Saint Lucia’s Piton Girlz are expected to play two home games and two away fixtures in the Concacaf Women’s Qualifiers, beginning in November. The draw for the 29-team competition took place at the weekend in Miami, Florida.
Drawn in Pool A, Saint Lucia will square off against Mexico, a regional powerhouse with a strong history in women’s football, as well as rising challengers Puerto Rico, St Vincent & the Grenadines, and the United States Virgin Islands Dashing Eagles.
The senior women’s team has not been activated since 2023, when they competed in Concacaf Gold Cup qualification, beating Guadeloupe twice, but losing to Cuba twice. Arnicka Louis scored six goals in that campaign, and Krysan St Louis added three. Freegeane Joseph, Ellaisa Marquis and Racquel John also got on the scoresheet.
The availability of US-based collegiate players under coach Francis “Panko” McDonald is a key factor for the Piton Girlz. The team has a significant presence in American colleges, including:
Brittney Moncherry, Harmanie Jones, Clowie William, and Sabrina Avril (Bryant & Stratton College)
Shania Charles (Allen Community College)
Giana Hilton, a seasoned senior international (Union Commonwealth, Kentucky)
Shaniya Scott (Highland CC)
Makhaya Smith (Central Christian College)
This group includes 20-year-old Louis, who is returning for her second season at Indian Hills Community College, and St Louis, a recent graduate of Texas A&M International.
At home, the inter-district women’s competition is nearing its conclusion, and several players, including Marquis, Joseph, John and Shamalhyn Albert, have gained valuable experience in the Martinique league. The pipeline of talent is further evidenced by the rise of young stars like Kayla Polius and Amaya Emmanuel, who have shone in regional age-group tournaments.
Six nations will advance to next year’s eight-team Concacaf Women’s Championship from the qualifiers. There they will face the region’s two top-ranked teams, the United States and Canada. These competitions are part of an expanded and revamped women’s national team calendar for the 2025–2029 international cycle.
The qualifiers and championship will serve as the qualification path to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 and the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games, the inaugural Concacaf Women’s Nations League, and a second edition of the Women’s Gold Cup.
The eight teams participating in the five-round direct elimination knockout-style competition will include the six group winners of the 2025-2026 Concacaf W Qualifiers.
(TF)
