Jamaica’s senior women’s national football team will close the calendar year ranked 39th in the world, according to FIFA’s final women’s rankings for 2025, a meaningful milestone that underscores the program’s growing international credibility.

The finish places the Reggae Girlz inside the global top 40 for only the second time in their history, reaffirming their status as one of the region’s most competitive sides.

A season of contrasts

The journey to year’s end was far from smooth. Between April and June, Jamaica endured a difficult stretch, dropping four consecutive matches against heavyweight opponents Mexico, the United States, and England. Those results tested the team’s depth and resilience and briefly stalled their upward momentum.

Yet the Reggae Girlz regrouped decisively in the latter part of the year, rediscovering their attacking edge and competitive confidence when it mattered most.

Strong finish fuels ranking rise

Jamaica closed the year with back-to-back victories, highlighted by an emphatic 18-0 triumph over Dominica in a Concacaf Women’s World Cup qualifying match last month. That commanding performance played a key role in lifting the team back into the top 40 and restoring positive momentum heading into 2026.

The 39th-place finish marks Jamaica’s highest ranking since August 2023, when the Reggae Girlz climbed to a historic 37th following their breakthrough run to the knockout stages of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Once again, the team finds itself operating within sight of its all-time best, reinforcing the lasting impact of recent World Cup appearances.

Regional standing remains strong

Within Concacaf, Jamaica continues to hold firm as the region’s fourth-highest ranked women’s team, trailing only traditional powers the United States, Canada, and Mexico, a position that reflects both consistency and growing competitiveness.

International play resumes in March, when the Reggae Girlz face Nicaragua in their second group match of Concacaf Women’s World Cup qualifying. With confidence restored and rankings momentum behind them, Jamaica will look to carry its strong finish into the next phase of its qualifying campaign.

Grand Slam Track, the ambitious professional league spearheaded by Olympic sprint legend Michael Johnson, has filed for bankruptcy protection after canceling its final scheduled meet and failing to meet payment obligations to athletes and vendors.

The Chapter 11 filing, submitted Thursday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, confirms a dramatic reversal for a venture that launched with bold promises of six-figure prize money and a reimagined future for track and field.

From US$30 million promise to barely five figures

At its inception, Johnson publicly touted a US$30 million financial foundation designed to stabilize the league and attract the sport’s elite. Court documents now paint a starkly different picture.

In its filing, Grand Slam Track disclosed that it has less than US$50,000 in cash on hand, between 200 and 999 creditors, and liabilities estimated between US$10 million and US$50 million.

Johnson refuses to abandon the project

Despite the sobering financial disclosures, Johnson struck a defiant tone in a news release announcing the bankruptcy proceedings.

“I refuse to give up on the mission of Grand Slam Track and the future we are building together,” Johnson said.

The filing represents not an end, he insists, but a restructuring effort aimed at preserving the league’s long-term vision.

Big names, big expectations

Grand Slam Track entered the sport with immediate credibility, signing some of the most recognizable names in global athletics. World champions Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Anna Hall, and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden were among the stars who committed to the project, lending legitimacy to Johnson’s goal of keeping track and field relevant beyond Olympic years.

That promise, however, has been undermined by mounting financial instability.

Unpaid athletes and vendors signal trouble

Concerns over the league’s finances became public in October, when The Athletic reported that several top athletes were still owed six-figure sums. Vendors, meanwhile, were presented with a stark choice: accept 50 percent of what they were owed or risk the league filing for bankruptcy.

Many declined the offer, further accelerating the league’s downward spiral.

The league’s struggles crystallized in June, when Grand Slam Track abruptly canceled its Los Angeles meet, the fourth and final event scheduled for its inaugural season. The cancellation effectively ended the league’s debut campaign and foreshadowed the bankruptcy filing that followed months later.

A rebuild, not a goodbye

In its official statement, Grand Slam Track described the Chapter 11 process as a pathway forward rather than a surrender.

The reorganization, the league said, will provide “the ability to return for future seasons and pursue new initiatives, including through the expansion of participatory events, enhanced media offerings, and deeper connections with the global running community.”

Whether that vision can be revived remains uncertain, but for now, Grand Slam Track’s grand experiment has shifted from the track to the courtroom.

Barbadian professional bodybuilder Lamar Coward delivered a standout performance on the global stage, finishing second at the 2025 International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) Pro World Championships last weekend in Póvoa de Lanhoso, Portugal.

Competing in the Classic Physique division, Coward posted a total of 16 points across three rounds, securing a podium place at one of the sport’s most prestigious events.

Narrow margin at the top

Coward’s score included six points in the opening round, four in round two, and six more in the final comparison. That total left him just behind France’s Maxime Ratier, who claimed the world title with 11 points. Portugal’s Duarte Gomes completed the top three.

Reflecting on the competition from Italy, where he is currently spending time following the championships, Coward told the media house Weekend Sport that his silver-medal finish was the product of deliberate adjustments made earlier in the season.

“I came second at the Roger Boyce Classic in May, and after that I knew some changes needed to be made,” he said.

For the first time in several years, Coward turned to outside guidance.

“I actually hired a coach this time around. I’d been coaching myself for the last few years, but this prep I worked with Darren Farrow from Ireland through J3U Coaching.”

Trusting the process

Handing over control, Coward explained, was a natural evolution rather than a leap of faith. He described bodybuilding as “a long-term experiment,” where progress often remains invisible until weeks, or months, later.

“A lot of the preparation comes down to the last few weeks, when you start seeing the hard work pay off, but you’re not always sure of the path,” he said.
“Coaches help with the plan and the reassurance, based on experience.”

Built for the moment

Entering the championships, Coward carried quiet confidence, bolstered by the addition of roughly 20 pounds of muscle to his frame, a calculated response to feedback from previous competitions that he believed would enhance his competitiveness.

The 2023 Roger Boyce Classic Physique champion also leaned on experience, noting that the pressures of the big stage no longer disrupt his focus. By the time his name is called, his posing routine is already firmly set in his mind.

Presentation remains a defining element of Classic Physique, and music selection played a key role in Coward’s performance. For Portugal, he adopted a more classical tone, choreographing his routine to Vivaldi’s Winter, a choice he felt best showcased his physique and transitions.

Reading the stage

Coward acknowledged that final announcements always bring tension, but experience sharpens perception.

“You can kind of size up guys faster,” he said.

“Based on the posing, pre-judging, and how they shift you around in the final comparison, you get an idea, okay, I’m in the middle next to this guy, so they’re comparing us for first or second.”

At one point, Coward allowed himself to believe the top spot was within reach. When he was ultimately announced as runner-up, the feeling, he admitted, was “almost”, but one that carried both satisfaction and motivation.

For Lamar Coward, the silver medal represents not an ending, but a clear signal that he remains firmly among the world’s elite.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — West Indies captain Roston Chase did not mince words after his side suffered a nine-wicket defeat to New Zealand inside three days of the second Test on Friday, describing the batting performance as deeply disappointing and out of step with the effort shown by the bowlers.

The West Indies’ struggles with the bat defined the match. After being dismissed for 205 in their first innings, they fared even worse in the second, collapsing for 128. Only four batters reached double figures, and just two managed scores of 25 or more, figures that left the bowlers with little to defend.

Bowlers keep hope alive

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Chase emphasized that the batting failures were magnified by the discipline and resilience shown by the bowling unit, which held New Zealand to 278 in their first innings and kept the contest alive longer than the scoreline might suggest.

“I’m obviously disappointed. I thought we were in a good position up to this morning,” Chase said. “Even though in the first innings we thought that we should have gotten some more runs with a number of batsmen getting some starts, but we didn’t really convert into anything big.”

Missed opportunities compound the damage

The captain believed the match slipped away not because conditions were overwhelming, but because of repeated lapses at crucial moments.

“We thought that we left some runs out there in the first innings and we thought that we would have gotten those runs in the second innings, but it didn’t happen,” he said. “So I’m very disappointed for us after the bowlers really put up their hands and brought us back into the game.”

Sharp contrast to Christchurch heroics

The collapse was all the more frustrating given how recently the West Indies had showcased their batting depth. Just days earlier in Christchurch, they produced a record 457 for six in the second innings of the first Test to force a draw.

“A different game, different conditions,” Chase acknowledged, “but I still thought the pitch was one that we could score runs on. Personally, I thought it was not as tough as the first game in Christchurch.”

He added, “I thought in the first innings in Christchurch the ball was doing a whole lot, but I didn’t think that was the case here.”

Crucial errors at key moments

According to Chase, the decisive damage came from mistakes that snowballed and left the team constantly chasing the game.

“I just thought that we made some mistakes at some crucial points in the game and we just never really got our feet back into the game today,” he admitted.

Despite the setback, Chase insisted the West Indies remain focused on ending the series on a positive note when the third and final Test begins on December 18 at Mount Maunganui.

“It was and always will be the motivation for this team to win a game in New Zealand,” he said. “The last time we won was in 1995, so we want to leave here with a win.”

Confidence in the squad remains

The captain believes the ingredients for success are already in place, particularly with the ball.

“We came close in the first innings, and we still think that we are capable enough to get a win,” Chase said. “But it’s just for the batting to be consistent, because the bowlers have shown that they are capable of getting us those 20 wickets that we need to get.”

For West Indies, the challenge is now clear: match the bowlers’ bite with runs on the board, and turn disappointment into redemption at Mount Maunganui.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Jacob Duffy capped a devastating match with another masterclass in seam bowling, carving through a brittle West Indies batting order to propel New Zealand to a commanding nine-wicket victory inside three days of the second Test on Friday.

The fast bowler claimed his second five-wicket haul of the series, as the visitors were bundled out for a paltry 128 at the Basin Reserve, completing a collapse that left New Zealand with a routine chase and a 1-0 lead in the three-match series following the drawn opener.

Another batting collapse exposed

Resuming the day already trailing by 73 runs on first innings, the West Indies produced yet another dispiriting display with the bat. Their second-innings total marked their sixth-lowest Test score against New Zealand and underscored a growing vulnerability against sustained pace and discipline.

Duffy finished with figures of 5-38, while Michael Rae provided able support with 3-45, keeping constant pressure on a line-up that never truly settled.

Hope flickers, then fades early

Beginning the morning on 32 for two, the West Indies harbored belief that they could summon something special, still buoyed by memories of their heroic second-innings stand in the first Test.

Brandon King and Kavem Hodge appeared composed early, adding 18 runs with little alarm during the opening exchanges. But a moment of confusion abruptly shifted the match’s momentum.

King drove Rae to cover and set off for a single, only to be sent back by Hodge, who hesitated after initially committing. A sharp throw from Michael Bracewell was calmly gathered by wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay, leaving King short of his ground and the West Indies deflated.

Rae and Duffy tighten the noose

The slide accelerated almost immediately. Five balls later, Rae struck again when Shai Hope’s attempted block ballooned back to the bowler, who gratefully accepted the return catch. At 58 for four, the visitors were already fighting to survive.

Captain Roston Chase’s struggles with the bat continued when he gloved a sharp, rising delivery from Duffy behind for just two. Soon after, substitute fielder Will Young produced a superb two-handed effort at short midwicket, completed on the second attempt, to remove Hodge for a team-high 35. At 88 for six, the contest was effectively decided.

Brief resistance, swift end

Justin Greaves and Tevin Imlach momentarily steadied the innings with a 25-run stand, offering brief resistance before Duffy returned after lunch to end Greaves’ stay. Initially given not out, Greaves was adjudged lbw on review, and the door slammed shut once more.

With only one run added, Imlach edged Duffy to second slip, where Tom Latham made no mistake. Rae then bowled Jayden Seales for a duck, before Duffy fittingly dismissed Ojay Shields to complete his second five-wicket haul in just his second Test.

New Zealand waste no time

Chasing a modest 56 for victory, New Zealand suffered only a minor hiccup when Anderson Phillip removed Latham for nine. From there, Devon Conway and Kane Williamson erased any lingering doubt in emphatic fashion.

Conway struck an unbeaten 28 from just 22 balls, including six fours, while Williamson finished on 16 not out as the Black Caps reached 57 for one in just 10 overs, scoring at nearly six runs an over.

Series momentum shifts

With the victory, New Zealand seized a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, rewarding their bowlers’ dominance and exposing ongoing concerns in the West Indies’ batting depth.

Duffy’s performance earned him the Player-of-the-Match award, a fitting recognition for a spell that decisively shaped the contest.

Football betting draws many players who look for clarity, skill, and value. This opening paragraph outlines core markets readers should know before placing stakes. Simple language helps beginners learn quickly while giving savvy readers a useful refresher. The article focuses on market types, how they work, and smart ways to approach them. Expect clear examples, practical tips, and plain guidance that flows logically from one section to the next. No confusing jargon appears here so readers can apply ideas right away and make better wagering choices.

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Asian Handicap Market

Asian handicap reduces draw influence for clearer pricing in matches.
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Outright Tournament Winner

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Live streaming of football matches generates a peculiar atmosphere in which the odds vary quickly, feelings are at their peak, and chances come and go within seconds. This environment is liked by a lot of bettors since it is full of life and unpredictable; however, those who manage the turmoil are the ones who discover the opportunity of being strategically placed over others in the pre-match betting. The secret lies in recognizing the impact of momentum, pressure, and timing on both the game and the market.

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Reading Momentum Shifts Quickly

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In-play betting is a reward for bettors who can maintain calm during the fast-moving game. By being able to read the trend, making use of the stats, and being disciplined in timing one’s entry, the bettors in ทางเข้าufabet can spot consistent value even in the middle of a chaotic match. The more you practice the technique of ruling out panic and concentrating on patterns, the easier it becomes to make the decisions that will outlast the unpredictable swings of live football.