National teams receive draws for CNL, W Gold Cup prelims

…TD Joseph says Guyana got ‘good’ draw

Guyana’s senior men’s national football team, the Golden Jaguars, have been drawn in Group D of League B in the CONCACAF Nations League 2023/2024, following the official draw on Tuesday evening.
The Golden Jaguars have been drawn alongside Antigua and Barbuda, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas in Group D.
In a comment invited by Guyana Times Sport, Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Technical Director Bryan Joseph expressed confidence in the Golden Jaguars’ ability to top the group.

“Well, I think it’s a pretty good draw. You know, when you look at the teams in League B, there would be no complaints from us, being in Group D along with those other teams. Obviously, the national programme has been building and building. So, I think we’re quite capable of winning that group,” Joseph shared.
The 2023/24 CNL will be played in a three-League format (A, B, and C), with the region’s 41 men’s senior national teams distributed into the Leagues according to the results of the 2022/23 CNL.

The 2023/24 CNL Group Stage will be played during the official FIFA Match Windows in September, October and November 2023.
Regarding the national team’s preparation, Joseph hinted at international friendlies, while voicing an intention to keep the team fully engaged after the Gold Cup ends in July.
The TD revealed to this publication, “I know they’re some discussions about what happens after the Gold Cup. We’re looking at the possibility of a couple of international friendlies that obviously (would) be announced later on, once confirmed. But we will continue to have our national team engaged, so that they can really be impactful in the upcoming Nations League.”
Given that the Golden Jaguars are successful in topping their group, the national team will have the opportunity to be promoted to League A of the Nations League.
“What we’re seeing now is because of the successes that we’re having with the Golden Jaguars; there’s a greater belief among the staff, among the football federation, that we can push to get into League A. There’s also a change in the format of the Nations League, which really gives us a chance to get in there and play with the big boys. So, I think in a year, maybe two years’ time, we be competing in League A with all the big guns in the region, and that’s what we’re working towards,” Joseph added about Guyana’s chances of being promoted.

CONCACAF W Gold Cup
On the other hand, the senior women’s national football team, the Lady Jags, were on Wednesday drawn in Group A of League B for the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup qualifiers. Guyana was drawn alongside Antigua and Barbuda, Suriname and Dominica in Group A.
Similar to the men’s Nations League, the Women’s teams were divided into three Leagues: A, B and C.
After home-and-away group stage play, within each League, in the FIFA Women’s International match windows of September, October and November 2023, the first-place finishers in each of the League B groups (three teams) will advance to the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup Prelims, along with the second-place finishers in the League A groups.
The inaugural edition of the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup will be played between February 17 and March 10, 2024, in the United States, and will include a six-team Prelims, a 12-team group stage, and a three-round Knockout Stage.