STATESBORO, Ga. — South Georgia Tormenta FC defender Deshawon Nembhard has received a call-up to the Belize Men’s National Football Team for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League (CNL) window. Nembhard, 28, reported to the Football Federation of Belize (FFB) headquarters on Monday, Sept. 4.
The defender will join Belize for the September matches of the 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League Group Stage. Belize will kick off play against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at 4 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 8, from the Stade Pierre-Aliker in Fort-de-France, Martinique, and the team will play its second match against French Guiana at 3:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Sept. 12, from the Stade Municipal Dr. Edmard Lama in Cayenne, French Guiana. Both matches will be streamed live on Paramount+.
“Playing for my homeland isn’t just about representing a nation; it’s an ode to the roots I’ve embraced and the countless hearts that beat in harmony with mine, even from miles away.”
Deshawon Nembhard, Tormenta FC Defender
Nembhard made his Belize National Team debut against Haiti during the Concacaf World Cup qualification circuit in 2021. In total, Nembhard has made six total appearances for Belize, most recently appearing for the national team in June of 2022.
The defender has been an important part of Tormenta FC’s success since joining the USL League One side in 2022, helping the club claim the championship in his first season. Overall, Nembhard has made 54 regular-season appearances for Tormenta FC, scoring two goals.
The first two editions of the CNL each saw 106 official matches played across the entire region, providing competitive opportunities for every Concacaf men’s national team. The 2022/23 edition concluded with a thrilling CNL Finals between Canada, Mexico, Panama, and the United States. The United States emerged as the champion after defeating Canada in the final match.
Beginning with the 2023/24 CNL, the competition’s format has been revamped to include more direct elimination matches that qualify teams for continental summer competitions. This includes the qualification route for Concacaf’s six competing teams in the CONMEBOL Copa America USA 2024. The CNL will continue to be played in a three-League format (A, B, and C), with the region’s 41 men’s senior national teams distributed into the Leagues according to the 2022/23 CNL results. Belize is in League B, being placed in group C along with French Guiana, Bermuda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. For more information on the CNL, visit Concacaf.com.
