Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

President of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Horace Burrell is confident that the Reggae Boyz will put up a showing against Mexico when both teams clash in their opening CONCACAF final-round World Cup Qualifier on February 6 in Mexico City.

Mexico are ranked at 14 in FIFA's latest rankings while Jamaica's Reggae Boyz are at 50. The Mexicans are the highest-ranked country in the CONCACAF region and are hot favourites to be among the three countries from the region who will advance automatically to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Burrell, however, feels that when kick-off time comes next year the Reggae Boyz will be ready for a capital performance.

"What I can tell you is that the Jamaican players who will play against Mexico in Mexico are all professionals, and therefore that is going to give right to a very competitive game," Burrell told local radio following Wednesday's draw which was held in Miami and supervised by FIFA head of World Cup and Olympic qualifying, Gordon Savic.

GOOD COMPETITION

"We now have professionals (players), but we do respect Mexico ... . The Jamaican team will give them very good competition and therefore let's hope for the best," Burrell added.

The final-round competition will see Jamaica facing Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, USA and Honduras in home and away matches between February 6 and October 15.

Jamaica will play Panama at 'The Office' on March 22, before travelling to Costa Rica on March 26 for their third match.

The top three teams at the end of the Hexagonal round will automatically advance to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The fourth-place team will advance to an intercontinental play-off competing against the first-place team from the Oceania Football Confederation in a home and away matchup in November 2013.

2013 CONCACAF World Cup final-round schedule

Wednesday, February 6

Mexico vs Jamaica

Honduras vs USA

Panama vs Costa Rica

Friday, March 22

Jamaica vs Panama

Honduras vs Mexico

USA vs Costa Rica

Tuesday, March 26

Mexico vs USA

Panama vs Honduras

Costa Rica vs Jamaica

Friday, June 7

Jamaica vs USA

Panama vs Mexico

Costa Rica vs Honduras

Tuesday, June 11

Mexico vs Costa Rica

Honduras vs Jamaica

USA vs Panama

Tuesday, June 18

Jamaica vs Mexico

USA vs Honduras

Costa Rica vs Panama

Friday, September 6

Mexico vs Honduras

Panama vs Jamaica

Costa Rica vs USA

Tuesday, September 10

Jamaica vs Costa Rica

Honduras vs Panama

USA vs Mexico

Friday, October 11

Mexico vs Panama

Honduras vs Costa Rica

USA vs Jamaica

Tuesday, October 15

Jamaica vs Honduras

Panama vs USA

Costa Rica vs Mexico

Note: Home teams named first.