Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz are scheduled to kick off the Cup of Nations tournament in Australia on February 16 against one of the top women’s teams in world football, Spain. They are then set to play two other powerful teams, the Czech Republic and hosts Australia, respectively.

Football Australia announced Wednesday that with the support of the New South Wales (NSW) Government, through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, they will host the four-team Cup of Nations comprising of three double-header match days in Gosford, Sydney, and Newcastle.

The six-match tournament will kick off at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford on Thursday, February 16, with FIFA number seven-ranked Spain playing Jamaica (44th), followed by Australia’s Matildas (12th) against Czech Republic (27th).

On Sunday, February 19 the tournament will shift to Sydney as Jamaica and Czech Republic go head-to-head at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta, followed by a blockbuster clash between the Matildas and Spain on match day two.

Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium will play host to match day three on Wednesday, February 22, when Czech Republic take on Spain and Australia meet Jamaica in the competition’s last game.

The highest-placed nation at the end of the three match days will be crowned the Cup of Nations champion.

Jamaica Football Federation President Michael Ricketts said the tournament is excellent preparation for the team ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup to be staged “Down Under” in mid-year.

“Engaging in tough games like these in World Cup venues in front of large audiences will help to prepare our team for their World Cup challenges in July. The atmosphere will be similar to what can be expected come summer, so the coaching staff will be able to assess the conditioning and mentality of the players at his disposal. We are extremely happy that Jamaica has been invited to this prestigious tournament and we anticipate some outstanding performances,” said Ricketts.

Australia Head Coach Tony Gustavsson said playing three matches against high-quality international opponents ahead of the World Cup is part of the runway towards the major tournament.

“Spain, Czech Republic, and Jamaica have been carefully selected for the Cup of Nations to ensure we have the right preparation heading into the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” Gustavsson said.

“Not only are all three nations filled with quality, but they also provide a difference in playing style and approach, with the three match days aiming to mirror tournament group play to the best of our ability.”

Jamaica are set to play in Group F at the World Cup alongside France, Brazil, and Group C play-off winner to be determined next month, while Czech Republic have not qualified for the tournament.

Joint hosts Australia are slated to compete in Group B alongside Republic of Ireland, Nigeria, and Canada. Spain are to contest Group C against Costa Rica, Zambia, and Japan.