Bermuda Football Association (BFA) president Mark Wade boasts an admiration for Jamaica’s achievements, especially their historic performances and advancement in international football, that is not only personal but rooted in a hope for Bermuda to achieve similar success.

Simply put, Wade is on a clear mission to elevate Bermuda’s football programmes to the heights reached by nations like Jamaica on the global stage.

With only an historic 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup appearance under their belts, Wade believes emulating Jamaica’s success as the Caribbean’s number one team across both genders is not far-fetched, provided his island—with a population of just over 63,000—takes the necessary steps to ensure the continued improvements of their men’s and women’s programmes.

The success of Jamaica’s men’s programme across the region and internationally includes Gold Cup runner-up finishes, Copa America appearances, and the famous 1998 World Cup appearance. These are complemented by Under-17 World Cup appearances in 1999 and 2011, as well as an Under-20 World Cup appearance in 2001.

Meanwhile, the women’s programme has achieved back-to-back World Cup appearances, including a knockout stage run at last year’s edition, as well as runner-up finishes in the Concacaf Women’s Championships.

“Bermuda is very small. We only have 63,000 people, so being able to have relationships with bigger countries like Jamaica and countries who've had good performances on the international stage into a World Cup in three different age groups, we want to do the same thing. And having these types of relationships and being able to hear the different discussions that have gone on with the minister of sport [Olivia Grange] and so on and so forth, can only bode well for us, and I can take some information back to Bermuda,” Wade told SportsMax.Tv during a recent visit to Jamaica with Concacaf President Victor Montagliani.

As Wade discussed his vision, he pointed out Jamaica’s recent initiatives, such as their athlete insurance programme, which provides crucial coverage for players’ health and wellbeing. For Wade, such a programme could be transformative for Bermuda, where athletes have traditionally faced limited insurance options.

“So here in Jamaica you had a programme where three-year-olds were playing football. So we've done that in Bermuda as well. But one of the things that we found that was interesting in our discussion was that Jamaica has an insurance programme for athletes, and that's something; maybe I'll go back and press our sports minister to kind of put it into place because that's very important for our athletes,” Wade shared.

Beyond financial stability, Wade expressed his excitement for the future of Bermuda’s men’s and women’s programmes, as he pointed out that the last few years have been filled with incremental progress.

In fact, Wade sees this as a pivotal moment to capitalize on that momentum, especially with a strategic plan in place that they are currently working towards fulfilling with the necessary backing.

“I think our prospects are really good. Our women, and I think this might be a really controversial thing to say, but our women are doing a lot better than our men in terms of their performances on the international stage. So we're trying to close that gap a little bit. We had a team that did very well in the Under-14 Challenge series, so we're hoping to kind of build on that. Our goal, as stated in our strategic plan, is for Bermuda to make it to a World Cup final in any gender and any age group,” Wade, who has been at the helm for the past eight years, stated.

“That is our strategic goal, and that's what we're working towards. In Bermuda, our biggest supporter is FIFA and closely followed by our government and then Concacaf, so we're able to kind of manage those funds, primarily because most of our staff are volunteers, so we have been able to efficiently use the money that we do get to get things done,” he ended.

Concacaf president Victor Montagliani has underscored the significance of the Nations League, particularly for players from the smaller islands in the Caribbean, as it provides them with a platform to compete against higher-level opposition and develop their skills on the international stage.

Montagliani, who was on a visit to the island, along with Bermuda and St Lucia Football Association presidents Mark Wade and Lyndon Cooper, believes that the tournament, which started in 2018, has been a game-changer for the region, offering crucial opportunities for exposure and growth that may have otherwise been limited.

In fact, the Canadian emphasized the role it plays in not only improving the competitiveness across the confederation but also in attracting heritage players to the Caribbean islands in particular.

“You've had coaches coming to want to coach here; you have players who never would have thought of playing for a country that they play for having the opportunity. Why? Because up until the Nations League, all you can offer them is one game every four years or two games every four years. That's not much of an international career. Now a player can play in the Nations League, can go to the Gold Cup, obviously a World Cup qualifying, and they have more of a body of work to attach themselves,” Montagliani said during a press conference at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Wednesday.

Jamaica in Nations League action against Honduras.

“And at the end, the player wants to sell himself or herself because, don't forget, we also have it on our women's programme in terms of our road to the Women’s Gold Cup, which is in essence the Nations League. So, if you play five, six internationals a year versus one, you're going to be seen more, and so you see more players wanting to play international football because of it,” he added.

Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz have used the tournament to test their mettle against the region’s best teams—United States, Canada, Mexico, and Panama.

However, for other Caribbean nations like St Lucia, Bermuda, St Kitts and Nevis, and even Suriname, who will contest the quarterfinal stage for the first time, the Nations League has been a vital part of their football development, as it assists in nurturing young players who will form the core of their squad for years to come.

Montagliani pointed out that this kind of consistent international exposure is invaluable for teams aspiring to qualify for major tournaments like the World Cup or the Gold Cup.

“I know a lot of my presidents say all the time that they're getting calls from guys saying, ‘My dad was from wherever, and I play in League One or the championship.’ So it's really opening the doors to more players, more coaches, but also to more aspirations for the local players,” Montagliani reasoned.

“I just saw a great story about a 14-year-old goalie making his debut for Turks and Caicos in the Nations League group, so what I'm saying is that it gives an aspiration to a young player to say, ‘If Michail Antonio is playing at West Ham and he's playing for Jamaica now, that could be me down the road,” he shared.

Suriname celebrate their Nations League quarterfinal feat.

However, when it comes to the prospect of Jamaica hosting a future tournament or a knockout round of the Concacaf Nations League, Montagliani tempered expectations. He acknowledged that while Jamaica is a football-loving nation with passionate support, the infrastructure—most notably the National Stadium—currently isn’t up to the standard required to host a tournament of such magnitude.

“First and foremost, the National Stadium needs to be at the level that it sounds like it wants to be at. After having those discussions today (Wednesday), they tell me it's about a three- to four-year window here (for the Stadiums development). So when that happens, we can have those conversations,” he declared.

“But the reality is, just like FIFA, FIFA lives on one competition, the World Cup... that's 95% of its budget. Concacaf’s Gold Cup is about 80% of our budget. So the reality is, it's okay to move it around as it relates to a game or two, maybe even a group, but to have the significant majority of it outside a market that doesn't generate top dollar is not only unrealistic, but it's irresponsible as well. So we need to balance both,” Montagliani noted.

Montagliani went on to compare Jamaica’s situation with the Dominican Republic, in particular, as the Spanish-speaking Caribbean nation is further ahead in terms of infrastructure development, resulting in its hosting numerous club and youth tournaments.

“What's happened is that through One Concacaf funding and through FIFA, you're starting to see a lot of other nations that didn't have any facilities now having facilities as well. So it's not a bad thing, because back in the days, you only maybe had two or three of our member associations having the ability to host a U-17, and that was great for Jamaica.

“But now you have a lot of member associations that have that ability to do it, and we're spreading it around. Not to say that we would not host here (in Jamaica), but now we have more options, which is a sign of early development,” Montagliani stated.

Cayman Islands players celebrate a goal in the Nations League.

He continued: “We are building our own facility in the Dominican Republic, the home of football, where we will have pitches and a small little stadium and facilities. So, you know, we're going to be using that as well for events. The good thing about that is that we can go anywhere now, and so it pushes you (Jamaica) to build your standards.

“Before, if you were the only one in town and you had no incentive to really push the standards to a top, top level, that’s fine, but now you almost have to, because if you don't, you won't even get looked at in the RFP process. But the good news is that we no longer limit it to two or three options.”

As Concacaf continues to expand the reach and impact of the Nations League, Montagliani reiterated his commitment to ensuring that all member nations, regardless of size, have access to opportunities that will help them grow.

“Having our One Concacaf programme increases not only funding but also accountability and responsibility. You can't just keep giving people fish; you need to teach them how to fish as well, and I think we've done a good job with that. In the end, it's always about the football, and really, one of the biggest successes I think that turned around this organisation is the Nations League,” he ended.

Concacaf president Victor Montagliani has praised Jamaica’s recent achievements in football, highlighting the success of both the senior men’s and women’s national teams as evidence that the island’s football is in a strong position.

Montagliani, who is currently on a visit to the island, along with Bermuda and St Lucia Football Association presidents Mark Wade and Lyndon Cooper, expressed optimism about Jamaica's football future, particularly with the announcement of much-anticipated upgrades to the National Stadium.

The Reggae Boyz are set to contest the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals against United States in November and are pushing to secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Meanwhile, the Reggae Girlz made history with back-to-back appearances at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, reaching the knockout stage last year, a feat that solidified their standing as one of the top teams in the region.

These accomplishments, Montagliani believes, are key indicators of the country’s footballing growth.

“Obviously, I am very excited to be back in Jamaica; we know the success that's been happening on the field, starting with your two senior teams. Obviously, the men who've now qualified for the Nation's League quarterfinal in November and obviously your women's team that has qualified for the last two Women's World Cups is obviously favoured to qualify for the next one with arguably the best player in the world [Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw] playing for them,” Montagliani said during a press conference at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Wednesday.

Concacaf president Victor Montagliani accepts a specially designed jersey from JFF president Michael Ricketts.

“So things are looking really good in that gold and green jersey that's being worn in our region. Even your youth teams have been very successful, U-20 and U-17, and obviously the talent has always been here since, I think the momentum of the 98 (1998 World Cup accomplishment) in terms of how things were being done. I think in the last few years, with the opportunities that the players are having through our Concacaf competitions, you're seeing things now come to fruition here in Jamaica in terms of the success both on the women's side and on the men's side,” he added.

In addition to commending the on-field success, Montagliani expressed delight at the news that Jamaica's National Stadium is set for much-needed upgrades. He hinted that the improvements could open the door for future Concacaf tournaments to be hosted on the island, a move that would further cement Jamaica’s position as a football hub in the Caribbean.

The renovation project, to be done in phases, will see the capacity of the National Stadium increase from 28,500 to 35,000. 

“It was announced publicly yesterday (Tuesday) in terms of the major renovations that are going into your National Stadium; that put a smile on my face because, as you know, we brought for the first time ever into really the Caribbean and really outside of North America; we brought a Gold Cup game here in Jamaica in 2019 with tremendous success. But the reality is now the standards of international competitions, and when I say international competitions, I don't mean just at the FIFA level. I mean even at the Concacaf level.

“The standards are getting higher and higher with respect to what is expected by audiences both at the stadium and also those watching on TV and ultimately the players that are playing in it. So now that there's major renovations to bring the National Stadium to an international level bodes well for the future of both the JFF and Jamaica itself as a country, to bring events here,” Montagliani reasoned.

(from left) JFF president Michael Ricketts; Concacaf president Victor Montagliani; Lyndon Cooper, St Lucia FA president; Bermuda FA president Mark Wade, and JFF general secretary Dennis Chung share a photo opportunity.

“Whether it be regional events or even at the ultimate international level, and so we look forward to it. We told the minister [Olivia Grange] that we're here to help them in any technical way we can when they're going through the processes of design and all that. Because that's part of our job to make sure that if they're going to do it, they build it the right way. And so very excited about that,” he shared.

The president also reaffirmed Concacaf’s commitment to supporting Jamaica’s footballing infrastructure and working closely with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) to help develop the sport at all levels.

“Any decision that is made is always done for the good of the game, with the good of the game being first and foremost the players and obviously everything else that surrounds the players, coaches, administrators, and referees. After seeing the facility in Mona, I see that that spirit lives well here in Jamaica, which puts a smile on my face,” Montagliani said.

He continued: “Obviously Concacaf is here to support football. The JFF is obviously an important part of our family, and I'm also very pleased that we were joined today by two other presidents from Bermuda and St. Lucia.

“As you see by our logo, we changed it because it was very important for us to start not only talking but walking and sounding like a family. And that circle of 41 member associations represented by 41 diamonds is illustrated in this collaborative day. I'm very proud to be here, and we will continue to support the JFF and Jamaica to reach the heights that they deserve to reach.”

President of the governing body of football in the region, CONCACAF, Victor Montagliani, will be visiting Jamaica starting Wednesday October 16, 2024 for two days.

On his visit to Jamaica he will meet with the President of the Jamaica Football Federation, Michael Ricketts, the Prime Minister of Jamaica The Most Honorable Andrew Holness, and also the Minister of Sport, The Honorable Olivia Grange.

Montagliani will also watch some matches in the Jamaica Premier League.

“We are eagerly anticipating the arrival of CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani to Jamaica. This is a momentous moment for us,” Ricketts said.

“The last time he was here was for the FIFA Football Summit in Montego Bay in 2018. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with CONCACAF,” he added.

Concacaf is set to expand the women’s national team competition calendar over the next four years as it strives for continued growth and development of the women’s game in the region.

In an effort to build on the successful delivery of the inaugural Women’s Gold Cup, as well as the recently added Women’s Club Competition, which is currently ongoing, Concacaf is set to introduce additional competitions, some of which will serve as qualifiers for major tournaments between 2025 and 2029.

Concacaf, in a release on Monday, revealed that the revamped women’s national team ecosystem will provide a consistent calendar of competitions for all Concacaf federations, providing their women’s national teams with regular opportunities to compete on the regional and global stage.

Tournaments will include a new qualifying tournament in 2025 that will serve as the preliminary round of the 2026 Concacaf Women’s Championship, which will serve as the qualification path to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. There will also be the introduction of an inaugural Concacaf Women’s Nations League in 2028 and a second edition of the Women’s Gold Cup.

Concacaf president and FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani said the additional competitions augur well for women’s football in the region.

“These tournaments will provide a tremendous boost to women’s football in CONCACAF with a consistent calendar of competitions now in place for 2025 to 2029, which delivers all 41 of our federations with opportunities to grow and thrive on and off the pitch. We are now five years on from the launch of our CONCACAF W women’s football strategy, and much progress has been made,” Montagliani said.

“From establishing new competitions to celebrating six of our national teams qualifying for and competing at the last FIFA Women’s World Cup, and of course the delivery of countless coaching and development programs that have provided women and girls across our region with opportunities to engage with the sport.

“We know there remains much more work to do and we are committed to continuing to support our member federations to develop every level of women’s football in CONCACAF,” he added.

The new qualifying tournament will be played during the FIFA Women’s International Match Windows of October and November 2025 and February and April 2026. 

PIF and Concacaf inked a multi-year partnership that supports their shared ambition to grow football at every level of the game in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

It was announced on Friday after an official signing in New York.

The partnership is expected to spur the growth of the sport at all levels, inspiring more people to take up football, as well as boost Concacaf tournaments for men, women, and youth of both national teams and clubs. Additionally, the two organizations will collaborate to strengthen and advance Concacaf football development initiatives, with a focus on providing children and youth with access to the sport in all 41 Concacaf federations.

The timing of the partnership comes as the region gears up to host major football tournaments in the coming years, including the men’s and women’s Concacaf Champions Cups, the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, and the next FIFA World Cup in 2026, which will be jointly hosted by three Concacaf member federations – Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

In line with PIF’s focus on inclusivity and youth as key pillars of its sponsorship platform, the partnership will also support Concacaf in its efforts to increase the number of official youth championships it delivers in the coming years. This will provide further opportunities for emerging talents in the region, including through the Concacaf under-15, under-17, and under-20 championships for both men and women and the under-17 and under-20 competitions serving as qualification tournaments for FIFA U17 and U20 World Cups, respectively.

The Concacaf partnership adds to PIF’s growing portfolio of partnerships across tennis, golf, football, and electric motorsports, which focuses on investing in people, projects, and initiatives that embrace PIF’s four sponsorship pillars of inclusivity, sustainability, youth, and technology.

Concacaf president and FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani expressed delight at the partnership.

“We are very pleased to announce this new strategic partnership, which will support the confederation in developing all levels of football across our region,” Montagliani said.

“This is a pivotal time for PIF to connect with football in Concacaf. Interest in the sport is growing rapidly in our confederation and will reach new heights as major Concacaf competitions take place over the next two years and we get closer to the biggest-ever FIFA World Cup taking place in our region in 2026,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mohammed AlSayyad, Head of Corporate Brand at PIF, also beamed about the prospects.

“We are delighted to partner with Concacaf as the confederation enters an exciting period. Together, we will advance a series of initiatives to create a positive and lasting impact across all Concacaf competitions. As PIF expands its portfolio of inspiring sponsorships, our commitment to investing in sport remains constant,” AlSayyad shared.

The PIF and Concacaf partnership will also strengthen the growth and development of existing Concacaf initiatives. These include Concacaf’s “Bigger Game,” which leverages the popularity of football as a vehicle to deliver sport and education programs and initiatives in local communities across its 41-member federations and aims to build community partnerships, improve awareness, and amplify the voices of program beneficiaries.

The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) will now assume responsibility for the organization and management of the Caribbean Club Shield, as Concacaf has opted to shift the respected Caribbean club competition from its portfolio.

As such, CFU will take the reins of the tournament, which will be rebranded as the CFU Club Shield for the 2024 edition and onwards, and will qualify two clubs into the Concacaf Caribbean Cup. While CFU will organize and manage the competition, Concacaf will provide support for its delivery, as per the terms of what is viewed as a significant transition agreement. 

According to Concacaf President, Victor Montagliani, this decision reflects a collaborative effort between Concacaf and the CFU to further bolster the growth of clubs and leagues, and football as a whole, across the Caribbean region.

“The development of regional club football is a major priority for Concacaf and alongside our Caribbean member associations, we are dedicated to fully supporting the growth of clubs and leagues across a region known for its passion for the sport. This collaboration with the CFU is a testament to the leadership of the CFU President and highlights the ambition we share to deliver opportunities that will take the game in the Caribbean to the next level. We look forward with great anticipation to supporting the delivery of the inaugural CFU Club Shield later this year," Montagliani shared.

His CFU counterpart Randolph Harris expressed his delight to take the reins.

“The CFU is extremely pleased to be taking over the management and organization of the Club Shield, and to rebrand it as an official CFU competition. We welcome the cooperation from Concacaf in ushering in this new era of the CFU delivering an important club competition and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the Confederation to grow club and league football in the region. We are excited to deliver a competition that is as robust as any on the field of play and to delivering administration that meets and exceeds the mark,” said Harris.

Established in 2018, the Caribbean Club Shield has a primary objective of advancing professional football throughout the Caribbean. Participation is open to semi-professional and amateur teams holding current championship titles in their respective domestic leagues.

The tournament format involves up to 16 clubs, grouped into four sets of four. Winners of each group progress to the semifinals, with the ultimate finalists earning coveted berths in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, subsequently qualifying for the Concacaf Champions Cup.

In 2023, Suriname’s SV Robinhood emerged victorious in both the Caribbean Club Shield and the Caribbean Cup. The team has solidified their position as the most successful team in the history of the Caribbean Club Shield, boasting two championship titles.

This year's edition is set to unfold from July 25 to August 4, 2024. The venue for this year's competition will be announced in short order.

CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani believes next year's Copa America will serve as perfect preparation for the 2026 World Cup.

Joining the 10 South American teams in the 2024 Copa America, which will be held in the United States, will be six teams from CONCACAF.

The USA, Mexico, Jamaica and Panama are already assured of their places in the tournament, with Costa Rica or Honduras and Canada or Trinidad and Tobago to take the remaining two spots.

With the expanded, 48-team World Cup in 2026 also taking place in North America, CONCACAF president Montagliani hopes the Copa America presents the perfect opportunity for the federation's teams to prepare.

"It's evidence of when leadership and two very important confederations come together and put football first. The game is going to win here because you're going to have a great tournament next year," Montagliani told Concacaf.com.

"I think we realised early on that we needed to make sure that we made our own competitions better, like our Nations League, our Gold Cup.

"This was an opportunity, after speaking with my counterpart, Alejandro Dominguez, to come together and partner with them, not just on the men's side like we have now with Copa America, but also on the women's side with a Women's Gold Cup.

"This fits in well with our strategy to increase not only the quantity of competitions, but also the quality of competitions, and this will help our teams prepare for the World Cup in our backyard.

"FIFA is also going to have the Club World Cup here in 2025 and I think from a fan's perspective, I'm not sure we've ever had this, so it's a great time to be involved in the game, at whatever level you are.

"I think it's a bit of a coming out party for our region. Obviously, we've struggled in the past at many levels, but I think, as I said a long time ago, for the work we've done in the last six years, we deserve the right to think long-term.

"We also now deserve the right to enjoy the present and all the football that is coming our way."

Reigning Copa and world champions Argentina were placed in Group A in Thursday's draw, alongside Peru, Chile and Canada or Trinidad and Tobago. The USA will face Uruguay, Panama and Bolivia in Group C, while Brazil will go up against Colombia, Paraguay and Costa Rica or Honduras in Group D.

Two CONCACAF teams should also fancy their chances of progressing from Group B, with Mexico and Jamaica – who count the likes of Leon Bailey, Michail Antonio and Demarai Gray in their squad – going up against Venezuela and Ecuador.

The draw opened up as such that another Argentina-Brazil final could be on the cards.

The 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup will be played between February 17 – March 10, 2024, in the United States, Concacaf announced on Wednesday.

CONMEBOL and Concacaf have announced the signing of a strategic collaboration agreement to strengthen and develop football in both regions. The agreement includes men's and women's national team competitions and a new men's club tournament.

The CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 will be played in the United States in the summer of 2024 and will include 10 CONMEBOL teams and the six best Concacaf teams, as guests. This traditional CONMEBOL tournament will be co-organized by both confederations.

The six Concacaf national teams will have the opportunity to qualify for this competition through the 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League.

For CONMEBOL, this agreement will support its men's national teams in their preparation for the upcoming World Cup through an expanded Copa America featuring six elite Concacaf teams, organized in the region that will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Similarly, this agreement will allow Concacaf to provide more high-quality competition for its men's national teams over the next two years, including the conclusion of the 2022/23 Concacaf Nations League, the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup and the 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League.

For women's national teams, Concacaf has invited the top four CONMEBOL national teams to participate in the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup. The inaugural edition of this 12-team tournament, which is a key part of Concacaf’s new women's national team ecosystem, will be played in the United States.

The two Concacaf teams that will participate in the 2024 Summer Olympics (United States and Jamaica or Canada) will qualify directly for the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup. The remaining six Concacaf teams will be determined through the 2023 Road to Concacaf W Gold Cup.

The four guest CONMEBOL teams that will participate have been determined based on the results of the 2022 Women’s Copa America: Brazil (champion) Colombia (runner-up), Argentina (third place) and Paraguay (fourth place).

CONMEBOL and Concacaf will also organize a centralized "final four" style club competition featuring the best clubs from the respective confederations. The four participating teams (two from each confederation) will qualify through existing CONMEBOL and Concacaf club competitions and the two confederations are working towards the first edition of this tournament being played in 2024.

 “CONMEBOL and Concacaf are united by historical and affective ties. But above all, we are united by the passion, characteristic of all the Americas, for football and sports,” said CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez.

“We are determined to renew and expand our joint initiatives and projects. We want this passion to translate into more and better competitions and for football and its values to grow and strengthen throughout the hemisphere. Without a doubt, both confederations believe in big, and we will work with this orientation.”

Meanwhile, Victor Montagliani, President of Concacaf, believes this new initiative will be a boon to both confederations.

“This is a partnership to support the ongoing growth of men’s and women’s football in Concacaf and CONMEBOL, and will truly be of mutual benefit to both Confederations,” he said.

“Working hand in hand with CONMEBOL, we will deliver elite competitions that will provide more opportunities for our federations, and that we know passionate fans want to see. We look forward to working together to ensure that football in both regions continues to thrive.”