CONCACAF says Adios to Copa Sudamericana

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced on Tuesday that it will no longer participate in Copa Sudamericana, the Americas’ second-best club event.

US, Mexican and Central American clubs have taken part in the Sudamericana since 2005 under a four-year deal with South American football governing body CONMEBOL.

The decision means that Mexican clubs Monterrey and Puebla, which were set to play in this year’s Copa Sudamericana, will be withdrawn from the event.

And while CONCACAF teams will take part in next year’s Copa Libertadores, the biggest club tournament in the Americas, CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer said his group will review future play in that event in November.

“We regret that Mexico’s Copa Sudamericana designees Monterrey and Puebla will not participate in the tournament due to CONCACAF?s decision,” Blazer said.

“CONCACAF is committed to the 2010 Copa Libertadores… In November the executive committee will review CONCACAF?s future participation in the Libertadores.”

The move allows the clubs to participate in the CONCACAF Champions League, a second-year regional event.

A swine flu outbreak nearly two months ago in Mexico had South American teams refuse to play Copa Libertadores matches in Mexico, citing health risks, which sparked a threat by the Mexican Football Federation to drop out of other events with South American teams. Cooler heads eventually prevailed.