Canada learns CONCACAF U-17 men’s draw, first step towards 2019 FIFA World Cup

MIAMI — Canada has been drawn in a group with the U.S., Guatemala and Barbados for the 2019 CONCACAF Under-17 Men’s Championship.

The four teams will begin play in the championship round of the 35-team tournament May 1-16 at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Nineteen of the 35 countries will start play earlier, divided into four groups in the qualifying round March 16-24 (Groups A and C) and April 1-9 (Groups B and D).

The other 16 countries including Canada have been divided into four groups (E, F, G and H), that will enter in the championship round. After round-robin play, the top three finishers in each of those groups will qualify for the knockout stage, joining the four group winners of the earlier qualification stage in the round of 16.

The knockout round is a single-match elimination format, with the semifinalists automatically qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru that kicks off Sept. 17.

Mexico won the 2017 tournament in a 5-4 penalty shootout win over the U.S., collecting its third CONCACAF straight title and seventh overall. Canada failed to advance out of the qualifying tournament.

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The Canadian men’s last trip to the FIFA U-17 World Cup was in 2013 in the United Arab Emirates when they went 0-1-2 and failed to reach the knockout stage.

The Canadian Press