Bermuda will take on Puerto Rico in an international friendly at the National Stadium, National Sports Centre, next month.

Andrew Bascome’s side will use the match on Saturday, June 6 to prepare for their World Cup qualifying second-round tie against Guatemala. Bermuda play Guatemala in Guatemala City on Friday, June 12 before the return leg at the National Stadium on Tuesday, June 16.

Puerto Rico, who received a first-round bye, will face Grenada in next month’s second-round qualifiers.

Eric Labrador, the president of the Puerto Rico Football Federation, told the Royal Gazette that they would be bringing a strong side to Bermuda.

“The friendly game is one week before our first game of World Cup qualification with Grenada, so Bermuda is a very important game for us,” Labrador said.

“We are going to fly the whole team to Bermuda.”

Puerto Rico, who are 167th in the Fifa World Rankings, 39 places behind Bermuda, are scheduled to arrive on June 4.

Bermuda advanced to the second round of qualifiers after an emphatic 8-0 aggregate victory against Bahamas.

But Bermuda can expect a far tougher assignment against Guatemala, ranked 90th, who also had a first-round bye.

“Guatemala stand in front of us and it’s going to be a tough fixture,” Nahki Wells, the Bermuda captain, said in an interview with the Royal Gazette after the 3-0 win over Bahamas at home in March.

“We said all along it was always going to be tough to get to the group stages, but that’s our target and that’s our goal and Guatemala stand in front of us. We are going to have to make them another victim and strive to get through that round and play Canada next.”

Bermuda faced Puerto Rico in two friendly matches in 2008 at the National Stadium under then-coach Keith Tucker. Bermuda, who were preparing for a World Cup qualifying campaign, lost the first game 2-0 and the second 1-0.

n The Bermuda Football Association has announced that it is hosting a Fifa Grass-roots Festival for girls.

It will take place on Saturday at the BFA Field from 10am to 2pm.