Greece and Jamaica women set for first senior meeting in Crete
Greece host Jamaica women in Crete on 17 October 2026. Check the kickoff, ranking status, double-header details and conflicting weekday wording.
Greece and Jamaica are scheduled to meet for the first time in a senior women’s rugby league international on Saturday 17 October 2026, at 2pm local time at Elena Venizelou Stadium in Chania, Crete. The IRL match listing gives those fixture details; the September announcement confirms that world ranking points will be at stake.
Jamaica’s Women Reggae Warriors will be seeking their first international victory in what the announcement describes as their fifth game. Greece enter the fixture looking to build on their 2025 encounters with the United States and Netherlands.
Date, venue and double-header
The schedule below is listed by International Rugby League as of 4 October 2026. Both matches are at the same Chania venue, with local kickoff times shown.
| Match | Date | Kickoff | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greece women vs Jamaica women | Saturday 17 October 2026 | 2pm | Senior International Match, women |
| Greece men vs Germany men | Saturday 17 October 2026 | 4pm | Men’s European Championship C |
Sources: IRL’s individual listings for Greece–Jamaica and Greece–Germany.
Why some reports say Sunday: the original women’s announcement uses “Sunday 17 October”, wording also repeated by The Voice. However, 17 October 2026 falls on a Saturday, and the IRL’s women’s match listing explicitly says Saturday. The men’s championship schedule also places the accompanying Greece–Germany match on Saturday 17 October. Saturday is therefore the date to use from the current official listings.
The women’s match is a separate senior international, not a Euro C fixture. Greece–Germany concludes the men’s three-team Euro C programme involving Greece, Germany and Malta. See the 2026 European Championship fixtures and tiers for the wider competition.
What the meeting means for both teams
For Jamaica, the immediate target is a first win rather than simply a first meeting with Greece. Coach Darren Collins said: “We are not travelling to Greece simply to take part or just to try to make history. We are going there to compete and show what this Jamaica team is capable of.” His preparation priorities include fitness, defence, attack, communication and game management, according to the IRL announcement.
Jamaica Rugby League’s own preview says the team has played four internationals since its debut in 2023. It also says the travelling squad is expected to comprise players based in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States; that is a selection expectation, not a named final squad.
For Greece, coach Nikolas Stephanou framed the fixture as part of strengthening the connection between the domestic competition and national team. He said international opportunities should help build “a stronger domestic game and a sustainable pathway for the future” in the same announcement.
For the record book, this is a scheduled ranking-points international. As of 4 October, it remains an upcoming fixture—not a completed result.