Trinidad and Tobago will play host to Caribbean opponents Dominica, Jamaica and St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) for the December 15-20 "Jewels of the Caribbean" invitational women's football tournament.
This will be the third staging of the tourney and will give some of the region's most promising under-20 women's footballers the opportunity to showcase their talent ahead of critical Concacaf qualifiers early next year.
TT will field two teams in the tournament - the Red Angels and the White Angels. The teams will be coached by Ayanna Russell and Dernelle Mascall, both of whom have had experience at the senior international level.
"The Jewels of the Caribbean Tournament is fast becoming a staple on the Caribbean football calendar, offering valuable competitive opportunities for women's teams outside of Concacaf and Caribbean Football Union organised events," a TT Football Association (TTFA) media release said, on Wednesday.
The release said this year's tourney has been made possible because of the support of the NGO Female Forward, which was instrumental in helping the TTFA bring First Citizens Bank on board as the "Jewels of the Caribbean" title sponsor.
The release also said, "Fifa has stepped in to assist participating member associations by covering local expenses, including accommodation, meals and internal transport."
The tournament will kick off with a double-header at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Couva on Sunday with Jamaica and SVG clashing at 2 pm, before TT's Red Angels face Dominica at 4 pm.
TT's White Angels will play their first match against SVG from 7 pm on Monday at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. The tournament's final and third-place playoff will also be played at the Couva venue.
TTFA president Kieron Edwards said the tourney is one which can strengthen regional ties and inspire the future generation of female footballers.
"This tournament is a tremendous step forward for women's football in our region...it underscores the TTFA's commitment to elevating women's football and providing opportunities for growth and development."
It will be a busy period ahead for TT's young footballers, with the under-20 women grouped with Bermuda, Canada and Dominica for the 2025 Concacaf qualifiers from February 20-25 and the under-17 women grouped with Belize, Honduras and the US Virgin Islands for their January 27-February 1 qualifying group.
TT copped the "Jewels of the Caribbean" under-17 invitational crown with a 2-0 win over SVG in the final last December thanks to a brace from Orielle Martin.
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