Football in Jamaica

Last updated

Football in Jamaica
Independence Park.jpg
Independence Park, the national stadium of Jamaica
CountryJamaica
Governing body Jamaica Football Federation
National team(s) Men's national team;
Women's national team
Nickname(s)Reggae Boyz;
Reggae Girlz
First playedat least 1862 (men);
at least 1895 (women)
Registered players1910
National competitions
Club competitions
International competitions

Football is one of the most popular sports in Jamaica. It is enjoyed by Jamaicans from all walks of life and has grown in popularity in modern society.

Contents

Early history

In 1893, the Kingston Cricket Club, which was founded in 1863 by the elite of the colonial society, [1] founded the first football team. [2] Two years later, nationwide newspapers report about women's football for the first time. [3]

Between 1925 and 1932, a Jamaican men's national team was formed and played a number of friendlies, mostly against neighbors Haiti. These matches were usually played at Sabina Park, the main cricket ground of the island. [4] In the following years, female football clubs started to form in Kingston, playing a first match in the same stadium in November 1935 to raise funds for charities. In the coming years, women's football started to outgrow men's football on the island and reached the cities of Spanish Town, Montego Bay, Port Antonio and Saint Ann's Bay, attracting more fans than the men did and igniting public debates about the need for a nationwide league for women. [5] Starting from the 1940s, there is no further reporting on women's football, suggesting that Jamaica Football Federation might have followed the English FA and officially banned the sport for women. It is unknown if men played football at that time on the island, but by 1952 a Jamaican men's representative team again played internationally, organising an entire series against a Caribbean All Stars team. [6] Under the leadership of Jorge Penna Jamaica did participate in a men's FIFA World Cup qualification campaign for the first time in 1965, failing to qualify for the 1966 edition by losing to Mexico and Costa Rica in the final stage.

Football governance

The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is the governing body of football in Jamaica. It was formed in 1910 and governs men's football since then and women's football since 1991. Between 1987 and 1991, women's football was governed by the Jamaican Women's Football Federation.

The JFF joined CONCACAF and FIFA in 1962.

League system

There is currently no women's league in Jamaica. For the men's league system, see Jamaican football league system

Cup system

There is currently no women's cup tournament in Jamaica. For the men's cup, see JFF Champions Cup

Men's National team

One of the major successes of the Jamaica men's national team came when the team qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. [7] They did not progress beyond the first round, but managed to win their final group match against Japan, winning 2–1. [8] [9] [10] They have also won the Caribbean Cup on five occasions.

Women's national team

One of the major successes of the Jamaica women's national team came when the team qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France. [11] They lost all their group matches, but Havana Solaun managed to score a first ever World Cup goal for the team in their final group match against Australia. [12] They have participate in 7 CONCACAF W Championships, winning the bronze medal in 2018 and 2022. They also finished runners up in the second CFU Women's Caribbean Cup in 2014.

Jamaican football clubs

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CONCACAF</span> One of FIFAs six continental governing bodies for association football

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, abbreviated as CONCACAF, is one of FIFA's six continental governing bodies for association football. Its 41 member associations represent countries and territories mainly in North America, including the Caribbean and Central America, and, for geopolitical reasons, three nations from the Guianas subregion of South America—Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. The CONCACAF's primary functions are to organize competitions for national teams and clubs, and to conduct the World Cup and Women's World Cup qualifying tournaments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honduras national football team</span> Mens national association football team representing Honduras

The Honduras national football team represents Honduras in men's international football. The team is governed by the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras. They are nicknamed Los Catrachos, La Bicolor, or La H.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamaica national football team</span> Mens national association football team representing Jamaica

The Jamaica national football team, nicknamed the "Reggae Boyz", represents Jamaica in men's international football. The team's first match was against Haiti in 1925. The squad is under the supervising body of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), which is a member of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), and the global jurisdiction of FIFA. Jamaica's home matches have been played at Independence Park since its opening in 1962.

The JamaicaPremier League, commonly abbreviated as JPL and officially known as the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League for sponsorship reasons, is sanctioned by the Jamaican Football Federation as the top division for men's association football in Jamaica. Contested between 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Jamaica Football Championship. Most games are played on Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings (Monday Night Football).

The Caribbean Cup was the championship tournament for national association football teams that are members of the Caribbean Football Union. The first competition, established by Shell and run by former England Cricket fast bowler Fred Rumsey, was contested in 1989 in Barbados. The Caribbean Cup served as a qualification tournament among CFU members for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Caribbean Cup replaced the CFU Championship competition which was active between 1978 and 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harbour View F.C.</span> Jamaican football club

Harbour View Football Club is a Jamaican football club based in Kingston that currently plays in the top flight Jamaica Premier League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamaica Football Federation</span> Governing body of football in Jamaica

The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is the governing body of football in Jamaica and is in charge of the Jamaica national football team and the Jamaica Premier League.

Theodore Eccleston Whitmore, OD, is a Jamaican former professional footballer. He is the former head coach of Jamaica national football team.

Warren Barrett is a Jamaican retired football goalkeeper and currently goalkeeping coach. Nicknamed 'Boopie', he played mostly for Violet Kickers F.C., but also played one season for Wadadah F.C. in the 2000/2001 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luton Shelton</span> Jamaican footballer (1985–2021)

Luton George Kieshawn Shelton was a Jamaican professional footballer who played as a striker or winger. At the time of his death, he was the top scorer for the Jamaica national team with 35 goals. He is also the only men's football player to score four goals in his international debut (2004). He earned 75 caps for Jamaica, and played at three CONCACAF Gold Cups.

Fabian Davis is a Jamaican former footballer who played as a defender or midfielder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamaica women's national football team</span> Womens national association football team representing Jamaica

The Jamaica women's national football team, nicknamed the "Reggae Girlz", represents Jamaica in international women's football. They are one of the top women's national football teams in the Caribbean region along with Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti. In 2008, the team was disbanded after it failed to get out of the group stage of Olympic Qualifying, which notably featured the United States and Mexico. The program was restarted in 2014 after a nearly six-year hiatus, finishing second at the 2014 Women's Caribbean Cup after losing 1–0 against Trinidad and Tobago in the final. The team is backed by ambassador Cedella Marley, the daughter of Bob Marley; she helps raise awareness for the team, encourages development, and provides for it financially. Jamaica qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time in 2019, but the team was eliminated after losing all its matches in the group stage. At the 2023 World Cup Jamaica made the Round of 16 for the first time, after holding both France and Brazil to 0–0 draws and winning their first ever match at a World Cup against Panama 1–0.

Association football – commonly known as football – is a popular sport in Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands Football Association – the territory's football governing body – organizes the Men's and Women's national teams and administers the territory's professional league the Cayman Islands League. As members of Caribbean Football Union teams are eligible for the Caribbean Club Championship and the territory's membership in CONCACAF allows teams to participate in that organizations club and national team competitions. The Cayman Islands are also a member of FIFA and is therefore eligible to play in the World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horace Burrell</span>

Horace G. Burrell JP OM, also known as Captain Burrell, was the president of the Jamaica Football Federation, and the senior vice-president of CONCACAF. He was also the founder of the Jamaican restaurant chain The Captain's Bakery and Grill and Captain's Aviation, which he founded in 1995 and 2008 respectively.

This is a record of Jamaica's results at the FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Cup, sometimes called the Football World Cup or the Soccer World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the first tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946, due to World War II.

Women's football in Jamaica was first reported in 1935. The sport later grew in popularity, forming leagues and eventually the Caribbean's first team to qualify for a FIFA Women's World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorne Donaldson</span> Jamaican football player and manager

Lorne Garfield Donaldson is a Jamaican football manager and former player who is the current head coach of the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Silver</span> Jamaican footballer (born 1993)

Lauren Amanda Silver is an American-born Jamaican professional footballer who last played as a defender for Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the Jamaica women's national football team.

Hue Alphanso Menzies is a football manager and former player. Menzies is most well known for leading the Jamaica women's national team to the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup as its head coach and technical director, which was the first time a Caribbean nation had qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup.

The Jamaica women's national under-20 football team, nicknamed the "Reggae Girlz", is a female football team at the age of U-20 which represent Jamaica in the international women's football. The team plays CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship. The nation yet to qualified to the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

References

  1. "Kingston Cricket Club was founded in 1863 in an upstairs room at the Collegiate School on Church Street; Jamaica" . Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  2. "the rise and stall of Jamaican football; Jamaica". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  3. "Jamaica". Forgotten Heroines. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  4. "Football-History". Jamaica 55. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  5. "Jamaica". Forgotten Heroines. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  6. "Football-History". Jamaica 55. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  7. "& Sport | World Cup 98 | Features | Jamaica - background". BBC News. 1998-05-03. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  8. "BBC SPORT | Football | World Cup 2006 | World Cup history - France 1998". BBC News. 2006-05-04. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  9. "& Sport | World Cup 98 | Jamaica". BBC News. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  10. "CNN/SI - World Cup France '98 - 2-1 victory over Japan lifts the Reggae Boyz - Saturday September 19, 1998 03:48 PM". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. 1998-09-19. Archived from the original on September 15, 2000. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  11. "Underdog 'Reggae Girlz' Make History at Women's World Cup". NPR. 2019-06-08. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  12. "Jamaica 1-4 Australia". FIFA. 2019-06-18. Retrieved 2022-06-21.