Published Mar 23, 10:31am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 23, 10:31am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated Mar 23, 10:31am ET
The Inter-Confederation playoffs to achieve a place at the 2026 World Cup are set for this week, as Jamaica face New Caledonia for the right to play DR Congo.
Jamaica’s challenging CONCACAF qualifying campaign ended with them finishing second in Group B, while New Caledonia were denied automatic progression following a defeat against New Zealand last year.
A turbulent qualifying campaign eventually saw Jamaica finish second in their Group B standings, missing out on automatic qualification to Curacao.
Steve McLaren left his post after that setback, with Rudolph Speid placed in interim control for this month’s matches. Jamaica’s form has picked up this calendar year with back-to-back wins in friendlies, but they have failed to win three of their last four competitive fixtures.
Experienced players such as Leon Bailey and Damarai Gray will be crucial to their chances of reaching the World Cup for just the second time in their history.
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New Caledonia will be massive outsiders to reach the World Cup for the first time, but Johann Sidaner has installed a belief within the team that they could achieve that unlikely feat.
The nation enjoyed one of their best-ever qualifying campaigns, but they were denied in the third-round final after losing 3-0 against New Zealand. New Caledonia had thrived in qualifying up to that point, recording faultless wins over Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.
However, a best-ever performance will be required if they are to reach the playoff final this week.
| TOTAL | Jamaica | New Caledonia | DRAWS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Goals | 0 | 0 | 0 |
There is a gulf in quality between these sides, and that makes it hard to foresee New Caledonia achieving the impossible. We fully expect Jamaica to set up an inter-confederation playoff final with DR Congo.
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Jamaica
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