ENGLISHMEN ABROAD

Qualification for the 2026 World Cup resumes in various parts of the globe this month meet five English managers hoping to steer their adopted nations to unlikely success

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CHRIS KIWOMYA
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

Huddersfield native Kiwomya is best known for stints with Ipswich and QPR, either side of a spell at Arsenal in the mid-90s. Years later, he took charge of Notts County, where he loaned in a teenage Jack Grealish from Aston Villa, but left after just eight months.

Then, in 2021, Kiwomya was sounded out by the British Virgin Islands – one of the lowest-ranked teams in world football. “I like a challenge,” he said. “It also helps that they have beautiful islands.”

This isn’t a holiday, though: he took the side to a first win in 11 years in November. That CONCACAF Nations League victory over the Turks & Caicos Islands earned a visit from the nation’s Chief Minister.

Now, to repeat the trick against the US Virgin Islands (the Richard Branson Derby?) in World Cup qualifying. May the best Virgin win…

RICKY HILL
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS