Concacaf has officially announced the key details for the 2026 Concacaf Under-20 Qualifiers, which serve as the direct pathway to the summer's Under-20 Championship. With the tournament just a week away, Bermuda’s young Gombey Warriors are preparing to face a gauntlet of regional rivals from February 23rd to March 4th, 2026.
The qualifying competition will be contested among member associations ranked between 7 and 41, with round-robin group play held across three host nations: Costa Rica, Curaçao, and Nicaragua.
Only the six group winners will advance to the final 12-team Championship, joining pre-qualified heavyweights like the United States, Mexico, and Panama.
Bermuda has been drawn into Group E, a challenging pool that will see all matches held at the Complejo Deportivo FCRF-Plycem in San Rafael de Alajuela, Costa Rica. The group features a mix of Caribbean powerhouses and a formidable Central American host in Costa Rica, who enter as the likely favorites.
Bermuda's Match Schedule: February 24th: Bermuda vs. Trinidad and Tobago (4 pm) February 28th: Bermuda vs. Sint Maarten (1 pm) March 2nd: Bermuda vs. Costa Rica (4 pm) March 4th: Bermuda vs. Barbados (1 pm)
Head Coach Cecoy Robinson expressed strong optimism as the squad nears its final training sessions before flying out this Friday. Robinson highlighted the high level of the environments his players are currently in, suggesting that the group is well-prepared for the intense competition ahead.
"It’s never easy but we have a good group that are in good environments, so we should definitely be competitive," Robinson stated. "We are heading out Friday to complete preparations before our first match, so it will be really good to have everyone. Players are buzzing and feeling up and ready for the task; now it’s about fine-tuning and performances on the day."
The stakes are high for the young Bermudians; the summer's 12-team Championship also serves as the qualifying route for the 2027 FIFA Men’s Under-20 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
