Montego Bay United’s midfielder Demario Phillips has been drafted into the Reggae Boyz squad to replace Hull City’s Kasey Palmer for the two games against St Vincent and the Grenadines on March 21 and 25.

The 26-year-old Phillips last represented Jamaica in two International Friendlies on February 6 and 9 this year with a largely local-based team and gets another bite at the cherry. The Reggae Boyz will face St Vincent in two games in the CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification of which they are highly fancied to advance to the next round.0

Phillips who made his Reggae Boyz debut in 2022 against Qatar has 11 caps for Jamaica.

The Reggae Boyz delegation arrived in St Vincent on Tuesday and will prepare for the first leg encounter on Friday, March 21.

The official draw for the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup will take place on Thursday, April 10. The 18th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup is set to take place this summer from June 14 to July 6, spanning 14 stadiums across the United States and Canada.

The tournament will feature 16 men’s national teams, including 15 from Concacaf and Saudi Arabia as a guest nation.

The final will be held on July 6 at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, marking the first time the Gold Cup Final will be played in the State of Texas. 

The 2025 Gold Cup will provide teams with invaluable preparation for the 2026 World Cup qualification as Jamaica are fancied to reach their second Men’s FIFA World Cup following their historic qualification in 1998.