The Philadelphia Union are on a brief break before continuing their postseason campaign on Sunday at Subaru Park against New York City FC in the MLS Cup Playoff Semifinals.
Despite the pause from club play, there’s no shortage of excitement for the Boys in Blue, as two of their own are away with their national teams competing for a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Both Andre Blake and Danley Jean Jacques have the chance to qualify on Tuesday night, as Jamaica and Haiti each play their final match of the CONCACAF qualifiers at 8pm ET.
Reggae Boyz can seal a spot with a win
Three-time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and team leader Andre Blake is a longtime Jamaican National Team captain, and on Tuesday, he and the Reggae Boyz will play Curaçao in last match of the qualifiying round. Should they win, they’d earn a spot in the FIFA World Cup for the second time in the country’s history, claiming one of three direct qualification spots available to CONCACAF teams. If they don’t defeat Curaçao, who sit one point above them in Group B, they could still battle for a spot in the World Cup through the FIFA Play-off Tournament.
Jamaica’s only World Cup appearance was in 1998, when they drew against Mexico in the qualifiers to earn a trip to France where they faced Croatia, Argentina, and Japan. Blake and his team enters Tuesday's match after a 1-1 draw against Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday on the road. They've since returned to Jamaica, hosting Curaçao in Kingston.
Haiti looks to qualify for the second time in their history
Danley Jean Jacques’s Haiti is another CONCACAF country with just one World Cup appearance – Les Grenadiers haven’t been part of the tournament since 1974 when it was played in Germany. On Tuesday night, they have a chance to earn a spot for the first time in more than 50 years with a win against Nicaragua and a loss or draw for Honduras against Costa Rica. If both win, Haiti will need to match or surpass Honduras in goal differential, as the Group C pair is currently tied for points with 8 each.
Haiti enters Tuesday night’s high-stakes match with major momentum after defeating Costa Rica 1-0 by way of a game-winner from Greek Super League player Frantzdy Pierrot.
Just like he is for Philly, Danley is an important piece of Haiti’s team, tallying six goals and three assists in 26 international appearances. The last time his country faced Nicaragua, one month ago in the qualifiers, Danley contributed a header goal in the 35th minute, helping lift the team to a 3-0 victory.
How it works
Per CONCACAF, the three group winners will qualify directly for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The two best second-place finishers will advance to the FIFA Play-Off Tournament, and as it stands, Jamaica (10 points), Panama (9 points), and Haiti (8 points) are top three in the second place rankings.
Support the Boys in Blue off the pitch
Both Blake and Danley are representing their national teams shortly after Hurricane Melissa devasted areas of their countries. In collaboration with the players, the Philadelphia Union has organized a donation drive in hopes of providing relief for those impacted by the storms. Click here for details on how to contribute!
