GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands CMC:

CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb says his confederation is fully committed to the development of women's football throughout the region.

He was speaking against the backdrop of the inaugural CONCACAF Girls Under-15 Championship, which kicked off here last week.

"This is an exciting time for us here at CONCACAF," said Webb, also a vice-president of football's world governing body, FIFA.

"This Under-15 competition fulfils our pledge to fully focus on developing football in the region, not only for boys, but for our female athletes as well."

The tournament boasts 16 teams from throughout North, Central America, and the Caribbean doing battle in four groups, with the likes of Canada, Haiti, Jamaica, and Barbados all pitting their talents against each other.

This follows on the heels of the CONCACAF Women's Under-20 Championship, which was also held in the Cayman Islands in January, with the United States emerging champions.

The US has been at the forefront of CONCACAF's global success in women's football, and Webb said tournaments such as the Under-15 Championship were crucial for the development of the game.

"For our confederation to remain world champions in women's football, we have to continue to develop, continue to challenge our athletes, and continue to give them the opportunity to develop as a group," Webb pointed out.