The Jamaica national football team moved within a single victory of returning to the FIFA World Cup after defeating New Caledonia national football team 1-0 in their inter-confederation playoff semi-final on Friday in Guadalajara.
Bailey Cadamarteri scored the decisive goal in the 18th minute, giving the Reggae Boyz an early advantage that proved enough to secure the win.
Despite the setback, New Caledonia mounted strong attacks throughout the match, testing Jamaica’s defence, but could not find a breakthrough.
Jamaica will now face DR Congo national football team on Tuesday in the playoff final, with a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America at stake.
A win for Jamaica would mark their first World Cup appearance since 1998, while DR Congo are aiming to end a decades-long absence from the tournament.
With the final now all that stands between them and history, the Reggae Boyz are on the brink of achieving a long-awaited return to football’s biggest stage.
