TTFA eyes Qatar, Saudi Arabia friendlies for Soca Warriors

Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards says he and his organisation are working assiduously to finalise friendlies for the Soca Warriors next month, to go along with friendly matches for its youth teams and the women's team.

Speaking to Newsday on November 26, Edwards said the TTFA is currently in advanced talks for TT's men's football team to play friendlies against Qatar and Saudi Arabia in December.

New Soca Warriors coach Dwight Yorke was appointed on November 1. The former Soca Warriors captain and Manchester United standout then oversaw a local training camp after he arrived in Trinidad on November 8, with his team also playing an unofficial friendly against 2023 TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) winners Defence Force on November 18. The Soca Warriors won 1-0 thanks to a goal from former national youth midfielder Kaihim Thomas.

The Soca Warriors will have their first competitive test under Yorke when they play Cuba in the 2025 Gold Cup prelims next March. With no Fifa international match windows between now and the Gold Cup prelims, the TTFA president thinks it's imperative to get the team active before then.

"Something in our favour is that our USL players and our Canadian-based players are out of season at this time," Edwards said.

Edwards couldn't pinpoint an exact date and location for the friendlies versus Qatar and Saudi Arabia, but he's optimistic the Soca Warriors will get the match practice they need ahead of the Gold Cup prelims and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers which resume in June 2025.

The TTFA president said TT's women's team will be engaged in friendly action against Caribbean opposition such as St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and Suriname in TT, with matches being played from December 4-10.

SVG's under-20 women's team are also expected to visit these shores for the Jewels of the Caribbean tournament which will be held from December 16-27. Edwards said the TTFA are also negotiating with Jamaica to have their team compete in the tourney.

In preparation for the 2025 Concacaf Men's Under-17 World Cup qualifiers from February 7-16, Edwards said TT's under-17 footballers are scheduled to travel to Mexico in January for friendly action.

For the Concacaf qualifiers, TT have been placed in group B alongside the British Virgin Islands, Guyana, Sint Maarten and group B host Costa Rica. TT's under-17s will begin their campaign versus Guyana on February 7, before playing BVI and Sint Maarten on February 9 and 13 respectively. TT will then end their campaign against Costa Rica on February 16.

The group B winner will advance to the under-17 World Cup in Qatar, along with seven other Concacaf group winners.