Kingston, 17 April 2023 (JIS) - The Government will be providing support totalling $20 million to assist with Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz’ preparations for their participation in the 2023 FIFA Women’s Football World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, who made the announcement, said the support will be in the form of monthly stipends for each member of the team for nutrition and training necessities.

Disbursements are to commence at the end of April and continue up until the start of the month-long tournament on July 20.

“We certainly want to make sure that the Reggae Girlz have the best chance ever to come home with the trophy,” Ms. Grange stated.

She was speaking during a brief ceremony to mark the commencement of the Jamaica leg of the global FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy Tour, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, on Monday (April 17).

Minister Grange commended the Reggae Girlz for their exceptional efforts in qualifying for the prestigious international sporting event.

“I want to wish the Reggae Girlz, on behalf of the Government of Jamaica and the People of Jamaica, every success in this tournament,” she said.

Senior Team Manager, Crystal Walters, told JIS News that the footballers’ preparations for the tournament are in full swing.

This will see the members participating in two series camps in Florida and Jamaica, and another in Amsterdam, as well as a closed-door game in Australia.

The Reggae Girlz achieved the enviable status of being the first Caribbean country to qualify for two consecutive FIFA World Cup tournaments.

Ms. Walters attributes the team’s success to the close bond of the members. 

“Our future looks really bright for us to qualify [again], because even the under 20s, they are an amazing group, and they are worth grooming to advance and move on to the senior women’s programme,” she said.

The Reggae Girlz Group F fixtures will see the team facing off against France on July 23, Panama on July 29, and Brazil on August 2. The tournament is slated to end on August 20.

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