Jamaica missed the World Cup by a 100th-minute goal in Guadalajara. On 14 November they host Mexico in Kingston.
Jamaica's only World Cup was in 1998; a goalless home draw with Curacao and then a 100th-minute goal in Guadalajara kept them out of the 2026 finals, and Mexico visit Kingston on 14 November for a Concacaf Nations League quarter-final.
Jamaica have played at one World Cup, in 1998. Their route to the next ended last November with a goalless draw against Curaçao in Kingston. 1
Curaçao went to the finals as the smallest nation ever to qualify. Steve McClaren resigned as Jamaica's head coach. 2
The 100th minute
Jamaica's last chance came at a play-off tournament in Guadalajara in March. Bailey Cadamarteri, a 20-year-old Wrexham striker, scored the only goal against New Caledonia to put them one match from the finals. 3
DR Congo won that match 1-0. Axel Tuanzebe turned in a corner in the 100th minute at the Akron Stadium, and Jamaica were out. 45
The result is still being argued about. In October it was reported that FIFA's own lawyers had found DR Congo's goalkeeper, Lionel Mpasi, had never completed his change of nationality, and that FIFA's investigators knew before the Jamaica tie. 6
FIFA says the matches against Jamaica raised no eligibility issues. Concacaf has asked for the concerns to be reviewed. 6
Who is in charge
Rudolph Speid, Cavalier's technical director, was appointed interim head coach in December 2025 and is still in the dugout. 2
He plays a back four in front of Andre Blake, with Joel Latibeaudiere and Richard King at centre-back and Isaac Hayden and Karoy Anderson in front of them. 7
Tyreece Campbell, a Charlton winger, scored his first Jamaica goal in October. 8
Seven points
Jamaica reached the quarter-finals by taking seven points from four Nations League group games, finishing second in League A Group B behind Guatemala on goal difference. 9
They beat Guatemala 3-2 at home, lost 1-0 to Honduras, won 2-0 in El Salvador and drew 1-1 in Honduras. 10
The 1998 team
That side, coached by the Brazilian René Simões, was filled out with England-born players. It lost to Croatia and Argentina, beat Japan 2-1, and Robbie Earle scored Jamaica's first World Cup goal. 11
What Kingston decides
Mexico come to the National Stadium on Saturday 14 November for the first leg of a Concacaf Nations League quarter-final: 8pm local / 8pm ET / 5pm PT. 12
The second leg is at Estadio Monterrey on Tuesday 17 November: 8:30pm local / 9:30pm ET / 6:30pm PT. 12
Rafael Márquez's Mexico are four friendlies without a win, and will be missing the injured Raúl Jiménez. 1314
Win the tie and Jamaica reach the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in March, and the 2027 Gold Cup. 12
Kingston will start to settle whether March was the end of a run or the beginning of the next one.
Quote of the Day
"It would be ten times that in Jamaica, because all the kids will be seeing it and will want to mirror what's happened." — Robbie Earle, who scored Jamaica's first World Cup goal in 1998, on what a World Cup in North America would mean at home 11
References
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