Jamaica draw up 10-player England wish list in plan to lure top talent before World Cup

Jamaica have drawn up a list of English-based stars to try to recruit as they target the 2026 World Cup.

The Reggae Boyz won’t be at Qatar this winter and their sole World Cup appearance remains France 1998. But they have a great chance to make it in 2026 as the tournament is being shared by US, Mexico and Canada, who all qualify automatically as hosts.

It leaves the race wide open in the CONCACAF region to qualify and Jamaica are determined to seize the opportunity. Boosted by a bumper sponsorship deal which is in the pipeline with a global household name, they are now investing in their facilities and infrastructure.

Jamaica head coach Paul Hall has also drawn up a list of potential new players including Everton ’s Demarai Gray, Morgan Gibbs-White of Wolves, Brentford’s Rico Henry, Norwich’s Max Aarons and Crystal Palace ’s Nathan Ferguson. West Ham star Michail Antonio made his debut last year for Jamaica, who play Catalonia in a friendly on Wednesday.

Now other players are being targeted including youngsters like Arsenal starlet Kido Taylor Hart, Joel Latibeaudiere of Swansea, Lewis Baker of Stoke, Chelsea ’s Luke Badley-Morgan and Fulham ’s Xavier Benjamin. Most like Taylor Hart, Latibeaudiere, Badley-Morgan and Benjamin have already been called up by England’s youth teams.

But Hall’s former Portsmouth and Jamaica team-mate Fitzroy Simpson is helping with the nation’s recruitment. He too fancied playing for England in his distinguished career with Manchester City before eventually opting for Jamaica.

He never regretted the decision as he went on to make 36 appearances including playing at the World Cup. Simpson,52, said: “Paul and I talk regularly. He is determined to put together a strong attempt to qualify