Digicel launches Caribbean Cup '10

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad:

Digicel yesterday officially launched the Digicel Caribbean Cup (DCC) 2010 at a glittering press conference at the Hyatt Hotel in Trinidad.

The Digicel Caribbean Cup 2010 kicks off in Puerto Rico on October 2 and then travels to St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and the Dominican Republic to complete the first stage of the tournament. In the second round, some of the higher-ranked teams - Cuba, Guadeloupe and Trinidad and Tobago - are seeded and will join the tournament in the qualification stage, playing across three host countries, including Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda.

The top two teams from each of the groups in stage two will join the holders, Jamaica, and the hosts, Martinique, to make up eight finalists in the Digicel Caribbean Cup finals from November 26. The finals will be hosted in Martinique on Sunday, December 5.

Cash prize

The eight best teams from the region will play in the finals in Martinique for the title of Digicel Caribbean Cup champions 2010 and walk away with US$120,000 - the largest cash prize for football in the region. Runners-up will take home US$70,000 and third- and fourth-place winners will win US$50,000 and US$30,000, respectively. The top four countries will also advance to the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States.

President of the Caribbean Football Union and CONCACAF and vice-president of FIFA, Jack Warner, commented; "It's amazing to think that just six years ago the tournament was only one week long with 16 matches. Today, we have a tournament that can stand alongside some of the biggest football tournaments in the world. I'd like to wish all the teams the very best of luck and I look forward to seeing some world-class football throughout the tournament."

Digicel Group Marketing Operations Director Kieran Foley said: "This has been an exciting year for football in the Caribbean. this year's DCC promises to be even bigger and better. Customers can expect a whole host of exciting promotions in each Digicel market for the duration of the tournament."

CAPTION: President of the Caribbean Football Union and CONCACAF and vice-president of FIFA, Jack Warner (left), Trinidad and Tobago's Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Anil Roberts (centre), and Digicel Group Marketing Operations Director Kieran Foley display the Digicel Caribbean Cup trophy at the official launch in Trinidad and Tobago yesterday. - Contributed