Jamaica has been selected to host a Group C double-header during the Concacaf Gold Cup inside the National Stadium on Monday, June 17.

This will be the first time the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) Gold Cup will be played outside of North America (Canada, USA and Mexico), as Costa Rica will also be hosting a double-header in Central America as well.

Group C will comprise of Jamaica and the seeded Honduras, as well as two other teams to be known after the draw on April 10 in Los Angeles. The 15th staging of the region’s flagship competition has been expanded to 16 teams for the first time, moving up from 12 teams.

Concacaf President Victor Montagliani, who made the announcement at a press conference at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston yesterday, said: “Today is a special day for Jamaica.

“We are very excited to announce that the Concacaf Gold Cup will be held for the first time in its 15th edition in Jamaica.

“Everybody knows that Jamaica has a football soul. Everybody knows it is the power of Caribbean football and is also a power of Concacaf football and every time I come here I can actually feel the love for football,” said Montagliani.

He continued: “In Concacaf we have seen and experienced and the fans have enjoyed very much the football played by the Jamaican national team in all international competitions. The Reggae Boyz for the last two editions of the Gold Cup went to the final and very unlucky as well.”

Montagliani, who became president of Concacaf in 2016, pointed out that this was truly a watershed moment for football in Concacaf, the Caribbean and Jamaica.

“The National Stadium will be the stage of the biggest football competition in our region as this summer’s Gold Cup is set to be the largest Gold Cup in our history with 16 countries vying for the glory of our region,” he noted.

A beaming Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts said it was indeed a most historic moment for Jamaica.

“I can tell you, this JFF is intent on changing the entire landscape of football in this country, and I am not blowing my trumpet; I am blowing the trumpet of the entire JFF, including all the board of directors, all the staff members and to anybody who gives support to this federation,” said Ricketts.

“In February 2018 for the first time, not just in Jamaica but in the Caribbean, we were able to host a FIFA summit. In October of last year, for the first time, not just in Jamaica but in the Caribbean, we were able to have produced a senior women’s team that would have qualified for a global tournament, no ordinary achievement.

“Two weeks ago we opened a brand-new facility at the Captain Horace Burrell UWI Technical Centre where we laid a full-sized synthetic pitch for the first time. Today, April 2, perhaps the greatest of all those, an announcement has been made by president Victor Montagliani that Jamaica, first time at last, will be hosting a Gold Cup game,” said Ricketts, to loud applause.

Jamaica contested the last two finals of the Gold Cup where they lost to Mexico 1-3 in 2015 and 1-2 to the United States of America in 2017.

Senator Pearnel Charles Jnr, who represented Minister of Sports Olivia Grange, noted that 2019 is turning out to be a golden year for Jamaica.

“We have to lift our hats off to our wonderful girls and their coaches and the staff of the JFF that have energised them and all those who have supported them,” said Charles Jr, the son of Charles Sr, the current Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“And now to hear the news that our president of Concacaf has given to us that Jamaica for the first time will be hosting the Gold Cup. I can see hundreds of our gleeful football fans and supporters revelling in the top-class football that will be played here in Jamaica.

“I must congratulate President Ricketts and all of those who add value with us receiving this accolade, and we are going to make the most out of it,” said Charles Jr.

“On behalf of the minister, on behalf of our prime minister, I want to make it very clear that the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport is fully behind Concacaf and is ready to assist in any way it can in the staging of the 2019 Gold Cup championship,” said Charles Jnr.

The Gold Cup trophy was on display and Charles Jr believes Jamaica will win and keep it with all the good things that are happening to the country.

It is understood that the JFF will bear no costs hosting the double-header, as Concacaf will fully foot the bill.