CATHERINE HALL, St James — A lot will be at stake over the next eight days in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Men’s Caribbean Cup finals which will be played at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

Defending champions Cuba will open their title defence against French Guiana in the second game of the double header after Curacao meet former champions Trinidad and Tobago in the 5:30 pm opening game in Group A.

Hosts Jamaica will kick off tomorrow against French territory Martinique in the second game of the Group B double header after Haiti open against Antigua & Barbuda at 5:30 pm.

The top four teams from the tournament, the top two from each group will automatically qualify for next year’s prestigious CONCACAF Gold Cup, while a fifth team will play off with a team from Central America in a home and away series. The winners here will also secure an automatic berth into the prestigious Copa América Centenario scheduled to be played in 2016 in the United States.

In addition to championship honours as well as places in the CONCACAF tournament, jobs could also be on the line with coaches, including Jamaica’s Winfried Schaefer needing to produce good results to appease detractors.

Group A games will be played today, Thursday and Saturday, while Group B games are set for Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The group winners will meet to decide the champions next Tuesday after the runners-up decide third place in the first game of the double-header.

Defending champions Cuba and hosts Jamaica were exempt from the qualifying series, but Trinidad and Haiti will come into the tournament with confidence after winning their respective groups.

Trinidad won their group easily, winning all three games to finish on nine points, while Antigua & Barbuda were runners-up on goal difference ahead of Dominican Republic after both finished on four points.

Haiti also won their group, totalling five points, just ahead of French Guiana’s four, which saw them beat St Kitts and Nevis on goal difference.

Games today

*Curacao vs Trinidad and Tobago @ 5:30 pm

*Cuba vs French Guiana @ 8:00 pm