Jamaica’s Under-17 Reggae Boyz are due to play four warm-up matches as part of their preparation for the CONCACAF Championship in Panama April 21-May 7, next year.

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) General Secretary Raymond Grant confirmed the games, but declined to reveal the opponents and the dates for the matches.

The matches are to be against two nations, who are likely to come from within the CONCACAF.

“The JFF is in advanced discussions regarding four high-level international friendly games for the Under-17 team to be played in Jamaica before the end of the year, and those discussions are progressing very smoothly, and we expect to finalise on all the details in a matter of weeks,” he said yesterday.

The games, Grant revealed, are expected to be played in Kingston and Montego Bay.

“These are very high-level games that will help in the preparation for the CONCACAF stage next year. At this stage, we are looking to play two in Montego Bay and the others in Kingston,” said the JFF official.

In their two rounds of Caribbean qualification play-offs, the Jamaicans prepared for both without international competition, forced to practise against local school and club outfits.

Grant also stated that the JFF intends to throw its full support behind the Under-17s as they seek their third World Cup qualification.

“I can tell you that we as a federation are committed to the Under-17s’ bid for World Cup qualification, as we are of all our national teams in competition, and even with the limited resources available to us, we will do all in our power to give them the best shot for success,” he said.

The Young Boyz secured their place for the CONCACAF Championship recently when they finished third in the Caribbean Football Union finals in Trinidad and Tobago.

Also through from the Caribbean eliminations are regional champions Haiti, Cuba, Curacao, and Suriname, who will join seven others from North and Central American zones in the three-group CONCACAF play-offs.

At the end of that tournament, the top four will advance to the next edition of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup to be held in India next August.

Jamaica has successfully qualified teams to two FIFA Under-17 World Cups — New Zealand in 1999 and Mexico in 2011.

— Sean Williams