26-year-old defender will join up with Jamaica for two friendlies against Trinidad & Tobago this week

Las Vegas Lights FC today announced that defender Maliek Howell has received a call-up to the Jamaican National Team.
The 26-year-old will join Jamaica this week for two friendlies against Trinidad & Tobago as they prepare for the Concacaf Nations League Final Four. The teams will first match up on Thursday, February 6 at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Trinidad at 4:30 p.m. PT and will wrap up the home-and-home series in Kingston, Jamaica at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. PT.
This is Howell’s first Jamaica call-up since 2022, when he made his debut for the Reggae Boyz off the bench against Peru in January before playing two more friendlies in August against Morocco and November against Cameroon.
He will be looking to impress new Jamaica Head Coach Steve McLaren, who signed a two-year contract with Jamaica in July 2024. McLaren previously led England from the touchline and was serving as an assistant with Manchester United before joining Jamaica.
Jamaica are preparing for the start of 2026 World Cup Qualification, where they will start in Concacaf Group E. Their first two matches in the World Cup qualification cycle will take place in June against the Virgin Islands and Guatemala. They will also attempt to qualify for the 2025 Gold Cup with a victory over St. Vincent and the Grenadines in a two-legged tie in March.
Howell made 30 appearances across all competitions in 2024 for the Lights, helping lead the team to a historic season. The team set club records for number of wins and points before reaching the Western Conference Final for the first time in club history.
The Jamaican defender previously played his four-year collegiate career at Memphis and Missouri State. He joined the Lights as a trialist ahead of the 2024 season, eventually earning a professional contract and becoming a mainstay on the team’s back line.