2019 (Soccer, Hockey, Rugby)
|
Host
|
Dec 26- Jan 5th
|
U-20 “World Juniors” Hockey
|
Vanc & Victoria
|
Jan 26-27th
|
World Rugby Seven Series
|
Hamilton, New Z
|
Feb 2nd-3rd
|
World Rugby Seven Series
|
Sydney, Australia
|
Feb - March
|
American Rugby Championship (Argentina XI, USA, Canada, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile)
|
Home /Away
|
March 1-3rd
|
World Rugby Seven Series
|
Las Vegas, USA
|
March 9-10th
|
World Rugby Seven Series
|
Vancouver, Can
|
March 21, 26th
|
Nations League Qualification-CONCACAF (no –USA)
|
Home/away
|
April 5th-7th
|
World Rugby Seven Series
|
Hong Kong, China
|
April 13th 14th
|
World Rugby Seven Series
|
Singapore
|
April 18th-28th
|
IIHF World U-18 Championship (10 nations)
|
Sweden
|
April 21st –May 7th
|
U-17 CONCACAF Championship
|
No picked yet
|
May 10th -26th
|
IIHF Hockey World Championship
|
Slovakia
|
May 25-27th
|
World Rugby Seven Series
|
London, England
|
May 23 – June 15th
|
U-20 FIFA World Cup
|
Poland
|
June 1 and 2nd
|
World Rugby Seven Series-Final
|
Paris, France
|
June
|
2019 World Rugby U-20 Trophy Qualification V Canada
|
Home/Away
|
July 9th -21st
|
2019 World Rugby U-20 Trophy (8 Tier 2 Nations)
|
Brazil
|
July 9th -30th
|
Gold Cup 2019 –CONCACAF 16 nations
|
USA
|
Sept 2 -10th
|
Nations League A Match 1 & 2
|
Home/ Away
|
Sept 20th – Nov 2nd
|
Rugby World Cup 2019
|
Japan
|
Oct 7th – 15th
|
Nations League A Match 3 & 4
|
Home Away
|
Nov 11th – 19th
|
Nations League Match 5 & 6
|
Home / Away
|
|
Rugby End – of –year-test
|
away
|
The World Juniors or the IIHF U-20 hockey tournament always starts the year off with an exciting bang. This year Canada will host again. The
USAU-20 is now considered equal to Canada and Russia in this tournament. However Sweden and Finland are both just as good. This
tournament is played in Canada every other year, since it is a huge event and Canada hockey makes the most mula and kicks back revenue to
the IIHF.
The American Rugby Championship starts 2 weeks after the Super Bowl with 3 games in Feb and 2 in March. This year the Eagles will again
have 3 home games, First Austin TX then 2 in Seattle. They will have to play Argentina XV away this year, so this year it will be much more
difficult to repeat. Hoping we see lots of progress.
We then switch back to Hockey for the IIHF U-18 Championship, which will be held in Sweden this year. The USA has dominated, yes I said
dominated in this Championship. They have reached the final 9 out of the last 10 years and winning 7 of the 9 times. The USA has the best
junior program.
The CONCACAF U-17 Championship will be in April and the host is not picked. It was hosted in Mex (09), Jam(11), Panama (13), Honduras
(15) and in Panama (17) again. I believe the new president will try to get this tournament to Canada or a Caribbean nation next. I am thinking
a nice island like Curacao, Martinique, Bermuda or Guadeloupe. Since the USA host the Gold Cup, the last 3 Olympic qualifications and the last
U-20 Men’s Championship I believe it has to move to another location.
IIHF Hockey World Championship is in Slovakia, This tournament starts in May right after the completion of the second round of NHL playoffs.
So when your NHL team is knocked out you get to tune in and cheer for Team USA. Canada has 26 Championships, Russia 27, Czech 12, and
Sweden 11. Finland and USA only have a paltry 2. The USA just do not take this tournament that serious or they are just out gunned by better
teams …EVERY YEAR!?
FIFA U-20 World Cup is in Poland in May which is a great summer start for soccer. The USA U-20 performs much better than the senior side
in the World Cup at this level. USA has reached the quarter finals the last 2 years. They enter as CONCACAF Champions.
Then we have the high intensity (Rugby) USA Selects v Canada A for the qualification to the U-20 World Rugby Trophy. This is a yearly
tournament that will be in Brazil this year. Canada has beaten the USA Selects last 2 years. Canada then flopped at last year’s Tournament
. Let’s hope we can finally beat Canada and play in the international U-20 Trophy tournament in Brazil. The tournament is the same time
as the Gold Cup.
CONCACAF Gold Cup is the Granddaddy of all USA tournaments in 2019. It will be hosted in the USA (also Costa Rica). There will be
15 venues in the USA. Alliance Field will be a brand new SSS due to open in March 2019. Also Banc of California Stadium just opened in
2018. These stadiums will be perfect for the expanded Gold Cup. The tournament finally expanded to 16 nations. I am hoping for more
scoring and we should get that in the group games. There should be some quality Caribbean nations who will bring a plethora of European
players to make for a really good competition.
Then we have the Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan to start the Fall. The USA Eagles will not be favorite in any match. Every nation in their group
out ranks them. I am personally hoping for massive improvement in this tournament. I am hoping we can keep up with the thoroughbreds here.
Except for the Nations League and the 3 or 4 Rugby test matches that will wrap up 2019. The Nations League comes right after the Gold Cup.
The nations League is a much smaller tournament and will not get the glitz the Gold Cup had. The test matches comes after the Rugby World Cup.
The Test matches will seem miniscule after the exciting Rugby World Cup 2019.
Order of excitement/importance for me
CONCACAF Gold Cup (July)
U-20 World Juniors (January)
Rugby World Cup (Fall)
FIFA U-20 World Cup
American Rugby Championship
U-20 World Rugby Trophy (if USA qualifies)