Reggae Boyz’ Internationals Given The Boot
Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz, as expected, will not be playing any friendlies during the FIFA October and November international window.
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), in conjunction with its counterparts from the USA, have shelved back-to-back friendly internationals that were been considered to be played in October.
The JFF released a statement that read: “Jamaica was in negotiations to play the United States and a top Central American team in the USA, but the continued rise in the numbers of COVID-19 has forced the postponement of both games for health and safety reasons.” The Boyz, who kick-off their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the CONCACAF region in September 2021, have plenty of time to find suitable opposition as long as the coronavirus crisis is curbed.
And Jamaica head coach Theodore Whitmore is at least getting extra time to check out potential new players to strengthen his squad, including those plying their trade in Europe and North America.
CONCACAF announced that no matches are to played this year, resulting in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers scheduled for October and November forced to be postponed. These opening matches of 1st round of qualifying, when 30 teams compete in six equal groups of five, start the competition to reach the World Cup finals in Qatar.
The half-a-dozen group winners advance to a play-off round for a two-legged knockout format, with those three winners moving to the final round to join the five top-ranked teams in the CONCACAF region that comprises Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico and the United States.
CONCACAF, who have already altered the qualifying format, currently has no plans to further change this with the opening round of games likely to take place from March to June 2021.
There has been no competitive football in Jamaica since the JFF suspended all leagues on 12 March as part of efforts to help and contain the coronavirus pandemic. Yet the JFF has announced that the nation’s top-flight football competition, the Red Stripe National Premier League, will be allowed to kick-off the 2020-2021 campaign on 14 November.
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