By Paul Osborne

The CONCACAF Women's Under-20 Championships kick-off tomorrow in the Cayman Islands ©Getty ImagesJanuary 8 - Eight teams from across the Americas have gathered in the Cayman Islands this week as the countdown for the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football's (CONCACAF) Women's Under-20 Championships nears its end.


Kicking-off tomorrow at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex, the Championships form CONCACAF's qualification tournament for the 2014 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup, due to be held in Canada in August.

The tournament is divided into two groups of four teams with the top two finishers in each group crossing over for the all-important semi-finals.

The winners of the semi final matches, and the winner of the third place match, will earn the CONCACAF region's berths to the Under-20 Women's World Cup.

Runaway favourites for the title are reigning world champions America.

The American women have taken the top spot for the past two tournaments winning a record four titles in total.

They have been placed in Group A alongside Guatemala, Jamaica and Costa Rica and will begin their title defence against the Costa Ricans.

Two-time defending champions United States are the undeniable favourites to win the tournament ©Getty ImagesTwo-time defending champions United States are the undeniable favourites to win the tournament ©Getty Images



Mexico will be amongst the favourites to secure one of the other two qualifying spots having done so on the past four occasions.

They top Group B and will have to see off competition from Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago and hosts Cayman Island in order to book their spot in the semi finals of the competition.

As hosts of the Women's Under-20 World Cup in August, Canada gain automatic qualification into the event so will not participate in this tournament.

This leaves the competition for the final qualifying spot wide open with the likes of Costa Rica and Jamaica likely to be the fiercest challengers for the place.

The tournament gets underway tomorrow with a double-header which will see Guatemala take on Jamaica, followed by an encounter between the two-time defending champions United States and Costa Rica.

The final is due tol take place on January 19 and will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Plus alongside the semi finals, third place play-off, and all of the American women's matches.

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