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U20 Boyz kickstart World Cup campaign against Aruba
February 23, 2026
The Under-20 Reggae Boyz will begin their quest for a spot in the 2027 FIFA Men's Under-20 World Cup when they kickstart Group B action against Aruba today in the Concacaf Men's Qualifiers at the Stadion Rignaal 'Jean' Francisca in Willemstad, Curacao, at 7 p.m. Jamaica time.
It will mark the first time the two teams meet at the U20 level, as Aruba are making their debut in the age-group competition.
Jamaica, as the top-seeded team in the group, are expected to open their campaign with a win over the Dutch Caribbean island.
Their next fixture will see them facing the Turks and Caicos Island on Wednesday, before taking on the Cayman Islands on Friday.
Jamaica will continue their group stage fixtures with a match against St Kitts and Nevis on Sunday, March 1, before closing out the group against Puerto Rico on Tuesday, March 3.
The top team from the group will advance to the Concacaf Men's U20 Championship, where they will join the six pre-seeded teams in the region. That playoff will serve as the qualification tournament for the FIFA Men's U20 World Cup.
Jamaica qualified for the U20 World Cup once in their history, back in 2001.
Additionally, the U20 Championship will also serve as the qualification tournament for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, as well as the 2026 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, and 2027 Pan American Games.
FAMILIAR NAMES
Several familiar names will lead the young Reggae Boyz, including schoolboy standouts Sean Leighton, Giovanni Taylor, Jabarie Howell and Orel Miller.
U17 Reggae Boyz captain, and Concacaf's Best U17 player, Jahmarie Nolan, is also in the squad as he looks to secure a second consecutive age-group World Cup berth. Jamaica College's Duwayne Burgher, who was also a member of the U17 team that qualified for the World Cup, has also been selected.
The squad also has Inter Miami defender Cai McLean, as well as Dutch-born Marlon van de Wetering, who is expected to be one of the leaders in the defensive line as the 18-year-old has already made 13 appearances for FC Eindhoven in Netherlands' Eerste Divise.
