Jamaica’s men’s and women’s teams endured a challenging start to their campaigns on Thursday’s opening day of the IFAF Americas Flag Football Continental Championships in Panama.

In Group B of the men’s tournament, Jamaica suffered a 27-13 defeat to Chile in their first-ever outing at the competition. The team, however, bounced back in fine style to register a historic maiden victory — a 32-26 win over El Salvador. That momentum was short-lived, as the Jamaicans closed out the day with a tough 64-18 loss to regional powerhouse Mexico.

Over in the women’s division, it was a difficult introduction to continental competition. Drawn in Group A, Jamaica’s women were blanked 39-0 by Colombia before falling 50-13 to host nation Panama.

Both teams will return to action on day 2 with crucial fixtures on the cards. The women are set to face the reigning world champions United States and Brazil, while the men will take on Panama and Argentina as they continue their push for a spot at the 2026 IFAF World Championships in Germany.

The three-day tournament features teams from across the Americas battling for regional supremacy and qualification to the global showpiece event.