The Lusail Stadium will, in a few weeks, host the FIFA 2022 World Cup final.

The events of the tournament have already proven to be upsetting and full of surprises, with no one knowing how or where the ball will roll.

Saudi Arabia made history and brought one of football’s greatest upsets to the game, causing me to reminisce on the unity brought to the island after the Jamaica Reggae Boyz’s historic achievement of being the first English-speaking team to qualify for the 1998 World Cup in France.

Each day marks another momentous occasion leading to the December 22 showdown that will culminate the most prestigious international competition in the world, the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Renowned for spectacles that bring together a huge number of supporters and cause anxiety, joy, and sorrow, qualifying for such an occasion is a significant step for any nation.

In 1965 the Reggae Boyz made their first attempt to qualify for the prestigious event with a Brazilian coach, Jorge Penna. Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Mexico were among the top three countries; however, only two countries could represent the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf), and Jamaica failed to qualify.

Notably, in 1997, then Prime Minister PJ Patterson was as jubilant as the rest of the country when the Reggae Boyz secured their spot in the 1998 FIFA World Cup hosted by France. Patterson declared that, “Undoubtedly, this is the greatest day in Jamaica’s sporting history .” The Reggae Boyz were the first in the English-speaking Caribbean and the third from the region to advance with Mexico and the US from the Concacaf zone.

In the November 2020 FIFA World Cup qualifier, the Reggae Boyz moved up to 47th place and third in the Concacaf. This placed them on track to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup under the guidence of Coach Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore, while Saudi Arabia was ranked 66th and sixth in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The Reggae Boyz, however, encountered many obstacles, including restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, positive COVID-19 results, late arrivals, financial instabilities, and failed to qualify.

All countries vying for a spot to the FIFA World Cup must qualify and receive approval from the regional confederations, such as Concacaf, the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol), the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Murlenia Whyte-Stephenson

murlenia@stu.ncu.edu.jm