THE Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) yesterday announced a 20-member squad for the April 6-19 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship to be staged in Panama.

In that squad, a total of 12 players are based on local soil and six are located in the United States. Two players — Martin Davis and Luca Levee — are currently learning their craft in the land of senior World Cup winners, Spain.

The Jamaicans, guided by veteran youth coach Wendell Downswell, are scheduled to play their first Group A match against the hosts on the opening day of the tournament before facing Caribbean Football Union (CFU) rivals Barbados two days later.

Group B consists of Canada, Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago, while Group C includes Guatemala, Haiti and CONCACAF giant United States.

Reigning Under-17 World Cup champions Mexico headline Group D, which also includes Honduras and Cuba.

The top-two countries from each group will progress to the quarter-final stage and the four semi-finalists will qualify for the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup to be held in the United Arab Emirates from October 17 to November 8.

Jamaica, who qualified for the 2011 edition in Mexico, continue preparation with respective training sessions today and tomorrow at the JFF Technical Centre at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

Both sessions are set to start at 3:30 pm.

The Jamaicans also made it to the 1999 Under-17 World Cup in New Zealand.

Squad — Ryan Miller (St George’s College & Cavalier SC), Oneil Anderson (Camperdown High & Santos FC), Junior Flemmings (Jamaica College & Tivoli Gardens FC), Raffique Bryan (Jamaica College & Arnett Gardens FC), Maalique Foster (Jamaica College & Portmore United), Donald Francis (Clarendon College & Santos FC), Seigle Knight (Clarendon College & Portmore United), Iishmale Currie (Garvey Maceo & Portmore United), Nathaniel Leslie (Spanish Town High & Waterhouse FC), Imani Beckford (Marcus Garvey Technical & Volvo FC), Rushane McClymont (St Elizabeth Technical & Appleton Estate FC), Tyshan Hill (Spot Valley High & Wadadah FC), Michael Seaton (DC United), Malcolm Dixon (Montclair Academy & New York Red Bulls), Khallil Stewart (Collins High & Concord Fire), Malcolm Stewart ( K12 Academy & Georgia United), Zachary Jones (K12 Academy & Georgia United), Nicholas Nelson (Nat University Virtual & Georgia United), Martin Davis (Caxton College & Sagunto FC), Luca Levee (Caxton College & Valencia Huracan FC).