LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

Captain Horace Burrell (second right), senior vice-president of the Caribbean Football Union, gestures to Ben Atherton (right), Digicel marketing director, during the launch of the Digicel Caribbean Cup at the Terra Nova Hotel yesterday. At left is Crenston Boxhill, Jamaica Football Federation president. Beside him is Barbados player Norman Ford, and Jamaican defender Jermaine Taylor holds the Digicel Cup. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer.

THE SECOND Digicel Caribbean Football Cup was launched yesterday at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston with the organisers promising a bigger and better tournament.

The tournament kicks off on September 2 and runs until February 11 and will include 25 teams - an increase from 20 in the previous tournament. The winner's prize money has also been increased by 20 per cent to US$120,000.

Senior vice-president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), Captain Horace Burrell, lauded Digicel for its support and pointed out that for the first time the sponsor will provide each host country in the preliminary rounds an allowance of US$20,000. The total value of the sponsorship was not announced.

The six groups, group members and the dates they will play the preliminary round are as follows (host country named first): Group A - Netherlands Antilles, Suriname, Guyana, Grenada and Suriname, September 6-10. Group B - Antigua, Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis and Barbados, September 20-24. Group C - US Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, Bermuda and British Virgin Islands, September 26-30. Group D - Jamaica, Haiti, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, September 26-October 1. Group E - Cuba, Cayman Islands, Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, September 2-6. Group F - Guadeloupe, St. Martin, Martinique and Dominica, September 20-24.

Second round in october, november

The top two teams from each group will advance to the second round which will be played in October and November. From there, the top seven teams will advance to the final round where they will join Trinidad and Tobago. The Soca Warriors received a bye as they are the host for the final round in January and February next year. As hosts, they will receive US$150,000.

Burrell said the CFU was grateful for Digicel's commitment to Caribbean football.

"By continuing to invest in the growth of the region's leading tournament, Digicel is playing a key role in the development of football talent in the region," said Burrell.

"An expanded Digicel Caribbean Cup with a final tournament similar to other international competitions will help young players gain experience in international tournaments, improve their skill and ultimately assist future World Cup qualification campaigns," he said.

Jamaica are the defending champions for the Digicel Cup.