Hallgrimmsson believes there is no time to waste on the road to the World Cup in 2026.

While the 2026 FIFA World Cup may seem far away, Senior Reggae Boyz Head Coach Heimir Hallgrimsson believes that preparation for the global showcase should begin now.

The Icelandic national stressed the importance of having a broad-based plan for investing in young players as part of the overall process.

The 23rd edition will be co-hosted by 16 cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, marking the first time the event has been co-hosted by three countries.

"The big challenge for us is to qualify for the World Cup in 2026. It may seem far away in your mind, but the preparation for, and qualification for, that one begins in less than a year "Hallgrimsson made the remarks during a live stream of the unveiling of the national teams' adidas uniforms on Tuesday.

"We have a lot of talent all over the world, and we have a lot of talent here in Jamaica, so we need to get to work on improving these guys.

"As a result, elite coaching is required for the youngsters to improve.

Hallgrimsson used the Qatar 2022 World Cup to emphasize that talented youth players have demonstrated that they represent both the present and the future.

"And if you look back at the last World Cup, the players who were most impressive were around 21 years old, and I could name ten players who really shone.

"What are we doing for the players who will turn 21 in 2026? We must take the initiative there. We need to step up big time there. Those are the players who will be at the pinnacle of their games in three to four years," the former Icelandic coach added.

According to Hallgrimsson, qualifying for the 48th Copa America in 2024 will be critical to Jamaica's participation in the FIFA World Cup.

"Why do we have to be prepared right now? Is it true that we must finish in the top six to qualify for Copa America? It would be invaluable in preparing for the World Cup to be able to compete in finals with the national team.

"We will not participate in unofficial games and test players about whom we know nothing. So that was the game thinking, but it was also a strategy for how we wanted to move forward and be more professional in our planning for the coming years. "We must invest now for the future," he stated.

"In my experience, I believe it is necessary to be clear and transparent about how we want to play, how we want to behave, how we want to dress now, and so on. You know what is expected of you when you arrive at the national team, but it takes time to introduce yourself. This is why it is critical that we