PRELIMINARY ROUND MATCH-UPS UNVEILED FOR 2008-09 CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (June 11 2008) CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) have unveiled the preliminary round match-ups for the 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League™ following the draw held today at the offices of the General Secretariat in New York City.

Sixteen teams (BLZ1, CAN1, CFU1, CFU2, CFU3, CRC2, GUA2, HON2, MEX3, MEX4, NCA1, SLV2, PAN1, PAN2, USA3, USA4) where drawn into eight home-and-away match-ups in the Preliminary Stage which will take place on 26-28 August 2008 and 2-4 September 2008.

Preliminary Round Draw Results (Home Team Listed First)
First-Leg (26-28 August 2008)
GUA2: CD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa – PAN1: San Francisco FC
CFU2: Joe Public FC of Trinidad & Tobago – USA3: New England Revolution
CRC2: LD Alajuelense – CFU3: Puerto Rico Islanders
MEX4: CD SC Cruz Azul – BLZ1: Hankook Verdes
CFU1: Harbour View FC of Jamaica – MEX3: Pumas UNAM
PAN2: Tauro FC – USA4: Chivas USA
CAN1: Canadian Champion – NCA1: Nicaraguan Champion
SLV2: CD Isidro Metapan – HON2: CD Olimpia or CD Marathon

Second-Leg (2-4 September 2008)
PAN1: San Francisco FC – GUA2: CD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa
USA3: New England Revolution – CFU2: Joe Public FC of Trinidad & Tobago
CFU3: Puerto Rico Islanders – CRC2: LD Alajuelense
BLZ1: Hankook Verdes – MEX4: CD SC Cruz Azul
MEX3: Pumas UNAM – CFU1: Harbour View FC of Jamaica
USA4: Chivas USA – PAN2: Tauro FC
NCA1: Nicaraguan Champion – CAN1: Canadian Champion
HON2: CD Olimpia or CD Marathon – SLV2: CD Isidro Metapan

The Preliminary Stage winners will join the eight seeded teams (MEX1, MEX2, USA1, USA2, CRC1, GUA1, HON1, SLV1) in the Group Stage that consists of four groups of four teams each.

The eight clubs have been also drawn into Group Stage today for the inaugural CONCACAF Champions League™ and CONCACAF will officially unveil the Group Stage along with the complete schedule for the preliminary round on Monday (16 June).

Eight seeded teams – Group Stage
MEX1: Atlante FC
MEX2: Club Santos Laguna

USA1: Houston Dynamo
USA2: D.C. United

CRC1: Deportivo Saprissa

SLV1: CD Luis Angel Firpo

GUA1: CSD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa
Playoff will determine GUA1, GUA2

HON1: CD Olimpia or CD Marathon
Playoff will determine HON1, HON2


The top two clubs from each of the four groups will advance to the Quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League. These eight teams will be drawn into four Quarterfinal pairings to play home-and-away match-ups in February 2009. The four Quarterfinal winners will then play in two Semifinal home-and-away match-ups in March and April 2009 with the two Semifinal winners squaring-off in the home-and-away 2008-2009 CONCACAF Champions League™ Final in late April 2009.

The CONCACAF Champions League™ winner will qualify as the CONCACAF representative to the 2009 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup.


2008-2009 CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – Calendar of Events

26-28 August: Preliminary Round, First-legs
2-4 September: Preliminary Round, Second-legs
16-18 September: Group Stage – Match Day 1
23-25 September: Group Stage – Match Day 2
30 September – 2 October: Group Stage – Match Day 3
7-9 October: Group Stage – Match Day 4
21-23 October: Group Stage – Match Day 5
28-30 October: Group Stage – Match Day 6