THINKING AHEAD

Although appointed on an interim basis, Reggae Boyz Head Coach Rudolph Speid says he’s already thinking about the 2030 FIFA World Cup Qualifying campaign, after naming the squad for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League campaign.

On Friday, the 24-man squad was revealed for the four games in the September to October international window, which kicks off next Friday against Guatemala at the National Stadium. The national senior men’s team will then host Honduras the following Monday before travelling to El Salvador on October 2 and Honduras on October 5. Ten players who were not part of last September to November’s unsuccessful Concacaf World Cup qualifying campaign have been selected including winger Leon Bailey, who recently made his debut for Greek club Olympiakos. Only one, though, will be set for a debut in defender Miguel Freckleton who plays for Austrian League champions LASK. The 23-year-old England-born centre back acquired his Jamaican passport earlier this month, having been tracked by the technical staff for close to a year. He played with Reggae Boyz defender Richard King last season at Scottish club St Mirren before moving to LASK this summer where he made his debut in the UEFA Champions League.

Reggae Boyz defender Richard King trains at Verde Valle in Guadalajara, Mexico, on March 30, 2026.Photo: JFF

Speid, who the Jamaica

Observer

had reported will be in charge of the national team until December, believes he will be a great addition to the squad. “We have been looking at him from last year, but his paperwork has now come through, so he’s eligible to represent Jamaica, so we can actually invite him,” he said. “We were looking at him from last year when we scout our initial squad of players to play in the World Cup qualifiers, but he wasn’t ready to play for us yet. It’s his body of work over a particular period [that impressed us].”

Jamaica Reggae Boyz defender Ronaldo Webster (left) and striker Bailey Cadamarteri train at Verde Valle in Guadalajara, Mexico, on March 30, 2026. Photo: JFF

Other notable call-ups are Israeli-based striker Javon East who last played for Jamaica in 2022 and American-born defender Tayvon Gray who last played in the 2024 Nations League. Captain Andre Blake, Vice Captain Damion Lowe, defender Joel Latibeaudiere and midfielders Isaac Hayden and Kasey Palmer are among the experienced names in the squad. Mount Pleasant Football Academy goalkeeper Shaquan Davis and Cavalier’s Christopher Ainsworth are the only local players in the squad. The team consists of several players aged 23 and under, including forward Kaheim Dixon and relatively newcomers Andre Brooks, Brandon Cover and Courtney Clarke who are all based in England. While aiming to be competitive immediately, Speid says the current squad is also being built with the future in mind.

SPEID... we look at where they are now and where we think they will be when the qualifiers come around Photo: Joseph Wellington

Reggae Boyz winger Leon Bailey prepares to strike the ball during training at Verde Valle in Guadalajara, Mexico, on March 30, 2026. (Photo: JFF)

“The selection criteria is different from when we last played the World Cup qualifiers. This time we’re looking at player form and also looking at player trajectory. So we look at where they are now and where we think they will be when the qualifiers come around, plus where we think they will be when the [2030] World Cup will be played,” he said. “As everyone knows that at the World Cup, the teams that do well is somewhere in the [age] range of about 27 to 27 and a half, so we have deliberately reduced the age by three years in line with keeping with what will be required for the World Cup qualifiers. So we’re planning short term, medium term and long term, so some of these selections are based on those forward planning.” Jamaica will need to finish in the top two of the group if they are to advance to the quarter-finals where they will join top-ranked Concacaf nations USA, Mexico, Canada and Panama.