Antigua and Barbuda national football team explained

Antigua and Barbuda
Badge:	Antigua and Barbuda Football.png
Badge Size:	180px
Nickname:	The Benna Boys
Association:	Antigua and Barbuda Football Association
Sub-Confederation:	Caribbean Football Union (Caribbean)
Confederation:	CONCACAF (North America)
Coach:	Mikele Leigertwood
Captain:	Quinton Griffith
Most Caps:	Peter Byers (91)
Top Scorer:	Peter Byers (44)
Home Stadium:	Antigua Recreation Ground Sir Vivian Richards Stadium
Fifa Trigramme:	ATG
Fifa Max:	70
Fifa Max Date:	October 2014
Fifa Min:	170
Fifa Min Date:	December 2003 – January 2004
Elo Max:	131
Elo Max Date:	November 2010
Elo Min:	179
Elo Min Date:	November 2007
Pattern La1:	_jomasupernova19by
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Body1:	000000
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Largest Win:	10–0 (North Sound, Antigua & Barbuda; 11 October 2011)
Largest Loss:	11–1 (Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago; 10 November 1972)
2Ndregional Cup Apps:	11
2Ndregional Name:	CFU Championship/Caribbean Cup
2Ndregional Cup First:	1978
2Ndregional Cup Best:	CFU Championship Runners-up (1988) Caribbean Cup: Group stage (2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)

The Antigua and Barbuda national football team is the national team of Antigua and Barbuda.

Founded in 1928,^[1] it is controlled by the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association, a member of the CONCACAF and the Caribbean Football Union (CFU). The team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup or the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

History

First international match

On November 10, 1972, Antigua and Barbuda's first match was a 1974 FIFA World Cup qualifying match versus Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain. The match was a 11–1 thrashing which to this day is this national team's worst defeat.

Friendlies against European teams

On 17 December 2005, the Antigua and Barbuda national team played their first match against a European opponent after the Hungarian Football Federation invited "the Benna Boys" to play Hungary in an international friendly at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This was the first match coached by former national striker Derrick Edwards. Hungary defeated Antigua and Barbuda 3–0.^[2]

On 2 May 2016, the Estonian Football Association announced that their national team would play Antigua and Barbuda in an international friendly on 22 November. It was the team's second match against a European opponent. Estonia won the game 1–0.^[3]

2018 drug bust in Jamaica

During the March 2018 FIFA Calendar Antigua and Barbuda played Jamaica, drawing 1–1 away at Sabina Park, levelling in the last seconds of match from a header from Peter Byers. Upon the team's preparation for their departure back to Antigua, assistant coach Derrick Edwards and equipment manager Danny Benjamin were arrested and charged with possession of, dealing in, and taking steps to export marijuana, and conspiracy at the Norman Manley International Airport. Initially, Edwards was awarded bail and Benjamin was held without bail; after a month, both Edwards and Benjamin were placed under house arrest and curfew and gave up their travel documents.^[4] Both men were acquitted of the crime on 14 June, citing there was not enough evidence to prove their involvement in the carrying the drugs with the intention of smuggling them out of Jamaica.

Team image

Nicknames

The official nickname of the Antigua and Barbuda national football team is "the Benna Boys", referring to a genre of Antiguan and Barbudan music similar to calypso. The name was selected in a contest with the fanbase in 2012 after the team advanced to the third round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. "The Benna Boys" beat out other entries in the contest such as "Beach Boys", "Iron Bandits", "Rhythm Warriors" and "Party Crashers".^[5] In the past, the national team was unofficially known as "the Wadadli Boys", another name that was in the contest but did not win.^[6]

Kit suppliers

The kit of the national team has been manufactured by Spanish-based Joma since March 2021, ahead of the first round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Kit manufacturer	Time period
Admiral	1995–1999
	2000–2003
Adidas	2006–2011
Peak	2012–2016
Admiral	2016–2020
Joma	2021–present

Results and fixtures

See main article: Antigua and Barbuda national football team results.

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

2025

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

Name	Position
Mikele Leigertwood	Head coach
Neil Schyan Jeffers	Assistant coach
Lenny Hewlett	Assistant coach
Janiel Simon	Goalkeeper coach
Evans Jones	Trainer
Horatio Morrison	Physiotherapist
Malcolm Challenger	Equipment manager

Manager history

The following is a list of head coaches of the Antigua and Barbuda national team throughout the years.

Name	Period	Matches	Wins	Draws	Losses	Notes
Rudi Gutendorf	1976
Zoran Vraneš	1998–2000					Fourth place at the 1998 Caribbean Cup
Walter Gama	2001–2002
Rolston Williams	2004
Derrick Edwards	2005–2008
Willie Donachie	2008	16	8	3	5
Rowan Benjamin	2008–2011	11	4	3	4
Tom Curtis	2011–2012	21	8	3	10	Semifinal round of the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers
Rolston Williams	2012–2014	6	4	0	2
Piotr Nowak	2014–2015	12	5	2	5	Highest FIFA Ranking (70) under his tenure
Rolston Williams	2015–2018	8	3	0	5
Derrick Edwards	2018–2019	6	2	1	3
Michél Dinzey	2019–2020	10	4	0	6
	2021–	9	5	1	3

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League B matches against Dominican Republic on 12 and 15 October 2024.^[7]

Caps and goals are correct as of 15 October 2024, after the match against .

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the Antigua and Barbuda squad within the last twelve months.

Player records

^[8]

Players in bold are still active with Antigua and Barbuda.

Most appearances

width=30px; style=background:#FFFF00	Rank	width=175px; style=background:#FFFF00	Player	width=50px; style=background:#FFFF00	Caps	width=50px; style=background:#FFFF00	Goals	width=100px; style=background:#FFFF00	Career
1		91	44	2004–2021
2	Quinton Griffith	87	10	2009–present
3		67	4	2000–2012
4		64	12	2002–2021
5	Karanja Mack	58	0	2006–present
6		54	5	1998–2012
7		52	15	2008–2016
7		52	2	2008–2018
9		49	8	2000–2014
9		49	0	2007–2021

Top goalscorers

width=30px; style=background:#FFFF00	Rank	width=175px; style=background:#FFFF00	Player	width=50px; style=background:#FFFF00	Goals	width=50px; style=background:#FFFF00	Caps	width=50px; style=background:#FFFF00	Ratio	width=100px; style=background:#FFFF00	Career
1		44	91		2004–2021
2		18	22
3		15	52		2008–2016
4		12	64		2002–2021
5		10	31		2006–2011
5	Quinton Griffith	10	87		2009–present
7	Myles Weston	9	16		2014–present
8		8	29		1992–2008
		8	34		2002–2012
		8	49		2000–2014

Competitive record

FIFA World Cup


Year	Result	Position						Squad
1930 to 1970	Not a FIFA member								Not a FIFA member
1974	Did not qualify								4	0	0	4	3	22
1978	Did not enter	Did not enter
1982
1986	Did not qualify	2	1	0	1	2	5
1990	2	0	0	2	1	4
1994	4	1	1	2	5	6
1998	2	0	1	1	4	6
2002	6	1	2	3	4	15
2006	2	1	0	1	2	3
2010	4	2	0	2	7	8
2014	12	5	1	6	32	18
2018	4	2	0	2	6	6
2022	4	2	1	1	6	5
2026	To be determined	2	0	1	1	1	2
2030	To be determined
2034
Total									48	15	7	26	73	100

CONCACAF Gold Cup

& record		record
Year	Result	Position						Squad
1963	Part of United Kingdom	Part of United Kingdom


1969

1973	Did not qualify								4	0	0	4	3	22
1977	Did not enter	Did not enter

1985	Did not qualify	2	1	0	1	2	5
	2	1	1	0	1	4
1991	Did not enter								Did not enter
1993	Did not qualify	2	1	0	1	1	1
1996	3	1	2	2	6	11
1998	2	0	0	2	1	5
2000	11	4	2	5	24	17
2002	3	0	1	2	4	5
2003	5	0	1	4	1	8
2005	3	1	0	2	6	8
2007	6	2	0	4	8	17
2009	9	4	3	2	19	16
2011	6	2	2	2	4	5
2013	3	1	0	2	3	3
2015	9	4	2	3	14	11
2017	6	3	0	3	10	8
2019	4	2	0	2	10	8
2021	6	3	0	3	8	17
2023	7	3	0	4	5	12
Total		0/22							93	33	14	46	130	183

CONCACAF Nations League

CONCACAF Nations League record
League										Finals
style=background:#FFFF11;"	Season	style=background:#FFFF11;"	Division	style=background:#FFFF11;"	Group	style=background:#FFFF11;"		style=background:#FFFF11;"		style=background:#FFFF11;"		style=background:#FFFF11;"		style=background:#FFFF11;"		style=background:#FFFF11;"		style=background:#FFFF11;"		style=background:#FFFF11;"	Finals	style=background:#FFFF11;"	Results	style=background:#FFFF11;"		style=background:#FFFF11;"		style=background:#FFFF11;"		style=background:#FFFF11;"	style=background:#FFFF11;"	style=background:#FFFF11;"	style=background:#FFFF11;"
2019−20	B	C	6	3	0	3	8	17		2021	Ineligible
2022–23	B	A	6	3	0	3	5	7		2023
2023–24	B	D	6	1	1	4	9	22		2024
2024–25	B	D	6	0	1	5	2	15		2025
2026–27	C	To be determined								2027
Total	style=background:#FFFF11;"	—	style=background:#FFFF11;"	—	24	7	2	15	24	61	—	style=background:#FFFF11;"	Total	style=background:#FFFF11;"	0 Titles	style=background:#FFFF11;"	—	style=background:#FFFF11;"	—	style=background:#FFFF11;"	—	style=background:#FFFF11;"	—	style=background:#FFFF11;"	—	style=background:#FFFF11;"	—	style=background:#FFFF11;"	—

CONCACAF Nations League history
First match	6–0 (6 September 2019; Montego Bay, Jamaica)
Biggest win	4–1 (14 October 2023; Nassau, Bahamas)
Biggest defeat	6–0 (6 September 2019; Montego Bay, Jamaica) 6–0 (21 November 2023; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
Best result	—
Worst result	—

CFU Caribbean Cup

Year	Result	Position							Squad
& record	Qualification record
1978	Fourth place	4th	5	1	1	3	4	8	Squad	2	1	1	0	3	0
1979	Did not qualify									2	0	0	2	0	2
1981	Did not enter									Did not enter
1983	Fourth place	4th	7	2	2	3	11	10	Squad	4	2	2	0	10	5
1985	Did not qualify									2	1	0	1	2	2
1988	Runners-up	2nd	5	1	4	0	5	4	Squad	2	1	1	0	2	1
1989	Did not qualify	4	3	0	1	4	2
1990	3	0	1	2	2	5
1991	Did not enter									Did not enter
1992	Group stage	7th	3	0	1	2	2	12	Squad	3	3	0	0	8	0
1993	Did not qualify	2	1	0	1	1	1
1994	2	1	0	1	10	3
1995	Group stage	7th	3	1	0	2	3	8	Squad	2	0	2	0	3	3
1996	Withdrew									Withdrew
1997	Group stage	6th	2	0	0	2	1	5	Squad	Qualified as hosts
1998	Fourth place	4th	5	2	0	3	11	9	Squad	3	2	1	0	11	3
1999	Did not qualify	3	0	1	2	2	5
2001	3	0	1	2	4	5
2005	3	1	0	2	6	8
2007	6	2	0	4	8	17
2008	Group stage	7th	3	0	2	1	3	6	Squad	6	4	1	1	16	10
2010	Group stage	5th	3	1	0	2	2	4	Squad	3	1	2	0	2	1
2012	Group stage	8th	3	1	0	2	3	3	Squad	Qualified as hosts
2014	Group stage	7th	3	0	1	2	2	7		6	4	1	1	12	4
2017	Did not qualify									6	3	0	3	10	8
Total	Runners-up	11/25	42	9	11	22	47	76	—	67	30	14	23	116	85

Red border color indicates that Antigua and Barbuda was the host nation.

Head-to-head record

The following table shows Antigua and Barbuda's all-time official international record per opponent:^[9]

Key

Opponent
	5	5	0	0	28	3
	5	5	0	0	11	4
	3	2	1	0	12	3
	8	1	1	6	9	16
	14	3	5	6	14	18
	8	4	2	2	14	10
	3	0	1	2	1	4
	7	0	1	6	4	18
	4	3	0	1	10	6
	16	8	4	4	28	20
	8	1	2	5	8	21
	1	0	0	1	0	3
	1	0	0	1	0	1
	1	1	0	0	2	1
	6	3	3	0	13	7
	7	2	1	4	4	12
	8	1	0	7	3	31
	14	5	3	6	16	33
	12	2	3	7	11	19
	1	0	0	1	0	1
	1	0	0	1	0	3
	12	1	2	9	5	29
	4	1	0	3	6	12
	1	0	0	1	0	8
	4	3	1	0	20	6
	4	1	0	3	5	10
	23	9	5	9	30	31
	14	5	3	6	23	18
	13	7	2	4	17	20
	3	2	0	1	7	2
	6	1	2	3	4	15
	13	2	0	11	12	41
	5	5	0	0	26	1
	2	0	0	2	2	5
Total	235	83	41	111	341	421

Honours

Regional

CFU Championship/Caribbean Cup
- Runners-up (1): 1988

Notes and References

Web site: 2021-03-07 . ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA . 2024-04-16 . Concacaf . en.
Web site: Caribbean Net News: Hungary beat Antigua-Barbuda in exhibition match. caribbeannewsnow.com. 4 January 2017. 17 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160417060543/http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/caribnet/2005/12/21/beat.shtml. live.
Web site: Eesti Jalgpalli Liit. jalgpall.ee. 4 January 2017. 4 June 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160604064501/http://www.jalgpall.ee/news.php?st=style_fp.css&news_id=10130. live.
Web site: Helps . HG . 1 April 2018 . A coach's ganja plan . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180402094803/https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/front-page/a-coach-8217-s-ganja-pain-was-derrick-8216-pretty-boy-8217-edwards-set-up-with-drug-found-in-his-luggage-_129355 . 2 April 2018 . 17 August 2022 . Jamaica Observer.
Web site: Text to 774 – 3307 your choice for the name the team contest. 28 March 2023. 28 May 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160528161126/http://antiguafootball.com/text-to-774-3307-your-choice-for-the-name-the-team-contest/. live.
Web site: Football (Soccer) Team Nicknames. www.topendsports.com. 28 March 2023. 28 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170728235633/http://www.topendsports.com/sport/soccer/team-nicknames.htm. live.
Web site: Final Squad . Facebook . ABFA - Antigua And Barbuda Football Association.
Web site: Antigua and Barbuda . National Football Teams.
Web site: Antigua And Barbuda national football team statistics and records: All-time record. 11v11.com. 22 November 2014. 29 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129073051/http://www.11v11.com/teams/antigua-and-barbuda/tab/stats. live.