Pot 1Pot 2
After the draw was made, Hope International (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) were added to Group D, and each group would have four teams. Later, Racing Club Aruba (Aruba) and Platinum FC (Saint Lucia) withdrew, and there were only two teams left in Group B. To ensure that each group had a minimum of three teams, a draw was held on 13 May 2021 to relocate a team from Group A to Group B, and Metropolitan (Puerto Rico) were moved. South East (Dominica) also withdrew, so eventually there were three teams in Groups A–C, and four teams in Group D.
The winners of each group advanced to the semi-finals.
Tiebreakers The ranking of teams in each group is determined as follows (Regulations Article 12.1): Points obtained in all group matches (three points for a win, one for a draw, zero for a loss); Goal difference in all group matches; Number of goals scored in all group matches; Points obtained in the matches played between the teams in question; Goal difference in the matches played between the teams in question; Number of goals scored in the matches played between the teams in question; Fair play points in all group matches (only one deduction could be applied to a player in a single match): Drawing of lots.
All times local, AST (UTC−4).
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Knockout stage Bracket The semi-final matchups would be: SF1: Group A Winners vs. Group B Winners SF2: Group C Winners vs. Group D Winners The winners of SF1 and SF2 would play in the final.
Semi-finals
Final
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerTeamGoalsBy round 1 Gamaël Dorvil Cavaly512 2 Roberto Victoria Delfines del Este 53 Miquel Darson Inter Moengotapoe3 2 1 Rievaldo Doorson Inter Moengotapoe 2 1 Daniel Jamesley Universidad O&M3 Roody Joseph Cavaly1 2 Romeo Kastiel Inter Moengotapoe 2 1 Hilario Mena Universidad O&M2 1 Jorge Rivera Metropolitan12 Nicolás Rocha Scherpenheuvel 12
Awards The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament:
AwardPlayerTeamGolden Ball Gamaël Dorvil CavalyGolden Boot Gamaël Dorvil CavalyGolden Glove Emmanuel Saint-Félix CavalyYoung Player Award Gamaël Dorvil CavalyFair Play Award— Inter Moengotapoe
Qualification to CONCACAF Champions League and CONCACAF League
The top four teams of the 2021 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship qualify for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League or 2021 CONCACAF League as long as they comply with the minimum CONCACAF Club Licensing requirements for the CONCACAF Champions League or CONCACAF League. Champions qualify for 2022 CONCACAF Champions League. Runners-up qualify for 2021 CONCACAF League round of 16. Losing semi-finalists qualify for 2021 CONCACAF League preliminary round. The team with the better record are ranked 3rd overall, and the team with the worse record are ranked 4th overall, for seeding in the CONCACAF League preliminary round draw.
Notes
See also 2021 Caribbean Club Shield 2021 CONCACAF League 2022 CONCACAF Champions League
References
External links Caribbean Club Championship, CONCACAF.com