The Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) said on Wednesday that the country will host the highly anticipated Grenada versus USA football (soccer) match in the 2022-23 CONCACAF Nations League international football tournament on March 24, 2023 at the Kirani James Athletics Stadium.
Grenada and the United States, along with El Salvador, are in League A Group D of the CONCACAF Nations League. Grenada is currently ranked 24th in the CONCACAF ranking index, while the United States is ranked 2nd behind Mexico.
GTA said this matchup is only the second time that Grenada is facing the United States on home soil. The last time was in 2004, when USA narrowly defeated Grenada 3-2.
“Grenada’s team, known as the ‘Spice Boyz’, has been diligently preparing for this showdown at the Kirani James Athletics Stadium, with an experienced squad,” GTA said.
The team includes top scorer Jamal Ray Charles. In 2019, Charles’ six goals elevated the Spice Boyz to League A of the Nations League and secured Grenada’s entry to the Gold Cup for the third time in history.
US-based players AJ Patterson and Benjamin Ettienne, who currently play for Charleston Battery (US Soccer League), and Alexander McQueen, who last played for Indy 11 (US Soccer League) in 2022, are also on the roster for the Mar. 24 match.
The Spice Boyz will face a USA team featuring top scorers Paul Arriola and Jésus Ferreira of FC Dallas, and Paxton Aaronson who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany.
CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority, Petra Roach said, “We are thrilled to host team USA for the second time on home soil. Grenadians love football – they eat, sleep and breathe it – and we are gearing up for a high energy, exciting time at the Kirani James Athletics Stadium. We look forward to welcoming team USA and their fans to Pure Grenada.”
Roach said Grenada continues to build out its sports tourism pillar in 2023 with international cricket, football, track and field, and rugby events on the calendar.
She said the Grenada Invitational athletics meet will return in June after a three-year hiatus and the 2nd Grenada Rugby World 7’s tournament is scheduled for December 2023.
