Men's U20 2013

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<b>Participation:</b>

<b>------------</b>

40 CONCACAF member countries are eligible for participation:

all 3 of the NAFU countries enter the competition;

6 of the 7 UNCAF countries enter the competition (Belize does not to enter);

17 of the 30 CFU countries enter the competition (Anguilla, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Sint Maarten, Turks and Caicos Islands and US Virgin Islands do not enter).

As a result, 26 countries enter the competition.

Only players born after 1 January 1993 are allowed to participate.

Mexico qualify for the Group stage as host.

<b>Qualification - NAFU:</b>

<b>------------</b>

<b>Format:</b>

NAFU has 3 places in the Group stage. Mexico qualify as hosts, United States and Canada also qualify directly for the Group stage.

<b>Qualification - UNCAF:</b>

<b>------------</b>

<b>Format:</b>

6 teams contest 4 places in the Group stage.

Teams are distributed into 2 groups of 3 teams (Triangular I and Triangular II).

Each team plays the others in its group once - for a total of 2 games each, over 3 game weeks.

Matches in each group are played as a single tournament, hosted by one of the teams as follows:

Triangular I: Honduras;

Triangular II: Guatemala.

<b>Scoring points:</b>

3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss.

<b>Table order:</b>

1. points won; 2. points in head-to-head matches; 3. goal difference in hth matches; 4. goals scored in hth matches; 5. total goal difference; 6. total goals scored; 7. draw.

<b>Qualification for the Group stage:</b>

1-2 place of each group: qualify for the Group stage

<b>Qualification - CFU:</b>

<b>------------</b>

<b>Format:</b>

17 teams contest 5 places in the Group stage.

Jamaica enter qualifying directly at the 2nd Round.

<b>1st Round:</b>

16 teams are distributed into 4 groups of 4 teams (Groups A, B, C, and D).

Each team plays the others in its group once - for a total of 3 games each, over 3 game weeks.

Matches in each group are played as a single tournament, hosted by one of the teams as follows:

Group A: Antigua and Barbuda;

Group B: Dominican Republic;

Group C: Puerto Rico;

Group D: St. Vincent / Grenadines.

<b>Scoring points:</b>

3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss.

<b>Table order:</b>

1. points won; 2. total goal difference; 3. total goals scored; 4. points in head-to-head matches; 5. goal difference in hth matches; 6. goals scored in hth matches; 7. draw.

<b>Qualification for the 2nd Round:</b>

1 place of each group: qualify for 2nd Round

best 2nd placed team: qualifies for 2nd Round

<b>Tie-breakers for determining best 2nd placed team:</b>

1. points won; 2. total goal difference; 3. total goals scored; 4. draw.

<b>2nd Round:</b>

5 teams from the 1st Round and Jamaica form 1 group.

Each team plays the others once - for a total of 5 games each over 5 game weeks.

Matches are played as a single tournament, hosted by Jamaica.

<b>Scoring points:</b>

3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss.

<b>Table order:</b>

1. points won; 2. points in head-to-head matches; 3. goal difference in hth matches; 4. goals scored in hth matches; 5. total goal difference; 6. total goals scored; 7. draw.

<b>Qualification for the Group stage:</b>

1-5 place: qualify for the Group stage

<b>Group stage:</b>

<b>------------</b>

<b>Format:</b>

All matches from the Group stage and Knockout stage take place in Mexico.

12 teams are drawn into 4 groups of 3 teams (Groups A, B, C and D).

Each team plays the others from its own group once - for a total of 2 games each, over 3 game weeks.

<b>Scoring points:</b>

3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss.

<b>Table order:</b>

1. points won; 2. points in head-to-head matches; 3. goal difference in hth matches; 4. goals scored in hth matches; 5. total goal difference; 6. total goals scored; 7. draw.

<b>Qualification for the Knockout stage:</b>

1-2 place of each group: qualify for the Knockout stage.

<b>Knockout stage:</b>

<b>------------</b>

<b>Format:</b>

8 teams from the Group stage contest the winner in a knockout format.

<b>Quarter-finals:</b>

Teams are paired according to their Group stage standings:

1st in Group A vs 2nd in Group B (match 1);

1st in Group B vs 2nd in Group A (match 2);

1st in Group C vs 2nd in Group D (match 3);

1st in Group D vs 2nd in Group C (match 4).

Winners are decided over one leg, with extra time and penalties if score is level after regular time.

<b>Semi-finals:</b>

Teams are paired as follows:

winner match 1 vs winner match 4;

winner match 2 vs winner match 3.

Winners are decided over one leg, with extra time and penalties if score is level after regular time.

<b>3rd Place:</b>

The two Semi-finals losers meet each other to contest 3-4 place.

Winner is decided over one leg, with extra time and penalties if score is level after regular time.

<b>Final:</b>

The two Semi-finals winners meet each other with the winner becoming 2013 CONCACAF U20 winner.

Winner is decided over one leg, with extra time and penalties if score is level after regular time.

<b>Qualification for FIFA competitions:</b>

the 4 Semi-finalists: 2013 U20 World Cup</p>