Jamaica announce squad for Unity Cup 2026 vs India, Zimbabwe and Nigeria

Reggae Boys are the reigning runners-up of the Unity Cup

Jamaica were on the verge of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026 after a stellar campaign in the CONCACAF FIFA World Cup qualifiers, but a late goal from Axel Tuanzebe in the extra time destroyed the Jamaican dream of making it to the World Cup after 28 years.

The Reggae Boys have taken part in almost every edition of the Unity Cup and have made it to two finals in the last three editions. They will kickstart their Unity Cup 2026 campaign against debutants India at the Valley in South East London, the home of former FA Cup winners, Charlton Athletics.

After a near miss at the World Cup, the Jamaican team will be raring to go, all guns blazing and clinch their first ever Unity Cup title. They are led by head coach Rudolph Speid, who has chosen a relatively young squad and given opportunities to many new faces.

In this article, we take a closer look at their squad for the Unity Cup 2026. Most of the players compete in the top American and European leagues. Some players like Tyrese Hall, Caelan-Kole Cadamarteri, compete in the English leagues.

Jamaica’s squad for the Unity Cup 2026

Head Coach: Rudolph Speid

Goalkeepers

• Joshua Grant
• Coniah Boyce-Clarke
• Tafari Chambers

Defenders

• Damion Lowe
• Joel Latibeaudiere
• Jeovanni Laing
• Odin Samuels-Smith
• Ronaldo Webster
• Christopher Ainsworth
• Dexter Lembikisa
• Marlon van de Wetering

Midfielders

• Isaac Hayden
• Courtney Clarke
• Nickyle Ellis
• Dwight Merrick
• Brandon Cover
• Tyrese Hall

Forwards

• Bailey-Tye Cadamarteri
• Caelan-Kole Cadamarteri
• Dajaune Brown
• Nick Simmonds
• Kaheim Dixon
• Nickalia Fuller
• Raheem Edwards

Big missing names

Some big names are still missing from the squad. Leon Bailey from Aston Villa who became the first Jamaican player to win the UEFA Europa League will be out of the squad, whereas Ethan Pinnock of Brentford declined the call-up for this tournament, alongside other senior players, following Jamaica’s exit from World Cup qualifiers.

The Unity Cup 2026 fixtures

Semifinal 1

• Nigeria vs Zimbabwe
• Venue: The Valley
• Date: 27 May (26 May in UK)
• Time: 12:00 am IST (7:30 pm in BST)

Semifinal 2

• India vs Jamaica
• Venue: The Valley
• Date: 28 May (27 May in UK)
• Time: 12:00 am IST (7:30 pm in BST)

Third place playoff

• Loser of Semifinal 1 vs Loser of Semifinal 2
• Venue: The Valley
• Date: 30 May (30 May in UK)
• Time: 6:30 pm IST (2:00 pm in BST)

The Final

• Winner of Semifinal 1 vs Winner of Semifinal 2
• Venue: The Valley
• Date: 31 May (30 May in UK)
• Time: 12:00 am IST (7:30 pm in BST)

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