TheJamaica national football team, nicknamed the"Reggae Boyz", representsJamaica in men's internationalfootball. The team's first match was againstHaiti in 1925. The squad is under the supervising body of theJamaica Football Federation, which is a member ofFIFA since 1962, a member ofCONCACAF since 1963 and also a member ofCFU. Jamaica's home matches have been played atIndependence Park since its opening in 1962.
Their sole appearance in theFIFA World Cup was in1998, where the team finished third in its group and failed to advance. The team also competed in theCaribbean Cup winning six times. Jamaica also competes in theCONCACAF Gold Cup, appearing thirteen times and finishing twice as runners-up toMexico in2015 and theUnited States in2017. They were also invited to theCopa América in 2015 and 2016, being eliminated in the group stage on both occasions. Jamaica also qualified for the2024 Copa América.
In 1893, Jamaica's first football club, theKingston Cricket Club, was formed.[4] In 1910, theJamaica Football Federation (JFF) was formed and controlled all of the games. The first game was played on 22 March 1925, as the opener in a three-game series againstHaiti. Jamaica won the first game, 2 to 1, followed by victories of 3–0 and 1–0 in the other two.[5][4] In 1926, Jamaica hosted Haiti atSabina Park and won 6–0.[4][6] At the1930 Central American Games in Cuba, Jamaica made its first international tournament appearance and lost both games in its group.[7]
In 1952, the Caribbean All-Star team was formed with players from Trinidad, Cuba, Haiti, and Suriname. The team played four matches against Jamaica in Sabina Park. Jamaica won the second game 2–1 and the fourth 1–0, and the All-Stars won the first game 5–1 and the third 1–0.[8]
In 1965, Jamaica attempted to qualify for the1966 FIFA World Cup in England. After finishing first in its preliminary group that included Cuba and the Netherlands Antilles; Jamaica faced Costa Rica and Mexico in the final round, where the winner would qualify for the World Cup. Opening the final round campaign with a 3–2 loss at home against Mexico,[13] Jamaica lost the return match 8–0, withIsidoro Díaz getting ahat-trick for Mexico. Jamaica then lost 7–0 to Costa Rica and ended with a draw at home in the return match, ultimately finishing with a single point.[10] In January 1967, Jamaica attempted to qualify for theCONCACAF Championship but was eliminated after finishing third in the group of five.[14]
In 1968, George Hamilton became the new coach as Jamaica attempted to qualify for the1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.[10] Most of the squad for the campaign was young with only a few remaining players from its previous attempt at qualifying being in the team. This was due to most of its players being either retired or migrated abroad.[10] Jamaica finished last with zero points from four games.[15][10] After finishing last in the1969 CONCACAF Championship[16] and not qualifying for thefollowing championship,[17] Jamaica had to withdraw from qualifying for the1973 CONCACAF Championship after 17 players were suspended for poor behavior during a tour to Bermuda.[18] In 1977, Jamaica competed in qualifying for the1977 CONCACAF Championship, which was also the qualifier for the1978 FIFA World Cup. Taking on Cuba in the first round, Jamaica lost both of its games 5–1 on aggregate.[10]
Jamaica did not attempt to qualify for the1982 and1986 due to insufficient funds and a poorly prepared team.[10] The team returned to international competition afterqualifying for the1989 CONCACAF Championship, which was part of the qualifiers for the1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. After defeatingPuerto Rico 3–1 on aggregate in the preliminary round, Jamaica played theUnited States for a spot in the finals. After a 0–0 draw at home, Jamaica lost 5–1 in the US and was eliminated.[10]
Caribbean triumph and World Cup appearance (1990–2000)
In 1990,Carl Brown was signed as head coach and led Jamaica into qualifying for the1990 Caribbean Cup, finishing tied for third place after the final round was abandoned due to Tropical Storm Arthur.[19] In 1991, Jamaica defeated Trinidad and Tobago 2–0 to win theCaribbean Cup and qualify for theCONCACAF Gold Cup.[20] In the Gold Cup, Jamaica finished last with zero points in a group consisting ofHonduras, Mexico, andCanada.[21]
After the Jamaicans lost to Trinidad and Tobago in the final of the1992 Caribbean Cup,[22] they started their campaign in preliminary rounds ofqualifying for the1994 World Cup. After defeating Puerto Rico 3–1 on aggregate in the second preliminary round, Jamaica eliminated Trinidad and Tobago and was grouped withBermuda,Canada, andEl Salvador, two of which would advance to the final round. Jamaica opened the second round with two 1–1 draws against Canada and Bermuda, but the team lost its return match in Canada after a single goal fromDale Mitchell. After a 3–2 home win over Bermuda and two losses to El Salvador, Jamaica finished in third place and was eliminated.[23]
In 1993, Jamaica finished in second place after losing on penalties toMartinique in the final of theCaribbean Cup, which was a qualifier for theCONCACAF Gold Cup which was held later that year.[24] During this tournament, the team opened with a 1–0 loss to the US before recording their first Gold Cup win against Honduras. After qualifying in second place with a 1–1 draw against Panama, Jamaica lost 6–1 to Mexico in the semi-final in Mexico City.[25] After not qualifying for the final round of the1994 Caribbean Cup despite recording its largest-ever win margin in a 12–0 win against theBritish Virgin Islands, the team decided to hire BrazilianRené Simões to assist Brown with the goal of qualifying for the1998 World Cup.[4] After being eliminated in the group stage of both the1995 Caribbean Cup by virtue of head-to-head and the1996 Caribbean Cup,[26][27] Jamaica opened its 1998 World Cup qualifiers with an 2–0 aggregate win overSuriname and defeatedBarbados 3–0 in the following round.[28] In 1997, Simões, by then promoted to head coach, scouted for players in England that had Jamaican heritage to join the national team.Paul Hall,Fitzroy Simpson,Deon Burton andRobbie Earle were all named in the squad due their heritage.[29] The term 'UB40' became used in Jamaica and more widely to describe their British-born players such as Hall and Gayle, the term is a nod to the English bandUB40, who performreggae, a genre of music that originated in Jamaica.[30][31] After finishing winless in the first four games of the final qualifying round, Jamaica recorded three 1–0 wins over El Salvador, Canada, and Costa Rica, with Burton scoring the winning goal in each of the latter two matches. After a 0–0 draw against Mexico, Jamaica secured its qualification and made its first-ever World Cup appearance, and the following day was declared a national holiday.[32]
In 1998, Jamaica competed at the1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup, finishing first in a group comprising World Cup championBrazil, Guatemala, and El Salvador. With the help of goalkeeperWarren Barrett, Jamaica opened with a 0–0 tie against Brazil.[33] After wins over Guatemala and El Salvador, Jamaica advanced to the semi-final against Mexico. The match went into overtime before Mexican playerLuis Hernandez scored the winning goal. In the third-place playoff, Jamaica lost 1–0 to Brazil, ending in fourth place.[34] At the1998 FIFA World Cup, Jamaica finished third in Group H with three points from a 2–1 win againstJapan in Lyon.Theodore Whitmore scored both goals in the victory.[35]
The following month, Jamaica competed in the finals of the1998 Caribbean Cup, which was a qualifier for the2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup. After finishing first in its group, Jamaica won the final 2–1 against Trinidad and Tobago, with goals from Oneil McDonald andDean Sewell.[36] In 1999, Jamaica experienced its biggest defeat in a 9–0 loss against Costa Rica.[37] After finishing second in its group, Jamaica was eliminated by Cuba in the semi-finals of the1999 Caribbean Cup.[38] At the Gold Cup, Jamaica finished last in its group, losing againstColombia and Honduras 2–0 and 1–0, respectively.[39]
In the2002 FIFA World Cup qualification semi-finals, Jamaica faced Honduras, El Salvador, andSaint Vincent and the Grenadines in the second group. Jamaica finished second, securing a spot in the final round despite losing two games to Honduras and El Salvador. In the final round of qualifying, Jamaica finished in fifth place after being eliminating by Honduras.[40] Between the two rounds of World Cup qualifying, Jamaica was eliminated in the group stage of the2001 Caribbean Cup by goal-difference and missed out on qualifying for theGold Cup the following year.[41] Jamaica qualified for the2003 Gold Cup, reaching the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Mexico 5–0 at theEstadio Azteca.[42]
Jamaica started its2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign in thesecond round with a 4–1 aggregate win over Haiti to reach thethird round. Jamaica finished third in group play, with a 1–1 draw against the US and one point away from reaching the next round. CoachSebastião Lazaroni was sacked due to the team's performance.[43] In the2005 Caribbean Cup, Jamaica tied its largest-ever win margin record with a 12–0 win overSaint Martin, withLuton Shelton and Roland Dean both getting hat-tricks.[44] After reaching the final with wins against Saint Lucia andFrench Guiana, Jamaica claimed its third title and a spot at the Gold Cup.[45] At theGold Cup, Jamaica reached the quarter-finals before losing to the US 3–1 inFoxborough, with American playerDaMarcus Beasley scoring two goals.[46]
In 2006 and 2007, Jamaica continued to struggle, with one Jamaican journalist dubbing the team "The Reggae Toyz".[47] The team failed to qualify for the2007 Caribbean Cup after being eliminated due to goals scored, with St. Vincent and the Grenadines scoring three more goals than Jamaica.[48] Two managers later, the team only earned a single point from three matches in the third round ofqualification for the2010 FIFA World Cup. With coachTheodore Whitmore, Jamaica secured three wins from its remaining matches, jumping from 116th[A] to 83rd place in the world rankings.[49] Despite the team's final win overCanada, Jamaica was eliminated by goal difference after Mexico finished three goals ahead.[50] Jamaica won the2008 Caribbean Cup, withLuton Shelton scoring both goals in the victory againstGrenada to qualify for theGold Cup.[51] At the Gold Cup, Jamaica finished third in its group; with a single win over El Salvador, the side finished last among the third-place teams and was eliminated.[52]
Jamaica entered the final round of the2010 Caribbean Cup after a 0–0 draw withCosta Rica.[53] After finishing first in its group, Jamaica won against Grenada in the semi-finals, then defeating first-time finalistsGuadeloupe in a penalty shoot-out. Jamaica earned its fifth title, and coachTheodore Whitmore became the first to win theCaribbean Cup as both player and coach.[54][55] In the2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Jamaica finished first in its group, beating Grenada 4–0, Guatemala 2–0, and Honduras 1–0 before being eliminated by the US, with goals from American playersJermaine Jones andClint Dempsey.[56][57]
Inqualifying for the2014 FIFA World Cup, Jamaica started in the third round and earned seven points in the first three games, which included a historic 2–1 win over the United States at home which was their first win over the Americans.[58] Jamaica later qualified with a 4–1 win over Antigua and Barbuda, finishing two goals ahead of Guatemala in its group.[59] After the team finished last in its group for the2012 Caribbean Cup[60] and failed to record a win in six matches in thefourth round of qualifying, team manager Theodore Whitmore resigned and was replaced by German coachWinfried Schäfer.[61][62] After a 2–0 loss to the US, Jamaica finished in last place and was eliminated.[63]
After qualifying for the2015 Gold Cup due to winning the2014 Caribbean Cup,[64] Jamaica was invited to compete in the2015 edition of theCopa América in Chile.[65] At the Copa America, Jamaica was drawn inGroup B withUruguay,Paraguay, andArgentina. Jamaica finished last after losing all three of its matches 1–0, withJobi McAnuff saying, "I don't think many people would have given us that chance."[66] A few weeks later in the2015 Gold Cup, Jamaica finished first in its group and defeated Haiti in the quarter-finals with a goal fromGiles Barnes to qualify for the semi-finals for the first time since 1998.[67] In the semi-final, Jamaica defeated the US 2–1 with goals fromDarren Mattocks and Giles Barnes, reaching its first-ever Gold Cup final. In the final, Jamaica lost toMexico 3–1.[68][69]
Inqualifying for the2018 FIFA World Cup, Jamaica started in thethird round and defeated Nicaragua 4–3 on aggregate to reach the fourth round.[70] In thefourth round, Jamaica started off strong with a 1–0 win over Haiti and a 1–1 draw with Costa Rica, earning four points after three games.[71] However, three straight losses, including a 2–0 loss against Panama, eliminated Jamaica from World Cup qualifying.[72] Between the fourth-round matches, Jamaica competed in theCopa América Centenario after qualifying through the2014 Caribbean Cup. Jamaica finished with no points from their three games, scoring no goals and conceding six.[64][73]
After Whitmore returned to the team,[74] Jamaica qualified for the2017 Caribbean Cup, reaching the final before losing to first-time finalistsCuraçao 2–1, withElson Hooi scoring both of Curaçao's goals.[75] In the2017 Gold Cup, Jamaica upset Mexico 1–0 in the semi-finals, withKemar Lawrence scoring the goal.[76] In the final against the US, Jamaica conceded the opening goal at the end of the first half beforeJe-Vaughn Watson tied the score in the 50th minute. However, after a goal in the 88th minute fromJordan Morris, the US won the title, and Jamaica finished as runner-up.[77]
Steve McClaren became the manager of the national football team of Jamaica in 2024
In 2020, Jamaica played a single international friendly versusBermuda before all international football was placed on hold byFIFA due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[78]
On 21 November 2023, Jamaica qualified for the2024 Copa América by reaching the2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League A semifinals on a 3–2 comeback against Canada. Jamaica had previously lost 2–1 on the first leg, however, the victory resulted in a 4–4 goal aggregate tie that went in their favour after winning 3–2 onaway goals.[82][83][84][85][86]
Between 1926 and 1962. Jamaica played its matches atSabina Park, which is also home to theWest Indies cricket team.[87] In 1962, the football team moved to Independence Park, which was built for the1962 Central American and Caribbean Games held after the country gained independence; the first home match was a 6–1 victory over Puerto Rico.[11][88] The stadium is nicknamedThe Office while the team plays.[89]
The national team have used four clothing manufacturers to supply the official kit for Jamaica. The team's first supplier was Italian manufacturer Lanzera in 1995 before it merged withKappa a year later. This deal was terminated after the 1998 World Cup.[93] In 2000, the JFF signed a deal with German sporting brandUhlsport, which lasted until 2006.[94][95] After another three-year contract with Kappa between 2012 and 2014,[96] the JFF signed a four-year deal with Emirati sportswear companyRomai Sports forUS$4.8 million.[97]
In 2021, Umbro was the kit provider for Jamaica.[98] In 2022,Adidas signed a deal to become the new kit provider for Jamaica starting in 2023.[99]
INJ Withdrew from the squad due to injury / absent from the national team due to injury. WD Withdrew from the squad for personal reasons. PRE Preliminary squad / standby. RET Retired from the national team.
Jamaica's only appearance at the FIFA World Cup was in 1998. The team opened with a 3–1 loss againstCroatia in Lens. After falling behind in the 27th minute,Robbie Earle scored the equalizer to close the first half. In the second half, Croatia scored two goals, causing Jamaica to lose the match.[102] The second match againstArgentina sawGabriel Batistuta getting a second half hat-trick, aiding in Jamaica's second defeat and elimination from the World Cup.[103] In the final match of the tournament, Theodore Whitmore scored a double, securing Jamaica's first World Cup win with a 2–1 win over Japan, whilst also allowing Jamaica to become the second team from the Caribbean after Cuba to have won a World Cup game.[35]
As of 18 November 2025, the national team has played in556 matches, with 247 wins, 140 draws, and 236 losses since their first international match in 1925. In total, the team has scored 794 goals and conceded 790 goals.[104] Jamaica's highest winning margin is twelve goals, which has been achieved on two occasions: against theBritish Virgin Islands in 1994 (12–0) and againstSaint Martin in 2004 (12–0).[6] Their longest winning streak is seven wins and their unbeaten record is 22 consecutive official matches.[6]
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