FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason University women's soccer team will be cheering on two of their own Patriots in this summer's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Senior Milan Pierre-Jerome and assistant coach Alyssa Whitehead will be representing Haiti and Jamaica, respectively.
The ninth FIFA Women's World Cup will kick off on July 20, when both host nations will play their first games. New Zealand will face off against Norway, and Australia will face the Republic of Ireland. Group matches will then continue until Aug. 3rd. The top two nations from each of the eight groups will advance to the knockout rounds, which will start on Aug. 5. The World Cup Final will take place on Aug. 20 at Sydney Olympic Stadium in Australia.
This will be the first time George Mason will have both a player and a coach participating in a World Cup. It will also be the second time a Patriot soccer player will be playing in FIFA's largest stage. The first player to do so was Kim Maslin-Kammerdeiner in 1991, who was the reserve goalkeeper for the U. S. Women's National Team at the first FIFA Women's World Cup, which was held in China. The United States would go on to win their first of four World Cup titles. Maslin-Kammerdeiner was also the goalkeeper for Mason's 1985 National Championship team, recording a clean sheet in the Patriots 2-0 win over UNC in the championship game at George Mason Stadium.
The two Patriots in this summer's World Cup will be representing nations of the CONCACAF region, the international governing body that overlooks soccer federations from North & Central America, as well as the Caribbean. Learn more about Milan and Alyssa's journey to the World Cup, as well as game time schedules below.
Milan Pierre-Jerome, Haiti
Milan Pierre-Jerome and Haiti made history in February as the nation qualified for in their first ever Women's World Cup.
After finishing third in their group stage at the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship, Haiti advanced to the inter-confederation playoffs, which were held in Auckland, New Zealand. They had to win two consecutive games to earn a spot at the World Cup.
Haiti first beat Senegal 4-0 in their first playoff match. They then ultimately punched their ticket to the World Cup after beating Chile 2-1 in the final.
Les Grenadières are in Group D, which consists of England, the People's Republic of China and Denmark. Their full group schedule can be found here, or at the bottom of this release.
HAITI WORLD CUP SCHEDULE (Posted times are in Eastern Daylight Time, all games can be watched on FOX or Telemundo)
Saturday, July 22: England vs. Haiti
- Time: 5:30 a.m.
- Location: Milton, Australia
- Stadium: Suncorp Stadium
Friday, July 28: China vs. Haiti
- Time: 7 a.m.
- Location: Hindmarsh, Australia
- Stadium: Coopers Stadium
Tuesday, August 1: Haiti vs. Denmark
- Time: 7 a.m.
- Location: Perth, Australia
- Stadium: HBF Park
Alyssa Whitehead, Jamaica
Assistant Coach Alyssa Whitehead will be Jamaica's goalkeeper coach. She has been working as a national team staff member since 2020. This will be her first World Cup with the team.
The Jamaican national team qualified for their second consecutive World Cup after finishing second in their qualifying group at the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship. The group consisted of the United States, Mexico and Haiti. Jamaica won two of their three group matches, with their only loss being the United States.
For this summer's World Cup, the "Raggae Girlz" are in Group F, which consists of France, Brazil and Panama. Their full group schedule can be found here, or at the bottom of this release.
JAMAICA WORLD CUP SCHEDULE (Posted times are in Eastern Daylight Time, all games can be watched on FOX or Telemundo)
Sunday, July 23: France vs. Jamaica
- Time: 6 a.m.
- Location: Sydney, Australia
- Stadium: Allianz Stadium
Saturday, July 29: Panama vs. Jamaica
- Time: 8:30 a.m.
- Location: Perth, Australia
- Stadium: HBF Park
Wednesday, August 2: Jamaica vs. Brazil
- Time: 6 a.m.
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Stadium: AAMI Park