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Ricketts seeking diaspora support for Unity Cup
April 11, 2025
With the Reggae Boyz confirmed to compete in the 2025 Unity Cup in England next month, Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Michael Ricketts has called on the support of the diaspora in the United Kingdom (UK).
Jamaica will compete in the four-team tournament come May against Caribbean rivals Trinidad and Tobago as well as African giants Nigeria and Ghana.
The Reggae Boyz will face Trinidad and Tobago on May 27, and Nigeria and Ghana will go end-to-end on May 28.
The winners of each fixture will advance to the final on May 31, while the two losers will compete in a third-place match on the same day.
All games will be played at the Gtech Community Stadium, home to English Premier League outfit Brentford FC.
Ricketts said with the UK being home to one of the largest Jamaican diasporas, he would be looking for their support across both games.
"Outside of North America, the UK has the largest Jamaican diaspora, and we are elated and thrilled to participate in this competition," the JFF president said.
"We are eagerly looking forward to seeing the sea of black, green, and gold across London when Jamaica comes into town. It certainly will be a special event."
The match dates will fall outside of the scheduled FIFA international window, which would normally mean that the team selection would be restricted to mostly domestic-based players.
However, with several of the English leagues set to end before the competition's start, a credible source inside the JFF confirmed that the squad would be a mix of domestic and UK-based players.
The four-team competition will also be used as preparation for the upcoming Concacaf Gold Cup by both the Reggae Boyz and Trinidad and Tobago's Soca Warriors.
Speaking ahead of the competition, Dwight Yorke, head coach of Trinidad and Tobago, welcomed the challenge.
"The Unity Cup in London is a fantastic opportunity for us to face quality opposition as we prepare for the Gold Cup and World Cup qualifiers in June," Yorke said in a press release.
"These matches will help us fine tune our squad, build chemistry, and ensure we are in the best possible shape for the challenges ahead. It's all about growth, improvement, and maintaining momentum."
The Gold Cup is set to begin on June 14 and will run through to July 6.
