Preview: Antigua and Barbuda vs Aruba - prediction, team news, lineups

Aruba will begin their bid to return to League B when they travel to face fellow relegated side Antigua and Barbuda at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in the opening round of the 2026-27 Concacaf Nations League on Wednesday evening.

Both nations dropped out of the second tier after difficult 2024-25 campaigns, but the new League C format gives them an immediate opportunity to respond, with three group winners and the best second-place finisher advancing to the League C Championship and promotion to League B at stake.

Match preview

Aruba's last Nations League campaign in League C could hardly have gone better, as they won all four of their matches in 2023-24 to secure promotion after finishing second in their group in the previous edition.

However, their return to League B exposed a different level of difficulty, with Marvic Bermudez's side losing all six matches against Haiti, Puerto Rico and Sint Maarten in 2024-25 to finish bottom and suffer an immediate return to the third tier.

That downturn came as part of a poor run of results between March 2024 and June 2025, when Bermudez's men suffered 10 losses in 13 games (W1, D2) and exited the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in the second round, although they appear to have steadied since then.

Currently 189th in the FIFA World Rankings, Aruba have won three of their last five games across all competitions, netting at least three goals in victories over Barbados in last year's Concacaf Series as well as back-to-back 4-1 successes over Macau and Liechtenstein in March.

However, a 4-0 defeat to Curacao in June's friendly is a reminder of their past struggles, with Bermudez's men failing to win any of the three matches in their last six outings in which they failed to score, meaning an excellent attack could be crucial in securing a victory on Wednesday.

Antigua's decline has been particularly pronounced in the Nations League, as they spent four successive editions in League B before suffering their first-ever relegation to League C after managing just one point from their six games, with their only point coming from a goalless draw against Dominica.

Sitting 162nd in the global rankings, the Benna Boys are still searching for their first win in 15 matches across all competitions (D4, L11), a run that saw them drop to the Nations League's third tier as well as exit in the second round of the World Cup qualifiers, with a change at the helm doing little to halt that slide.

Appointed in April 2025, Jacques Passy has overseen four games for the team, including defeats in their final two 2026 World Cup qualifying outings against Cuba and Honduras in the June 2025 international window.

Meanwhile, a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Guyana in November last year was the third defeat of Passy's reign, with the setback coming six days after a goalless draw against Aruba in the same international window.

That stalemate ended Antigua's five-match winning run in this fixture, and the Benna Boys must sort out their issues in attack if they are to reestablish their dominance over Wednesday's opponents, having failed to score in seven of their last nine outings across all competitions.

Antigua and Barbuda form (all competitions):

Aruba form (all competitions):

Team News

Aruba have named their squad for the 2026-27 Concacaf Nations League, with goalkeeper Joey Zwaan and defenders Justin Peterson and Tyrese Gijsbertha among the newer options available to Marvic Bermudez.

Matthew Lentink is likely to keep his place between the posts after starting both of Aruba's most recent matches, including the 4-1 victory over Liechtenstein in March.

Bradley Martis and Kymani Nedd both started that Liechtenstein success, while Roviën Ostiana also featured in the back three before Diederick Luydens replaced him in the XI for the more recent 4-0 defeat to Curacao.

Walter Bennett, Quinlan Poulina and Gianni Vandepitte all started Aruba's last two matches, while Gladwin Curiel also featured in both games and should provide another option in a midfield four.

Jaybrien Romano, Gello Robertha and Carlito Fermina also started both recent fixtures and could continue in the attacking positions, although Bermudez has several alternatives available from the current squad.

Passy has named a 26-man squad for the Nations League campaign, giving the Antigua and Barbuda boss plenty of options for Wednesday's opener. The squad includes three goalkeepers, seven defenders, 10 midfielders and six forwards according to the ABFA squad announcement.

Shahoi Dorsett is likely to retain his place in goal after featuring in the previous international window, while Amir Daley, Quinton Griffith and Kylano Isaac are among the defensive options available to Passy.

TJ Bramble and Tyrik Hughes could provide options in midfield alongside Daryl Massicott, with D'Andre Bishop and Dion Pereira also capable of operating in more advanced roles.

Antigua and Barbuda possible starting lineup:

Dorsett; Daley, Griffith, Isaac, O'Garro; Bramble, Hughes, Massicott; Bishop, Pereira, Nathaniel-George

Aruba possible starting lineup:

Lentink; Martis, Nedd, Ostiana; Curiel, Bennett, Poulina, Vandepitte; Romano, Robertha, Fermina

We say: Antigua and Barbuda 1-1 Aruba

Aruba's stronger recent results make them capable of troubling Antigua, but the Benna Boys have home familiarity and a squad that has been refreshed with a sizeable injection of younger players, while the previous goalless meeting suggests another tight contest could develop at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

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