The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

With all of the final pieces in place, it’s only a matter of time before the first whistle is blown to signal the start of the Concacaf 2025 Beach Soccer Championships.

The six-day event, featuring eight countries placed in two separate pools, is slated to kick off 2pm today at the Malcolm Park Beach Soccer Facility with El Salvador taking on Costa Rica.

The host Bahamas team will be in action during the final of the four matches at 8pm when they take on Panama.

Carl Lynch Jr, the assistant secretary of the Bahamas Football Association, who serves on the logistics committee for Concacaf, said their preparations have been completed and all of the teams are in and they have completed their final match training. 

“You can expect very fast, exciting, high-powered offences and plenty of goals,” Lynch Jr said. “Whether you are going to score plenty of goals to win it or you will play tight defence and hope that the score is close. 

“But between the teams here, the key teams to watch are Mexico and the United States. 

“You have the Bahamas. Don’t sleep on the Bahamas, if they rise to the occasion, they could be a challenge.”

Lynch Jr said every tram have a chance to out of the tournament, but a good indication will be what they look like after the first day.

Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala make up Group A. 

In Group B are the United States, Panama, the Bahamas and Trinidad & Tobago.

Today’s matches are as follows:

2pm - El Salvador vs Costa Rica. 

4pm - Mexico vs Guatemala. 

6pm - USA vs Trinidad & Tobago.

8pm - Panama vs Bahamas.

Lynch Jr said all of the games are free of charge to view the games, but there will be 12 local vendors on hand to provide food and drinks. 

“Come early. Our matches are 2, 4, 6 and 8pm. Traditionally, we know that Bahamians get off from work around 5pm, so the 6 and 8pm seemed to be the more crowded games.”

While the BFA is only hosting the matches, Concacaf has flown in all of their personnel for the marketing and promotion and execution of the games.

“They have about 35-40 persons here,” he pointed out. “Concacaf has also sent in 24 referees, which is being used as a training ground for these officials. Concacaf doesn’t have 20 beach tournaments, so whenever they do have one, they send in as much officials so that they can get some training. However, there are no Bahamians involved this time.”

As for the logistics team on the ground, Lynch Jr said they are responsible for ensuring that everything that Concacaf needs is in place. He noted that so far, the BFA has delivered on their requests from Concacaf and they are all just waiting to get the tournament going today.

Wednesday

2pm - Guatemala vs 

El Salvador 

4pm - Costa Rica vs 

Mexico 

6pm - Trinidad & Tobago 

vs Panama

8pm - Bahamas vs USA

Thursday

2pm - Costa Rica 

vs Guatemala

4pm - Mexico vs 

El Salvador 

6pm - USA vs Panama

8pm - Bahamas vs 

Trinidad & Tobago

Friday

Rest Day

Saturday

6pm - 1A vs 2B

8pm - 1B vs 2A

Sunday

6pm - L 1A/2B vs 

Loser 1B/2A 

8pm - W 1A/2B 

vs Winner 1A/2B 

vs winner 1B/2A