JFF wants another crack at Copa América
Published:Sunday | December 25, 2022 | 1:36 AMDaniel Wheeler - Staff Reporter
As plans are being crafted for the 2026 World Cup cycle, Jamaica Football Federation general secretary Dennis Chung is hoping that their preparations for qualifications will include an invite to the 2024 Copa América tournament in two years’ time
Reports have emerged that Canada, the United States, and Mexico are pursuing places in the tournament, with increased speculation that the United States will step in as the host nation after Ecuador declined last November. Jamaica competed in back-to-back Copa Américas in 2015 and 2016, the first as a guest nation and the latter being the Copa América Centenario, a special edition outside of the three-year cycle, which was held in the US.
Chung said that while he is yet to receive an update on the situation, he believes that it is something that the federation should pursue with the guidance and direction of senior men’s head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, who is expected to arrive in the island next month.
“From my personal perspective, I know I would love to go, and I know I speak for the president (Michael Ricketts) in saying that he would love to go. We would have to leave it up to the coach and the manager of the team. But we would certainly discuss it with them to see where their headspace is,” Chung told The Sunday Gleaner.
“But if we can get to play in a competition like that, definitely, we should be there.”
Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, in a recent interview with OneSoccer.com’s Kristian Jack during the 2022 World Cup, provided clarity on the situation, saying that the onus was on Conmebol regarding the six guest teams that will be invited to fill the 16-team slot.
“It’s really not the jurisdiction of a federation or a league to have those discussions. Those discussions are held by the confederations. My Gold Cup is mine. Nobody talks [about] the Gold Cup other than me. Copa América belongs to Conmebol and my partner, Alejandro Dominquez. That’s where the discussion happens,” Montagliani said.
WORLD CUP QUEST
With the USA, Mexico, and Canada hosting the 2026 World Cup and their qualification secure, it would mean that Jamaica will avoid those countries in their quest to end the more-than-20-year wait for a World Cup finals appearance. Rickett’s himself said recently that it would be a travesty if Jamaica failed to make the tournament.
Chung said that should they get an invitation, it would provide them with an opportunity to test themselves against high-quality teams, including Argentina, the reigning title holders and newly crowned World Cup champions.
“It would be very helpful because if you can get to play Copa 2024 then you get to play some real quality teams. The more international games that we can get against these teams, the better it will be for us in terms of preparation and understanding the sort of quality that we will be playing against,” Chung said.
Chung added that in the midst of a busy 2023, with the Concacaf Nations League and Gold Cup, they are looking for opportunities in the window to bring an international friendly to Jamaica.