BACOLET, Tobago - The use of artificial turf could become the norm in football depending on the outcome of a FIFA-sanctioned study during three youth tournaments in Trinidad and Tobago this year.

The purpose of the study is to determine the frequent level of injuries sustained by youth footballers on artificial turfs as against natural grass surfaces.

Among footballers, it is widely believed that higher incidents of injuries occurred playing on artificial surfaces, but this latest study, which has already started, could prove otherwise.

Synthetic turf, which became popular throughout the 1980s, was later banned by football's world governing body, FIFA and the European Football Association (UEFA), as players began sustaining more injuries playing on such a surface, while fans found the false turf aesthetically unappealing.

- Netherlands Antilles, Grenada and Dominica kick off tournament on 27 July

Wednesday, 16 July – Willemstad, Curacao: Digicel, proud sponsors of Caribbean Football, today officially launched the Digicel Caribbean Championships 2008 at a press conference in Curacao.

Fixtures for the upcoming tournament, which promises to be even bigger and better than last DCC, were unveiled - as well as an announcement by the CFU of a change to the name of the tournament. Previously known as the Digicel Caribbean Cup, the newly named Digicel Caribbean Championships reflects more appropriately the magnitude and size of the tournament in line with other World football tournaments.