King's Trinidad and Tobago to face South Korea on May 30

Now that Derek King has been officially confirmed as the head coach of Trinidad and Tobago's men's football team, his first assignment as the permanent coach has been moved up, as TT are scheduled to face South Korea in a friendly in Utah on May 30. 

The South Korea friendly was confirmed today via a media release by the TT Football Association (TTFA), which also officially announced King's promotion from interim coach to head coach. On May 2, in an interview with I95.5 FM, TTFA president Kieron Edwards revealed that King was set to be appointed coach on a permanent basis, with the former Joe Public and North East stars coach being given a one-year contract with a renewal option in the first instance. 

After he was appointed the team's interim coach on March 6, King oversaw friendlies against Bolivia, Venezuela, and Gabon. TT lost 3-0 and 4-1 to Bolivia and Venezuela, respectively, while they lost to Gabon on penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw in regulation time in their Fifa Series encounter. 

TT men's football team players and staff after collecting their participation medals at the Fifa Series in March. Photos courtesy TTFA 

And though the Fifa international window officially runs from June 1-9, King will hope to have a strong squad assembled for the battle with a Korean team, which will take its place in group A of the 2026 Fifa World Cup alongside Czechia, Mexico and South Africa. Korea will see action on the opening day of the World Cup when they take on Czechia at the Akron Stadium, Mexico, on June 11. In their most recent international friendly matches, Korea lost 4-0 to Ivory Coast on March 28, before losing 1-0 to Austria just three days later. To their credit, Korea did get respective 2-0 and 1-0 wins over Bolivia and Ghana back in November. 

After the Korea friendly, TT will take on Russia at the Kaliningrad Stadium, Oktyabrsky Island, Russia, on June 9. 

King welcomes the challenge ahead as he looks to forge a clear identity for his team. 

A king's touch: TT men's football team coach Derek King shows off his close control during a training session. 

"I fully understand the responsibility that comes with representing our country, and I embrace that challenge with focus and determination," he said via the TTFA release. "Our objective is to compete, improve and make the people of TT proud. We will work tirelessly to ensure that every time we step onto the field, we represent the passion and spirit of our nation." 

Edwards said King has shown a steady hand during his stint with the team and believes it's the right time to give the latter the coaching responsibility on a permanent basis. Similar to King, Edwards also wants to see consistency and a "clear direction" for the team. 

Ceren, El Salvador end Trinidad and Tobago's dream

Two clinical right-footed strikes from El Salvador captain Brenda Ceren were all it took to dash this country's 2027 Fifa Women's World Cup hopes, as the senior women's football team lost 2-0 in a must-win Concacaf W Qualifier at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, tonight. 

With the win, El Salvador deservedly move on to the Concacaf W Championship, while Trinidad and Tobago's qualifying journey ends here. Hopefully, for the sake of the women's programme, the team doesn't need to be weeks or months away from a qualifying competition before a staff and competent team can be put together. 

In December, coach Damian Briggs' TT team got a 5-0 win away to Barbados, before clawing back to get a 2-2 draw away to Honduras last month. The latter result, combined with El Salvador's comfortable 3-0 and 13-0 wins over Honduras and Barbados, respectively, meant TT needed a win tonight to top group F and move on to the next phase of qualifying. 

Members of the TT women's football team huddle during a session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. Photo courtesy TTFA

In what is quickly becoming a theme when supporting the varying national teams, fans would have left the stadium pointing to the team's fight, heart, and determination. However, overall, the team lacked the sustained quality and even fitness levels to trouble the visitors. And once Ceren opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a shot from a tight angle after being sprung on the counter, TT's task became an uphill one as they needed to score twice without conceding again. 

Unfortunately, despite cries and chants from fractions of the modest crowd, a comeback never looked likely. 

Teenage starlet Nikita Gosine was arguably TT's brightest outfield player, and she took on the mantle of the home team's attacking thrust once 37-year-old captain Kennya "Yaya" Cordner was substituted in the 61st minute. However, despite her best efforts and support from her family and cheering posse, the Pleasantville Secondary standout couldn't do it alone. She shouldn't need to. 

By that time, TT were already down 2-0, as Atlas FC's Ceren scored her second in the 51st minute when she toyed with the defenders before curling an exquisite shot past goalie Simone Eligon and into the bottom corner. Ceren comes from a football-mad family, as her three siblings have represented El Salvador at the international level. Tonight, she was in a class of her own. 

El Salvador women's football team captain Brenda Ceren. Photo courtesy Fifa 

Eligon could hardly be blamed for the goals conceded, as she made some key saves which kept her team in the contest and displayed composed handling for most of the match. 

The heart and grit in the TT team came from the 16-year-old Gosine and left back Kaitlyn Darwent, 17, who deputised in the place of injured AS Saint-Etienne defender Kedie Johnson, a big miss with her bombing runs down the flank. Liana Hinds also put in a shift in the middle of the park before making way in the final few moments. 

With 42 per cent possession to their name, the hosts did have fleeting moments of quality in the final third. Their best chance arguably fell to Gosine in the 27th minute, but she fired a left-footer over the bar from a tight angle after being found over the top by Asha James. In the 56th minute, Gosine had an instinctive swing at goal after a smart swivel outside the area, but Riley Melendez was equal to the task. 

In the end, it was another disappointing trip to the Hasely Crawford Stadium, but it was a fruitful one for El Salvador as they look to take their place in their maiden Concacaf W Championship. For the TT football faithful and those at the TT Football Association, the postmortem will now begin. 

TT women's football team flanker Nikita Gosine rides a tackle during the Concacaf W Qualifier away to Honduras in March 2026. Photo courtesy TTFA

Trinidad and Tobago Starting XI: 1.Simone Eligon (GK); 4.Emma Schneider, 12.Myla Schneider, 6.Victoria Swift, 22.Kaitlyn Darwent; 7.Liana Hinds, 8.Elise Franco; 11.Aaliyah Prince, 23.Asha James, 9.Nikita Gosine; 19.Kennya Cordner (captain). 

'Yaya' ready to lead from the front

Expect skipper Kennya "Yaya" Cordner to lead from the front when the Trinidad and Tobago women's football team play El Salvador from 6 pm today at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo in a must-win Concacaf W Qualifier. 

At 37, Cordner is still a big part of the TT women's setup, and is expected to lead the line for coach Damian Briggs' team as they hunt the victory which will take them to the Concacaf W Championship. With El Salvador leading group F of the Concacaf W Qualifiers on six points, anything less than a win for the second-placed TT (four points) will spell the end of their 2027 Fifa Women's World Cup qualifying run. 

Speaking to media personality Whitney Husbands earlier this week during the team's residential camp, Cordner touched on the importance of her role as team leader. 

"As the captain, I have to lead from the front because I'm no stranger to the game. I am worldwide and international, so I have to lead as the captain that I am for the younger ones, because they are the future," Cordner said. 

Trinidad and Tobago women's football team coach Damian Briggs and team captain Kennya "Yaya" Cordner at yesterday's media briefing at Radisson Hotel in Port of Spain. Photos courtesy TTFA

"(The players) have to stamp their name and authority because we have to show (the) TT (public) that women could still play the football and we could still have a chance to qualify for the World Cup," Cordner said, of the intensity that will be needed for the El Salvador match. 

Though approaching 40, Cordner said she still has a lot left in the tank to produce at this level and has a burning desire to help her country get a step closer to next year's World Cup in Brazil. 

"Sometimes people feel your age is too big of a number for you to continue the game. Age is just a number," the Speyside-born forward said. "I'm 37, and I'll be 38 in November. I may not run like the 18, 16 and 24 year olds, but I can still run as much as 70-plus minutes in a football game because once you're mentally in it and you mentally want something...you will go after it." 

She said the residential camp was integral to building team chemistry off the field, and it also gave her a chance to rub shoulders with the younger players whom she expects to take up the mantle once she and other experienced heads call it a day. 

Gates for today's clash will open from 4 pm, while tickets will be on sale at the venue from 3 pm. Regular uncovered tickets are priced at $60, while two-for-one uncovered tickets are priced at $100. Covered tickets are priced at $120. 

Members of the Trinidad and Tobago women's football team go through their paces on the eve of their Concacaf W Qualifier with El Salvador. 

'Grateful' Asha returns to national setup for Concacaf qualifier

Playmaker Asha James has returned to the Trinidad and Tobago women's football setup for their crucial Concacaf W Qualifier against El Salvador at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on April 17. 

The 26-year-old James has been included in a 23-member squad selected by head coach Damian Briggs and is in line to play her first match for the national team since their opening qualifier away to Barbados on December 1, 2025. Over the past year or so, James has been quite vocal about issues concerning the national team, even calling out the TT Football Association (TTFA) for its perceived lack of preparedness ahead of these qualifiers. 

James stepped away from the team before their qualifier away to Honduras last month, but the Tobago-born player is back and ready to make an impact for the must-win clash with El Salvador. 

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to be back with the national team for our final group match against El Salvador," James said. 

TT women's team midfielder Asha James. Photo courtesy James' Facebook page 

"We understand what's on the line, and there's a strong belief within the squad that we can get the job done and finish top of the group to move on in the World Cup qualifiers," the talented midfielder said. "It won't be easy, but we're ready for the battle." 

James aside, Briggs has drafted in four other players for next week's match, as Summer Arjoon, Nia Hislop, Sonia Lamarre, and California State University defender Sakiah Williams have also been included in the squad. Arjoon is a tidy, ball-playing central midfielder. Hislop is a forward at the University of Massachusetts and the daughter of legendary TT goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, while the 19-year-old Lamarre impressed for TT's under-20 unit at the Jewels of the Caribbean tournament in December. 

While Briggs will be happy to have the services of James once again, France-based left back Kedie Johnson will be a big miss to the squad. The impressive flanker has been ruled out after failing to recover from a concussion she suffered while playing with AS Saint-Etienne. Saudi Arabia-based midfielder Maria-Frances Serrant remains a high-profile absentee. Among the team's regulars are veteran forward Kennya Cordner, Liana Hinds, Aaliyah Prince, Victoria Swift, and teenage star Nikita Gosine, who rescued a 2-2 draw for TT against Honduras with a late penalty. 

TT women's football team coach Damian Briggs (C) speaks to the media at the launch of his team's Concacaf W Qualifier against El Salvador. The launch was held at SIP on the Ave, Ariapita Avenue, on April 2. Photo courtesy TTFA

The task for Briggs' team is a straightforward one, as they must defeat group F leaders El Salvador (six points) in order to advance to the Concacaf W Championship, the final qualifying tourney for the 2027 Fifa Women's World Cup. TT are second in the four-team group on four points. El Salvador blanked Honduras 3-0 in their first match, before hammering Barbados 13-0 last month. Meanwhile, TT opened their campaign with a 5-0 victory over the Bajans, before earning a comeback draw against Honduras to stay alive in the qualifiers. 

As he takes his team into a camp this weekend, Briggs cuts a confident figure. 

"We've selected what we believe is the best possible squad at this time," Briggs told TTFA Media. "There are a few additions who will bring added depth, along with some experienced players returning to the group." 

The match will kick off at 6 pm on April 17, with gates open from 5 pm. Uncovered tickets are priced at $60 (single) and $100 (two-on-one special), with covered tickets priced at $120. 

TT women's team for Concacaf W Qualifier with El Salvador: 

Goalkeepers: Malaika Dedier, Simone Eligon, Akyla Walcott. 

Defenders: Kaitlyn Darwent, Javanah Moreno, Emma Schneider, Myla Schneider, Cicely Spencer Wickham, Victoria Swift, Christa Waterman, Sakiah Williams. 

Midfielders: Summer Arjoon, Ariana Borneo, Elise Franco, Nikita Gosine, Liana Hinds, Asha James, Sonia Lamarre.  

Forwards: Alexcia Ali, Kennya Cordner, Nia Hislop, Aaliyah Prince, Gabrielle Williams. 

TT women's football team squad for the Concacaf W Qualifier against El Salvador on April 17. Photo courtesy TTFA

Rio Cardines signs contract extension with Crystal Palace

Trinidad and Tobago men's team full-back Rio Cardines has signed a contract extension with English Premier League club Crystal Palace. The extension was confirmed earlier today by Palace, with the 19-year-old Cardines now having a deal which runs until June 2028. 

The Stevenage-born Cardines has been a regular in the red, white, and black since featuring for coach Shawn Cooper's national under-17 team in 2023. He then went on to represent TT at the under-20 level before making his senior team debut in the Unity Cup in May 2025 under former coach Dwight Yorke. 

Trinidad and Tobago defender Rio Cardines proudly holds his Crystal Palace jersey aloft. Photo courtesy Crystal Palace

The feisty Palace right back played all three matches at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, and played the first four matches for TT in the final round of qualifying towards the 2026 Fifa World Cup. More recently, Cardines turned out for TT at the Fifa Series in Uzbekistan last month, as interim coach Derek King's team lost to both Venezuela and Gabon. In the latter match against Gabon, Cardines played a hand in the two goals scored by captain Levi Garcia with a pair of delightful set pieces. Both Cardines and Garcia, however, missed from the spot as Gabon won 3-2 via a penalty shootout after a 2-2 stalemate in regulation time. 

Rio Cardines lines up a set piece against Gabon in their Fifa Series encounter on March 30. Photo courtesy TTFA

Having joined Palace at 16 in 2022, Cardines signed his professional contract with the London-based club in 2024. He made 20 appearances for Palace's under-21 team in the 2024/25 season, with his long-awaited first-team debut coming in October 2025 in a UEFA Conference League clash away to Dynamo Kyiv. Cardines is yet to feature in the Premier League for Palace, but did make a substitute appearance against league holders Liverpool in an EFL Cup match back in October. 

Cardines is delighted to extend his contract with Palace as he hunts for more playing time with the first team. 

"I'm proud and excited to extend my contract here. I'm looking forward to the future and hopefully getting more first-team minutes and continuing to kick on," Cardines said. 

Meanwhile, the club's academy director, Gary Issott, said Cardines has gone from strength to strength and he expects him to continue making strides beyond the current campaign. 

Rampersad to captain Trinidad and Tobago vs Bolivia; King urges discipline

Halifax Wanderers central midfielder Andre Rampersad will captain Trinidad and Tobago's men's national football team when they play Bolivia in a friendly at the Ramon Tahuichi Aguilera Stadium in Santa Cruz de la Sierra on March 15. The TT Football Association (TTFA) has advised that the game will now kick off at 4 pm (TT time) and not the previously scheduled 6.30 pm kickoff. 

With as many as eight players receiving their first-time call-ups to the TT team, and interim coach Derek King including three players from the under-20 team, the 31-year-old Rampersad is expected to be a driving force on the field, having become a regular in the setup over the last few years. Ramersad has made 30 appearances for TT since debuting in a Concacaf Nations League match in March 2023. Since then, he has been a mainstay in the midfield alongside Daniel Phillips. 

"Andre has been one of the most consistent players for TT. I think with his experience playing abroad, he brings that leadership quality to the younger players," King said of Rampersad, whom he coached in his days at FC Santa Rosa in the then-TT Super League. 

TT midfielder Andre Rampersad (second from left) during a training session in Bolivia. Rampersad will captain the team for the March 15 friendly versus the Bolivians. Photos courtesy TTFA

While King sees the game as an opportunity for many of the younger players to wet their feet at the international level outside an official Fifa window, the contest comes at a critical time for Bolivia as they continue the fine-tuning ahead of their Fifa intercontinental playoff with Suriname on March 26. Should Bolivia get past Suriname and navigate the subsequent playoff with Iraq, they will take their place at this year's World Cup. 

"It's important to see if these younger players could match up and take instructions, which is the key. It's just to get them going and have them following the instructions from the coaches," King told TTFA Media. 

On TT's last visit to Bolivia in January 2022, the team, which was then coached by Angus Eve, suffered a 5-0 loss. Defender Alvin Jones and Ramersad's Halifax teammate Ryan Telfer are two survivors from that squad. 

Regardless of what the circumstances may be, King wants his players to maintain their focus and seize the moments when they come their way. 

At the helm: TT men's football team interim coach Derek King

"Playing against a Bolivia team at home is always a challenge. It's a very strong and experienced team as well...I think with this young squad, we have the potential. It's to give the youths that experience. As I told them, we have to be disciplined in this game. We have to go out there and really keep the discipline, keep the shape, and be brave." 

He said it's important for his team to avoid mistakes, as they can prove detrimental at the international level. 

"Ball speed and discipline are very important. Once we get our chances as well, we can create chances and score goals as well."  

After the Bolivia match, TT are expected to have a strengthened team for the Fifa Series, which falls in the Fifa international window. The matches in the Fifa Series will be played against Venezuela and Gabon on March 27 and 30, respectively.