Caribbean Coaches Reflect on U-17 FIFA World Cup Qualification: “Victory for the entire region” | OneFootball

MIAMI.- The 2026 Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers saw the qualification of three Caribbean teams - Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba - to the FIFA Under-17 World Cup later this year, which marks a notable achievement for the region. 

Haiti, who topped Group C on nine points, landed its second consecutive qualification to the Under-17 World Cup after its 2025 success. The Under-17s follow closely on the heels of the senior men’s team that booked World Cup 2026 qualification last year. 

Cuba punched its ticket to a FIFA Under-17 World Cup for the first time since 1991, having earned pole position in Group F with seven points. 

Jamaica, for its part, qualified for a third time at the Under-17 level having done so in 1999 and 2011. 

Ambassadors for the Caribbean and Concacaf 

While the young Reggae Boyz celebrate the moment as a Jamaican success story, the team’s manager, in a spirit of regional solidarity, preferred to see the success in a broader context. 

“The performance of Jamaica and the other qualified Caribbean teams speaks to the growth of the game at the youth level,” Jamaica U-17 head coach Wendell Downswell told Concacaf.com. “To have three Caribbean teams says a lot about where the region’s football is headed and this should be viewed as victory for the entire region.” 

“What Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba have done should serve as inspiration for other Caribbean nations to trust the process of development and must keep faith that the sky's the limit. If we can do it, they must believe that they can do it as well,” Downswell added. 

“Importantly, also, is that these players will get the opportunity to showcase their talent, and with this exposure, these players will develop and make the competitions in the Caribbean and Concacaf more competitive,” he continued. “With our players operating in a more competitive arena, it will speak volumes for the whole development because, as you know, the gap is closing between the more established nations and the smaller ones in the Caribbean.”  

Haiti U-17 head coach Kowsky Sainvil also emphasized what the qualification means for the country’s young generation. 

“Qualifying for the U-17 World Cup finals for the fourth time is a huge achievement for our young generation. Their passion, hard work and determination show that Haitian football has a powerful future. They make the nation proud,” Sainvil said. 

Sainvil also pointed to the broader significance of three Caribbean teams advancing from the qualifiers. 

“This shows that football is progressing in the Caribbean. I hope we keep this momentum going,” he added. 

Cuba U-17 head coach Sandro Sevillano also reflected on his team’s historic return to the global stage and the progress of Caribbean football. 

“It is a reality that all Caribbean countries are developing their footballing ideas, and like any process, over time it begins to bear fruit,” Sevillano said. 

He added that his team hopes to approach the FIFA U-17 World Cup with confidence while gaining valuable experience on the international stage. 

“I am not talking about winning the World Cup, although that would be a dream, but rather about gaining experience, putting on a good performance, and competing in every match without fear,” he said. 

The other nations that complete Concacaf's eight allocated slots to the FIFA Under-17 World Cup are the United States, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras and Mexico.