The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has announced that on August 31, its First Instance Body, awarded regional licenses to 11 clubs participating in this season’s Jamaica Premier League (JPL): Arnett Gardens FC, Cavalier SC, Dunbeholden FC, Harbour View FC, Montego Bay United FC, Mount Pleasant FA, Portmore United FC, Racing United FC, Tivoli Gardens FC, Vere United FC and Waterhouse FC participating in this season’s Jamaica Premier League (JPL).

The remaining 3 clubs - Chapelton Maroons FC, Humble Lion FC and Molynes United FC - received domestic licenses, meaning they will not be eligible for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Caribbean Cup or the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup if they finish in the top three of the JPL standings at the end of the season.

Each club was required to meet the minimum criteria outlined in the 2018 JFF Club Licensing Regulations. This season’s achievement of awarding 11 regional licenses marks a significant increase from last season, when only four clubs – Arnett Gardens FC, Cavalier SC, Harbour View FC and Mount Pleasant FA - received regional licenses.

Club licensing, introduced by FIFA, is a key element in promoting the professionalization of football worldwide. This system is based on principles-driven criteria and establishes minimum standards that clubs must meet to obtain a license and participate in competitions.

The Club Licensing Regulations focus on five key areas: Administration, Sporting, Financial, Infrastructure, and Legal. The goal of these regulations is to standardize and elevate football club management globally.

Carlene Edwards, Chairwoman of the First Instance Body, expressed gratitude for the commitment displayed by the clubs in meeting the requirements.

She stated, “The process was challenging initially, as we needed to review and update clubs simultaneously, ensuring they submitted correct and updated documents while adhering to established deadlines in the Club Licensing Regulations Support Manual. Nevertheless, we remained dedicated to the task and successfully delivered all decisions within the stipulated timeframe. We look forward to continuing our collaborative relationship with the clubs and anticipate achieving 100 percent compliance in delivering regional licenses next season.”

In a statement, Michael Ricketts, President of the Jamaica Football Federation, emphasized the Federation’s commitment to supporting the club licensing process.

He stated, “I am incredibly proud of our clubs for their dedication and hard work in achieving club licensing. This milestone not only reflects their commitment to excellence but also underscores our promise to elevate football in Jamaica. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the First Instance Body for their tireless efforts in ensuring we meet our commitments to CONCACAF. Their diligence in overseeing the licensing process has been crucial in raising the standards of our football community. JFF remains dedicated to empowering our clubs as they strive to excel on both national and regional stages.”

The next category of stakeholders to be on boarded in the Club Licensing process will include the Women’s Premier League teams and the JFF Championship teams.

Jamaica Premier League outfit Chapelton Maorons have been punished for failing to turn up for their fixture with Mount Pleasant Academy at the Effortville Community Centre on Sunday.

The Maroons, who fired experienced head coach Lenworth Hyde last week, were unable to field an 11 due to many players being unavailable.

Notably, the Maroons squad is made up mostly of schoolboys and the JPL has a rule that does not allow a team to field more than five amateurs to a team per match.

Before his dismissal, Hyde noted that this rule will put the team in a tough situation, especially since if the players sign professional contracts, they will be ineligible for overseas scholarship opportunities.

Match Commissioner Anthony Gibbs said he had not gotten any correspondence from Chapelton nor the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) for the absence of the Clarendon-based team.

The JFF announced the sanctions in a release on Monday:

“The Competitions Committee of the JFF has handed down sanctions to Chapelton Maroons who failed to turn up for their JPL fixture versus Mount Pleasant FC at the Effortville Community Center on Sunday, January 22.

1. For breach of Article 7.5 and 6, the game has been awarded to Mount Pleasant FA by a score of three goals to nil (3-0). Chapelton Maroons FC has also been fined Two hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000). This payment must be made on or before Friday, February 3, 2023.

1. In keeping with the regulations, a further six (6) points has been deducted from the club’s current points standing.  The club must also compensate for any damages or losses suffered by Mount Pleasant FA and the JFF up to a maximum of One Hundred & Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000). Invoices will be provided as soon as they are available.

1. Finally, the club will be referred to the JFF Disciplinary Committee for further actions to be taken in accordance with Article 70 of the JFF Disciplinary Code.”

The Maroons are currently twelfth in the 14-team JPL table with eight points from 10 games.