Rhode Island FC Midfielder Dwayne Atkinson has been called up to the Jamaican Football Federation Men’s National Team for its upcoming friendly against Grenada on Jan. 18 in preparation for their 2026 FIFA World Cup play-off match against New Caledonia in March. Atkinson marks the third active RIFC player to receive a senior international call-up.
The callup reflects a proven track record from Atkinson to be in national team contention from his time at Cavalier FC where he scored 49 goals in 134 matches across all competitions to scoring the winning goal — his first for Rhode Island FC — in the quarterfinal USL Jägermeister Cup win over Birmingham Legion FC, coming off the bench in only his second appearance for the club.
Atkinson’s club form hasn’t gone unnoticed having made six prior appearances for the Reggae Boyz in his international career. He most recently earned his first-ever start in Jamaica’s 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup Group C win over Guadeloupe, representing one of just five domestic Jamaican players to wear the green, black, and gold in the country’s 2025 Gold Cup squad.
Only time will tell if this call up can leave a lasting impression on interim Head Coach Rudolph Speid, but if Atkinson can leave an indelible mark during this camp, there’s a strong possibility he could be the first Rhode Island FC player to participate in a World Cup.
