MIAMI, Florida (CMC) – Regional powerhouse Jamaica were the highest rated Caribbean Football Union team when CONCACAF launched its new rankings system this past week.
The Jamaicans, finalists at the last CONCACAF Gold Cup, were rated at No.6 in the Confederation behind Mexico, United States, Costa Rica, Panama and Honduras.
“The new ranking tool will update with each match result and will play a key role in determining qualification for important regional and international championships going forward,” a note on the Confederation’s website stated.
“The ranking establishes a classification that orders CONCACAF’s national teams from one to 41. Additionally, the CONCACAF Ranking Index makes it possible to calculate the probabilities of different match results (a win, a draw or a loss) for all matches in the near future.”
The rankings are based on the results of all official and friendly matches played by national teams from each of the Confederation’s member associations, taking into consideration historical data from 1990 to present day.
The rankings, however, sharply contrast with the World Rankings produced by the sport’s world governing body, FIFA, which places Jamaica at fourth in the Confederation in the last list published earlier this month with a World Ranking of 50th behind the Mexicans, Americans and Costa Ricans.
The CONCACAF Rankings also impact the order for CFU teams with Curacao holding a World Ranking of 83rd and St Kitts & Nevis rated 110th. They complete the CFU top-five based on the World Rankings behind Reggae Boyz, Soca Warriors and Haiti.
Rounding out the CFU top five in the first edition of the CONCACAF rankings behind Jamaica, however, are Haiti, T&T, Martinique and Cuba.
The new CONCACAF Rankings system will get its first test when the teams in the Confederation participate in the Nations League qualifying draw next Wednesday.
CFU Rankings
(According to CONCACAF Rankings at March 1, 2018)
1. Jamaica
2. Haiti
3. Trinidad & Tobago
4. Cuba
5. French Guiana
6. Guadeloupe
7. St Kitts & Nevis
8 Curacao
9. Suriname
10. Antigua & Barbuda
11. Dominican Republic
12. Bermuda
13. Guyana
14. Belize
15. Bonaire
16. Grenada
17. St. Vincent & the Grenadines
18. St. Lucia
19. Barbados
20. Puerto Rico
21. Bahamas
22. Dominica
23. Aruba
24. Cayman Islands
25. Turks & Caicos Islands
26. Montserrat
27. United States Virgin Islands
28. St Martin
29. St Maarten
30. Anguilla
31. British Virgin Islands
