The Unity Cup this week could mark the beginning of a new era for Jamaica, with the youngest Reggae Boyz squad ever assembled set to start preparations for the next FIFA World Cup cycle.

The national senior men’s team, who missed out on this summer’s World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada, take on India on Wednesday in the second semi-final of Unity Cup at The Valley in London. They will face either African nations Nigeria or Zimbabwe in Saturday’s final or third-place play-off.

It’s the second year in a row that Jamaica are taking part in the exhibition tournament, having beaten Trinidad and Tobago in the semi-finals before losing to Nigeria on penalties.

While there has been talk of an international friendly against Iran before the start of the World Cup, these matches could be the Reggae Boyz’s final games before their Concacaf Nations League campaign begins in September. Jamaica would then turn its attention to FIFA World Cup qualification in 2028 as the Boyz seek to end a three-decade drought and qualify for the 2030 tournament.

Interim Head Coach Rudolph Speid is currently in England’s capital after not being able to lead Cavalier FC in the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League final against Portmore United on Sunday at the National Stadium. Speid’s contract was renewed for the Unity Cup after seeing his initial contract expire on April 1 after the intercontinental play-offs where Jamaica missed out on World Cup Qualification to DR Congo.

Although Miguel Coley will not return after serving as assistant coach during the intercontinental play-offs, Speid will again be supported by Arsenal under-16 Head Coach Michael Donaldson, former Reggae Boyz goalkeeper Aaron Lawrence and Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Director of Football Andrew Peart on his technical staff.

While experienced regulars such as Captain Damion Lowe, Vice-Captain Isaac Hayden and Joel Latibeaudiere make the squad, Speid opted for a youthful group, with the largely European based 26-man squad averaging just under 22 years old, the youngest in national team history.

The 16-year-old Manchester City academy player Caelen-Kole Cadamarteri is set to make his debut as the youngest player in the squad, joining older brother Bailey, who has been part of the national setup since last September. It would represent a major coup for Jamaica, with Caelen-Kole having represented Scotland at youth level over the past two years, including as recently as March this year. He also featured for England’s Under-16 team in 2024.

The 18-year-old right back Marlon van de Wetering, who plays for FC Eindhoven in the Netherlands second division gets his first senior call, after representing the Under-20 team during the recent Concacaf Qualifiers in Curacao.

Everton FC academy defender Odin Samuels-Smith and FC Dallas striker Nick Simmonds, both 19, are also among the newcomers in the squad.

The rest of the United Kingdom and mainland Europe-based squad has joined the camp including 21-year-old AFC Wimbledon Delano Splatt, who was added to the squad on Sunday.

The Jamaica Observer understands that 20-year-old midfielder Tyrese Hall, who made his debut in March against DR Congo in the World Cup Play-off final, will join on Tuesday as his club Notts County play in the English League 2 Playoffs on Monday.

Tivoli Gardens FC winger Nickalia Fuller and Racing United midfielder Nickyle Ellis are the only local players from the squad who are currently in camp. The Observer understands the remaining local based players will arrive in London on Tuesday.

Montego Bay United’s Dwight Merrick, Cavalier’s Christopher Ainsworth and Jeovanni Laing, Mount Pleasant Football Academy’s Kyle Ming, Raheem Edwards and Tafari Chambers were all involved for their respective clubs in the JPL final and third place play-off on Sunday.

Kaheim Dixon and Dexter Lembikisa, who were left out for March’s World Cup Playoffs, have returned. England-based players such as Leon Bailey, Bobby Reid and Ethan Pinnock reportedly indicated they were unavailable for selection.

Speid is set to conduct his first training session today ahead of Wednesday’s clash with India which is scheduled to kick off at 1:30 pm Jamaica time.

Jamaica’s only two fixtures against India took place in 2002. The Reggae Boyz won the first game 3-0 at Vicarage Road in England on August 29 before drawing 0-0 at the Molineaux Stadium a few days later.

SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Joshua Grant, Coniah Boyce-Clarke, Tafari Chambers

Defenders: Damion Lowe, Joel Latibeaudiere, Jeovanni Laing, Ronaldo Webster, Christopher Ainsworth, Dexter Lembikisa, Kyle Ming, Marlon Van de Wetering, Odin Samuels-Smith

Midfielders: Isaac Hayden, Nickyle Ellis, Dwight Merrick, Brandon Cover, Tyrese Hall, Courtney Clarke, Delano Splatt

Forwards: Kaheim Dixon, Bailey Cadamarteri, Caelan-Kole Cadamarteri, Dajaune Brown, Nick Simmonds, Nickalia Fuller, Raheem Edwards

Right back Marlon van de Wetering, who plays for FC Eindhoven in the Netherlands second division

Everton FC academy defender Odin Samuels-Smith

Caelen-Kole Cadamarteri, the 16-year-old brother of national striker Bailey Cadamarteri, earns his first call to the Reggae Boyz squad.