Bermuda were officially confirmed yesterday as the host venue for next month?s Digicel Caribbean Cup triangular play-off involving Haiti, Dominican Republic and the Island?s national football team.

The three countries will all compete for the right to join group qualifiers Guyana, Guadeloupe, Barbados, Cuba, Martinique, St. Vincent and The Grenadines and the hosts Trinidad and Tobago in next January?s Digicel Caribbean Cup finals in the Caribbean.

All three play-off matches will take place under the lights at the National Sports Centre (NSC), with Bermuda taking on the Dominican Republic on Tuesday, December 12, Haiti facing the Dominicans on Thursday, December 14 and finally Bermuda meeting Haiti on Saturday, December 16.

?We are extremely thrilled that the Caribbean Football Union has decided to have Bermuda host the games. It is a real plus for Bermuda and the BFA as it is a reflection of the reputation that the Island has for hosting international football matches at a very high standard ? and we are very pleased about that,? stated Bermuda Football Association president Larry Mussenden.

?We look forward to having Haiti and the Dominican Republic come to Bermuda for the matches. This is going to be an opportunity for Bermuda and residents of the Island to come and witness the national football squad playing football at a very high level.

?It has always been our aim to be one of the very best teams in the Caribbean, and we are on the road to proving that.

?And so I am encouraging everybody to get their tickets in advance and there will also be advanced packages available for all three matches.?

Mussenden said he hopes Bermudians will flock to the Sports Centre in throngs to rally their support behind the Island?s national team that has a golden opportunity to make history by qualifying for the Digicel Caribbean Cup Finals in Trinidad and Tobago next January for the very first time.

Four teams will then qualify from the Digicel Caribbean Cup to the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup scheduled to take place from June 6 to 24 in the US.

?During the 2004 World Cup campaign when Bermuda played El Salvador here the National Sports Centre was practically pre-sold and people came out to support the Island with flags and jerseys,? Mussenden continued.

?This is the kind of atmosphere we would like to see again and so we challenge the public to come out and support all three matches because this is a huge financial venture for the BFA and we are looking forward to having a good gate so that we can fund the round.

?What is extremely important is that we will see our national team at their best and we will see them qualify as the top finisher in the play-off and advance to the finals next January in Trinidad where we should prove that we are one of the best teams in the Caribbean.

?And so I look forward to a complete national effort to support our national team and asked everybody to come out and fill that stadium and let our regional rivals know that Bermuda football is right there at the top of Caribbean football.?

Local Digicel marketing director Clifton Webb, stated: ?The company is well known throughout the region (Caribbean) and we are very glad to have the Digicel Caribbean Cup come to Bermuda.

?This now gives us another opportunity to put on an event that everybody in Bermuda will get a chance to take part in.? The telecommunications company presently sponsor Bermuda?s two national sports, cricket and football.

?It?s very exciting to see the national football team enjoying a good run in the competition,? Webb added. ?And it?s nice to have the team here playing in the Digicel Cup and hopefully the fans will come out lend their support like they did during the last World Cup qualifying tournament at the National Sports Centre.?