Reggae Boyz to kick start Qatar World Cup qualifying campaign with friendly against Saudi Arabia

Photo: Junior Flemmings in action for the Reggae Boyz 

Jamaica’s preparation for the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar will get underway when the Reggae Boyz play The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in two International Friendly games next month.  

Both games will be played at the Prince Faisal bin Fahad Stadium in Riyadh on November 14 and 17. This is indeed the best way to kick-start preparation with the squad experiencing the identical regional conditions under which the World Cup will be played.

Jamaica last played Saudi Arabia on October 17th 2017 when the hosts beat Jamaica 5-2.

A number of Jamaican players now ply their trade in the USL which will conclude in the next few days and should report match fit for the two games.

Jamaica will be looking to turn the table while maintaining its international ranking and so the best squad of players should be invited for the tour.

Based on their current FIFA rankings, Jamaica will begin their Concacaf qualifications next summer in the final round after being seeded alongside, Mexico, the USA, Honduras and Costa Rica. Friendlies will prove critical for Jamaica to give the Boyz crucial preparation ahead of the start of qualifiers.

With qualifiers already twice delayed, CONCACAF is working with FIFA to finalize a new schedule, beginning with the first round in March 2021. The 2022 Qatar tournament is slated to run Nov. 21 through Dec. 18.