Jamaica’s national men’s team haven’t qualified for a FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 25 years but Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Michael Ricketts is confident that the current squad can end the drought after significant investment in the qualification campaign.

The under-20 Reggae Boyz will leave the island on Friday for the 2026 Concacaf Under-20 Championship in Mexico, where they will look to secure one of four spots to next year’s World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. Rodolph Austin, who recently led Portmore United to their first Jamaica Premier League title since 2019, will lead the team along with Molynes United head coach Jermaine Thomas.

The pair oversaw Jamaica’s sweep through the qualifying tournament in Curaçao in February, with the team winning all five matches to reach the Under-20 Championship. They now face Honduras, Panama and Canada in Group C, with the top two advancing to the quarter-finals. A quarter-final victory would seal qualification for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup.

The team has been in a training camp at the Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence at the UWI, Mona campus and have played friendlies against Jamaica Premier League clubs Cavalier, Mount Pleasant FC and Arnett Gardens in the past two weeks.

Since their historic berth in 2001 tournament in Argentina, Jamaica have missed out on the last 11 World Cups and have only advanced to the knockout stages of the Concacaf final round twice in nine attempts.

However, Ricketts told the Jamaica Observer that the JFF has made it a priority to give the team every opportunity to qualify, investing heavily ahead of the Concacaf Under-20 Championship in a bid to end the country’s drought.

RICKETTS…I think we have a good set of young players and we are also hoping that they will make a transition and give some strength and support to our senior men’s team (Photo: Observer file)

“This year has been very busy for us and very expensive as well because of course the under-17s, under-20s on either side of the gender and of course the senior men’s and senior women’s have all been vying for a place in the World Cup tournaments,” he said.

“A structure has been put in place and it’s just now for us to execute. We really want to do well. I think we have a good set of young players and we are also hoping that they will make a transition and give some strength and support to our senior men’s team, but we would have given a lot more in terms of preparation.”

Ricketts says the JFF’s greater focus on its youth programmes over the past three years, along with improvements to its coaching structure, has given the federation greater confidence in qualifying for more World Cup tournaments.

“We are just very proud of our young coaches. Coach Austin and his deputy coach [Jermaine] Thomas have done an excellent job. We have a coaching programme that is probably second to none in the Caribbean and our coaches have done very well,” he said.

“Our TDS (Talent Development Scheme) programme is a huge success and it has evolved so much that our under-14 team won the Caribbean Challenge Series convincingly. Then a year after we stepped up in class, as they would say in racing terminology, and we went to Concacaf and we won that tournament as well and then afterwards we qualified for the U-17 World Cup.”

He added, “So it’s work in progress. Hopefully, all of this will translate into some success at the Under-20 level and, like I’ve said, the coaches have done well, the management structure has been at a premium and so we are optimistic and we are really expecting to qualify for the World Cup.”

Kimarly Scott (centre) is a highlight of Jamaica’s Under-20 squad. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Coach Austin named his 21-man squad last week with Cavalier standout Kimarly Scott, Mount Pleasant Football Academy star Jabarie Howell and Manchester United defender Dante Plunkett among the highlights of the squad. Che Gardner, son of Reggae Boyz legend Ricardo “Bibi” Gardner, has also been called up for the first time, having impressed for Stockport United in England’s third division.

The young Reggae Boyz take on Honduras in their opening game on Sunday before battling Panama next Wednesday and Canada next Saturday. All games are set for the Estadio Universitario BUAP in Puebla, Mexico.

Goalkeepers — Johnoi Steadman (Steths Elite), Justin Murray (Glenmuir High), Joshua Grant (Naples FC)

Defenders — Jaquan Brown (Portmore United FC), Duwayne Burgher (Waterhouse FC), Cai McLean (Inter Miami FC), Dante Plunkett (Manchester United), Brandon Bent (Miami FC), Santana Headley (Portmore United), Damario McIntosh (New England Revolution)

Midfielders — Jahmarie Nolan (Toronto FC), Raequan Campbell-Dennis (Toronto FC), Owen Jumpp (Mount Pleasant FA), Jermaine Young (Casa Pia AC), Jahmani Bell (Houston Dynamo FC), Jamone Lyle (Waterhouse FC), Jabarie Howell (Mount Pleasant FA)

Forwards — Kimarly Scott (Cavalier FC), Giovanni Taylor (Arnett Garden FC), Che Gardner (Stockport County FC), Sean Leighton (Phoenix Chapleton Maroons)

The Reggae Boyz Under-20 players and staff celebrating after qualifying for the Concacaf Under-20 Championships in February in Curacao. (Photo: JFF)