Fifth-place finish for Jamaica Drone Soccer at Intercontinental Cup

Jamaica’s drone soccer team has secured a fifth-place finish at the 2026 Federation of International Dronesoccer Association (FIDA) Intercontinental Cup in South Korea, delivering a strong performance despite the challenges of international travel and competing against some of the world’s leading teams.

The Jamaicans, who travelled to South Korea with the goal of making their mark on the international stage, demonstrated resilience and determination throughout the competition, navigating a delayed flight, adjusting to a new time zone and adapting quickly to the demands of competing in an unfamiliar environment.

The competition also tested the team’s ability to respond to different playing styles and strategies as Jamaica went up against teams from across the globe.

Jamaica opened their group-stage campaign with an impressive 20–10 victory over Thailand, giving the team an encouraging start to the tournament. The squad then faced a formidable Korean team, which defeated Jamaica 35–1.

In their third group-stage encounter against Australia, Jamaica recorded an 18–14 win.

Jamaica advanced to the quarter-finals, where they faced Chinese Taipei in a two-match encounter. Chinese Taipei defeated the Jamaicans 20–13 in the first match and 18–11 in the second, bringing Jamaica’s campaign to an end.

Jamaica secured fifth place overall among teams from 10 participating countries.

Jamaica’s National Class 20 team also gained valuable international experience at the competition, finishing 10th overall after a challenging group-stage campaign.

The team opened against Kazakhstan, losing both matches 24–13 and 22–15 before rebounding with a strong performance against Nigeria, securing two 9–0 victories.

Jamaica then faced Korea in their final group-stage encounter, with Korea winning 34–4 and 29–12.

Despite the setbacks, the Class 20 team finished 10th overall, gaining valuable exposure and experience from competing against international teams.

Team captain Carl Heron said the team’s performance was significant, given the circumstances surrounding the trip and the level of competition they faced.

“The interaction with the other teams was a valuable experience for our players and has motivated us to continue performing at our best, both locally and at the international level. Competing against teams from different countries gives us the opportunity to learn, improve and challenge ourselves to become better players,” Heron said.

The fifth-place finish adds to Jamaica’s growing presence in the emerging sport. Jamaica became the first Caribbean nation to compete at the FIDA World Cup in South Korea in 2025, where the team earned the Spirit of Drone Soccer Award and the Best Rising Star Award in the Class 40 category. In May, the team also captured the Pan Americas National Championship at the International Palm Springs Drone Fest in California, defeating teams from the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Kazakhstan.

Jamaica Drone Soccer President Dervon McKellop has been instrumental in advancing the development of the sport locally and creating opportunities for Jamaican players to compete internationally.

“We are pleased with the success of the team and proud of how formidable we were, despite the challenges we faced. We are happy that we were able to represent Jamaica on the international stage and, importantly, that more people are now becoming aware that drone soccer is a growing sport in Jamaica. This experience has helped us to showcase the potential of the sport and the talent we have here,” McKellop said.

The team’s participation in South Korea was made possible with support from the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport, which provided $1.35 million towards the team’s international campaign.

The team also received support from PBS Jamaica, which backed Jamaica’s participation in the competition. The company’s support has contributed to the team’s ability to pursue international opportunities and promote the potential of drone soccer as a platform for youth development and technological advancement.