Three overseas-based members of Antigua and Barbuda’s Under-20 national football team returned home on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, ahead of the country’s participation in the 2026 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship in Mexico.
Captain Keyonte George and Conroy Browne, who are based in Germany, along with UK-based Marco Micheal, arrived at V.C. Bird International Airport and were welcomed by Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) General Secretary D. Zorol Barthley.
During their arrival, the players had an unexpected encounter with Syrian-born football star Omar Al Somah, one of the most successful strikers in Asian football. While meeting with General Secretary Barthley in the airport’s VIP Lounge, Al Somah expressed admiration for the young Antiguan players and pledged to help create opportunities for Caribbean talent to gain exposure with clubs in the Middle East.
General Secretary Barthley described the encounter as a potentially career-changing moment for the young footballers, noting the value of connecting with a player of Al Somah’s international stature.
Antigua and Barbuda will be one of just 12 nations competing in the 2026 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship and is the only representative from the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) to qualify for the tournament.
The team will face hosts Mexico on July 24, Guatemala on July 27, and Costa Rica on July 30 in group-stage matches at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, Mexico. The tournament serves as a qualification pathway to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup.
The full Antigua and Barbuda squad is scheduled to depart on July 2 for a 43-day preparation and competition programme that will take the team through Saint Lucia, Panama, and Mexico before arriving in Puebla for the championship.
