The U17 Reggae Girlz will begin their quest to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup today when they face a tough matchup against Mexico in the final round of the Concacaf U17 Women’s Qualifiers.
The young Reggae Girlz will face Mexico in the opening match of Group C at the Costa Rica Federation Field, with kick-off set for 11 a.m. Jamaica time.
The fixture is expected to be Jamaica’s toughest of the group, with Mexico ranked as one of the top four nations in the confederation and were seeded into the final round of qualifiers.
Jamaica, on the other hand, secured their spot in the final round after topping their first-round group with a record of three wins and one draw.
It will be the fifth meeting between the two teams at the U17 Qualifiers and Mexico hold a superior record of three wins and one draw against Jamaica.
Their last meeting came in 2016, where Mexico came out 1-0 victors.
Jamaica’s second match will be against hosts Costa Rica on Thursday, March 19, before they close out the group against Panama on Sunday, March 22.
The three group winners from the final round will qualify for the FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup, along with the best second-placed team.
Jamaica’s squad for the U17 qualifiers feature a mixture of local-based and overseas-based players.
Of the 20-player roster, 10 players compete in the Jamaica Women’s Premier League (JWPL), with eight players based in the United Stated and the remaining two based in Canada.
JWPL fans will find familiar names in Frazsiers Whip’s Ricquanna Richards, Shennel Walters, Jennifer Williams, Khyra Grant, and Telesia Anderson, who have all been given the nod.
Richards and Walters both scored a goal each in Jamaica’s campaign in the first round.
Florida United’s Elizabeth Miller, Jamaica’s leading goalscorer in the first round, has also been given the nod and is expected to play a key role.
Shiloh Gardener is a new addition to the squad as she joins the squad to bolster Jamaica’s defence.
The Girlz are hunting their first-ever appearance at the U17 Women’s World Cup.
