The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has clarified the circumstances surrounding the cancellation of the proposed international friendly between the Reggae Girlz and Nigeria’s Super Falcons.
The fixture, which was scheduled to take place in England as part of the Unity Cup activities, was called off after concerns over FIFA regulations and player release arrangements.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the JFF denied reports suggesting the game was cancelled because of administrative shortcomings on Jamaica’s part.
The federation said: “Contrary to reports suggesting that the fixture was cancelled due to ‘administrative issues’ on the part of Jamaica, the facts are as follows.”
According to the federation, organisers invited the Jamaican women’s national team to face Nigeria during the Unity Cup in the United Kingdom.
The JFF explained that the proposed dates for the match were May 27, 28 or 30, 2026, but noted that the dates fell outside the official FIFA Women’s International Window scheduled for June 1 to June 9, 2026.
It stated: “As a result, clubs would not have been obligated under FIFA regulations to release players for international duty during the proposed period.”
The federation added that the matter had been communicated clearly to organisers from the beginning while discussions continued in the hope of reaching a suitable arrangement.
“At no point was the matter related to administrative shortcomings on the part of the Jamaica Football Federation,” the statement added.
The JFF also stressed that it maintained a positive relationship with both the organisers and the Nigeria Football Federation.
The federation said it remained open to exploring the possibility of arranging a fixture between both teams during an approved FIFA international window.
“The Jamaica Football Federation remains committed to ensuring that all international engagements involving our national teams are conducted in accordance with FIFA regulations and in the best interest of our players and programme development,” the statement read.
The cancellation means the Super Falcons will now have to seek alternative preparation matches ahead of their upcoming international assignments.
