The video assistant referee will be used for the first time on island when Bermuda take on Jamaica in the final stage of World Cup qualifying next month.

Bermuda will be in action against Jamaica at Flora Duffy Stadium on September 5, with home matches against Trinidad & Tobago and Curaçao following in October and November respectively

Announcing that VAR will be in operation at all those matches in a press conference at the National Sports Centre on Tuesday, Bermuda Football Association first vice-president Shannon Burgess said the presence of the system demonstrates just how important these matches are.

“This will be the first time that the video assistant referee will be installed and operational during a match in Bermuda,” Burgess said.

“It shows the importance of the final phase of World Cup qualifying. Anyone that has experience in watching matches with VAR knows that sometimes they get it right and sometimes they don’t. You still have humans on the end of the technology, so we can only hope that it works as intended.”

With just over two weeks before the Gombey Warriors play their biggest game on island for a number of years, the BFA has challenged Bermudians to ensure that they outnumber those of Jamaican heritage in an attempt to sell 4,200 tickets for the match.

“On September 5 at 7pm, we need to let Jamaica know that with the support of every Bermudian, our Gombey Warriors actually belong on this stage,” Burgess said.

“Most of us know that we have ties with Jamaica and there are many folk in Bermuda with Jamaican heritage.

“Bermudians in pink jerseys will need to outnumber those persons with Jamaican ties. The ones I’ve spoken to are confident that we will do so, but we need to make sure that the pink runs much deeper than any green, gold and black.

“We say to the whole of Bermuda that we need to show the true spirit of what we all dub Bermy love.”

Bermuda are just six games away from reaching the World Cup for the first time and Burgess insists the time is right for the national team to announce themselves on the world stage.

“We need to say to the region and the world that even though the elite teams and the larger countries always qualify for the World Cup, why can’t it be us?” he said.

“We are six matches away from reaching the 2026 Fifa World Cup and our team will give all they have. They will play with Bermy love in their hearts and that’s why we need to fill this stadium.

“Our team is not satisfied to just make it to this round and they deserve to go all the way. It’s not going to be easy but if Bermudians fill these stands anything is possible.”

Sports minister Owen Darrell has backed Bermuda to make history in the next few months.

“This is a moment that could shift the course of our sporting history,” he said.

“Our Gombey Warriors are on the road to the 2026 Fifa World Cup and this is our time to stand behind them.

“This is once-in-a-generation opportunity, a chance to bring our communities together to inspire our young people and show the world the strength, talent and spirit of Bermuda.

“Our Gombey Warriors deserve support and this means investment, belief and showing up. Through events, outreach and community involvement, we want every person on this island to feel a part of this journey.

“This is more than sport, this is our chance to show who we are on the world stage. Let’s make history together, stand united behind our Gombey Warriors and carry them with pride all the way to the World Cup.”

After the team secured a spot in the final group stage of qualifying by overcoming Cuba 2-1 in June, the Department of Sport and Recreation have worked with the BFA to find out the areas in which they can assist.

“The very next day after the team came back from defeating Cuba to get to the final stage, we scheduled meetings with the BFA,” Darrell said.

“We asked them what type of support they need and as a result of those engagements, we’ll assist them in their marketing efforts and in other ways.

“The government will be out in full support at both home and away matches and I’ll be travelling to away matches to make sure they know that the government supports them.”

It’s not just on the pitch where excitement is guaranteed with the parking lot at the Clyde Best Centre of Excellence becoming a fan zone at all three matches, while Lookie Lookie, a pop-up store at Washington mall will sell Bermuda replica shirts and host player appearances.

Daniel Woods, founder of Off Level Production, the company organising the fan zone, is trying to create excitement to ensure the team derives maximum benefit from home advantage.

“We’re having a fan zone for all patrons who want to join,” he said.

“We’ll be selling tickets on gpass.bm, the same site where the game tickets can be purchased. We are essentially trying to create an exhilarating environment filled with excitement, where everybody gets rallied up and ready to support Bermuda.

“We’ve done it for a few games in the past and we’re just excited to bring back the experience thanks to the support from the BFA, Department of Sport and Recreation, One Communications and Burrows Lightbourn.”