Guyana ended their debut campaign at the CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship with a 7-0 defeat to Puerto Rico on Tuesday, concluding a difficult tournament in which they failed to secure a single point across three matches.
Their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup had already been extinguished on Sunday, following a 9-0 loss to hosts Costa Rica. That result confirmed the Junior Lady Jaguars’ elimination from the competition, after they had also fallen 8-0 to six-time champions the United States in their opening fixture.
Guyana needed at least a point against Costa Rica to stay in the running for a semi-final place — and with it, a spot at the World Cup in Poland. However, they found it difficult defensively in the first half at the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto in Alajuela, going into the interval 5-0 down.
Despite three heavy defeats and a last-place finish in Group A, Guyana’s qualification for the final eight remains a notable milestone. They secured their spot by topping their group in the earlier qualifying phase, reflecting continued progress in the women’s game regionally.
The United States, Canada, and Mexico — all former champions — have secured semi-final places and automatic qualification for the 2026 tournament.
This year’s championship, hosted for the first time by Costa Rica, began on May 27 and features eight nations split across two groups. Group B includes Mexico, Canada, Panama, and Nicaragua.
The top two teams from each group progress to the semi-finals, with all four semi-finalists earning a place at the 2026 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
