August 6 – After a disappointing Gold Cup performance this summer and with the final group stages of Concacaf World Cup qualifying set to start in September, Jamaica are again trawling their English diaspora for talent that would secure only their second appearance at a men’s World Cup.
The latest addition to English coach Steve McLaren’s squad looks set to be controversial midfielder Mason Greenwood who played once for England in 2020 before his career was derailed following an off-field incident with a girlfriend that led to charges of rape and assault.
Greenwood, who is currently, and successfully, resurrecting his playing career in France’s Ligue1 with Marseilles, has been granted a Jamaican passport and now needs a release from the English Football Association (FA) to enable a transition to Jamaica’s team.
McLaren is also reportedly courting Brentford’s Rico Henry and Tottenham’s Tyrese Hall, who is on loan at Notts County. Both would qualify as heritage players for Jamaica.
Concacaf 2026 Qualifying is now down to 12 teams who have been drawn into three groups. Group winners will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The two best second-place finishers will advance to an Intercontinental Play-Off, to be played in March 2026.
Jamaica have been drawn with Curacao, Trinidad and Tobago, and Bermuda in their group. The home and away matches will be played in the September, October and November international windows.
Jamaica went into this summer’s Gold Cup with high expectations and a squad with proven English Premier League talent – 14 players in the 26-man squad play or have played their football in England, eight of them in the Premier League. However, hampered by injuries, they managed just one win against Guadeloupe, losing to Guatemala 1-0 and being well beaten by Panama 4-1.
In their 2026 qualifying group Jamaica will have to overcome a strong Curacao side who secured a surprise draw against a much-fancied Canadian team in a match they could easily have won.
Greenwood will be joining up with Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey, Everton’s Mason Holgate, West Ham’s Michail Antonio, Brentford’s Ethan Pinnock, Newcastle’s Isaac Hayden, Leicester’s Bobby Reid, Wolves’ Dexter Lembikisa and the mercurial Demarai Gray who now plays for Al Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.
It is an exciting line-up on paper but which has so far failed to achieve the results the teamsheet promises. Greenwood could prove to be the catalyst to spark Jamaica into life.
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