The senior Reggae Girlz take on Panama today in the first of two international friendlies at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez Gutierrez in Panama City, and Head Coach Hubert Busby is treating the games as vital tune-ups, not just exhibition
matches.

Jamaica will play Costa Rica in the 2026 Concacaf Women’s Championship on November 27, and Busby stressed that the staff already knows the core group needed for qualifying. The work now is about the details.

“We are just going through our processes. I mean, at the end of the day we know what we need, we know who we need to play the qualifying, but it is all the things in-between that we need to focus on for us to improve to get the desired outcome that we want,” Busby said.

Those “things in-between” cover the full tactical spectrum and the depth of the squad. Several players absent in April are back in the fold, giving Busby more options in possession and out of possession.

“And so we are just making sure that we know that in all aspects of our play, obviously looking at reintegrating some players to make sure that our pool is continuing to be strong, and that’s good,” Busby explained.

“We have some players coming back in who weren’t involved in April for various reasons, and so we are all looking forward to make sure we have two quality games against a quality opposition,” he further stated.

Recent meetings between these two nations have been tight, tense, and packed with meaning. The rivalry’s biggest flashpoint came at the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship. With the final automatic spot for the 2019 World Cup on the line, Jamaica and Panama drew 2-2 in the third-place play-off. The Reggae Girlz won 4-2 on penalties, becoming the first Caribbean nation to reach a FIFA Women’s World Cup. Panama was left to watch from home.

Panama hit back in 2023 World Cup qualifying when Lineth Cedeno’s goal secured a 1-0 win over Jamaica in the group stage. That result forced Jamaica into a tougher route, but the Girlz still made it to Australia and New Zealand.

Once at the 2023 World Cup, Jamaica settled the score. Allyson Swaby’s second-half header gave the Reggae Girlz a 1-0 win over Panama in Perth. The result earned Jamaica its first-ever World Cup victory and helped propel the team into the Round of 16. For Panama, it was a debut tournament loss that confirmed their elimination.

The teams also split two friendlies in October 2023. Jody Brown struck for a 1-0 Jamaica win in Montego Bay before Panama responded 2-1 in Kingston three days later. That record gives today’s friendly real bite.

Panama want to prove the World Cup result was a one-off. Jamaica want to sharpen the details Busby is demanding before facing Costa Rica. With reintegrated players and qualifying looming, Busby wants performance, not just minutes. History says Panama will make them earn it.