Jeffers confident as U20s jumpstart prep for Concacaf Championships
By Neto Baptiste Head coach of the National Men’s Under-20 Football Team, Schyan Jeffers, says his faith in the ability of his players to get the job done during the Concacaf Championships starting July 24th in Mexico, has not waivered. His comments come as the team jumpstarts preparations for play in Group B where they will […]
Black News 
By Neto Baptiste
Head coach of the National Men’s Under-20 Football Team, Schyan Jeffers, says his faith in the ability of his players to get the job done during the Concacaf Championships starting July 24th in Mexico, has not waivered.
His comments come as the team jumpstarts preparations for play in Group B where they will face competition from hosts Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica. Jeffers, himself a former youth and senior national player, said that they are working on both the physical and mental aspects of the players.
“Right now we are trying to involve the sports psychologist in the team, helping the players to prepare their mind in so many ways. More specific, when players have been cut from the team because, as you know, we are to hand in the team by the 15th, which is Monday – so we don’t want to just cut players like that and they go off feeling bad. We’re trying a new approach to things now so this is where the psychologist comes in and she start to help us holistically to prepare our minds for that and also to prepare our minds for the good things,” he said.
Jeffers is currently working with a vast majority of the players already in training but revealed that some players, based outside of Antigua, are yet to arrive.
He said the support received from both the newly elected executive and the rest of his coaching staff has so far, been outstanding.
“We haven’t gotten this in a long time so I’m relishing it, I’m welcoming it and I’m happy for it because this is a stage now that the U20 need this kind of support and it’s a chance that we can go World Cup. Some people say that we can’t go but it’s tournament play, that’s what I’ve been saying from since Costa Rica and it’s who plays on the ground, the best plan and the best team on the day will win. So I am very confident that we can reach far in this competition,” the coach said.
The young Benna Boys qualified for the championships following an unbeaten run in Group C of the Concacaf U20 Qualifiers held in Costa Rica in March this year.
Antigua and Barbuda will face Mexico in their opening fixture on July 24th at 7:00 p.m. The Group Stage is scheduled to run from Friday, July 24th through Saturday, August 1st, 2026.
At the conclusion of the Group Stage, the two top teams from each group and the two best third-place finishers will advance to the knockout stage. The Quarterfinals are set for August 4th to 5th, followed by the Semifinals on August 7th, and the Final on August 9th, 2026.
