GUYANA Football Federation (GFF) Elite League winners, Fruta Conquerors, will be Guyana’s lone representative at the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) 2019 Caribbean Club Shield, which will be held from April 5 – 15 in Curacao.

The tournament, which was announced last year and is part of the expanded CONCACAF Club Competition Platform, will feature the participation of clubs from 13 different Caribbean Associations, all of whom are working with CONCACAF towards a long-term vision to professionalise the club game across the region.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the second edition of the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield, a tournament which plays a crucial role in the continued growth of our expanded Club Competition Platform,” said CONCACAF General Secretary Philippe Moggio.

“This tournament, along with the Flow CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship, embodies the best of club football in this region and provides Caribbean Associations a direct pathway to the Confederation’s top regional club championships.”

The Tucville-based club will join Hoppers FC (Antigua & Barbuda), Dakota FC (Aruba), Weymouth Wales (Barbados), SV Real Rincon (Bonaire), Scholars International Sports Club (Cayman Islands), Santiago de Cuba (Cuba), Jong Holland (Curacao), Club Sportif Moulien (Guadeloupe), Club Franciscain (Martinique), Platinum Football Club (Saint Lucia), SV Robinhood (Suriname) and Rams Village Superstars (Saint Kitts & Nevis) for the tournament that will be played at the Ergilio Hato Stadium and Dr. Antoine Maduro Stadium, in Willemstad.

Meanwhile, CONCACAF stated that an official draw to sort the participating teams into four groups will take place on Friday, January 11, 2019, at CONCACAF’s headquarters in Miami.

The winner of the 2019 CONCACAF Caribbean Shield, provided it fulfils the CONCACAF Regional Club Licensing criteria, will have the opportunity to face the fourth-place finisher of the 2019 Flow CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship in a playoff match to determine the fourth Caribbean representative in the 2019 Scotiabank CONCACAF League.

In the inaugural edition of the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield, Club Franciscain of Martinique was crowned champion with a 2-1 victory over Suriname’s Inter Moengotapoe.

The Martinique club continued its outstanding 2018 international season by edging Trinidad and Tobago’s Central FC 2-1 in the playoff to secure a spot in its first-ever Scotiabank CONCACAF League, where they eventually fell to Nicaraguan side Walter Ferretti in penalties.