USA to host Jamaica in men's and women's double-header

USA men and women will face Jamaica in a doubleheader of senior internationals at Leto High School Stadium, Tampa, Florida on Saturday, December 6. The women’s match kicks off at 3.30pm with the men following at 6.30pm.

Just four points separated the men’s teams when they last met in 2023, the Hawks winning 30-26 in Kingston.

USA head coach, Sean Rutgerson, said: “It’s good to get an annual event on the calendar. It helps with sponsorship, opportunities for greater crowds, creates a bigger event and offers a great experience for all the players.”

For Jamaica’s women, it will be chance to measure improvement against the USA after last year’s 44-0 defeat in the Americas Rugby League World Cup 2026 qualifying tournament, which itself was a vast improvement on 2023’s encounter in Kingston which ended in an 80-8 defeat.

The announcement follows an earlier one that Jamaica women will face both Scotland and the England Community Lions in the Autumn with a view to expanding their heritage programme in the UK, while the Reggae Warriors men will travel to France on 25 October for the IRL Men’s RLWC2026 Northern Hemisphere final qualifier.

Romeo Monteith, Jamaica director of rugby, commented: “We are looking forward to these games, historic in nature, as it will be first time running a men’s and women’s game on the same day for us.

"We’ve always been committed to promoting the international game in the Americas and this is another great occasion to do so. We hope to see players from all over the Americas and the UK repping Jamaica in these matches”