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The Jamaica Premier League (formerly the National Premier League), commonly abbreviated as JPL and officially known as the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League for sponsorship reasons, is sanctioned by the Jamaican Football Federation as the top division for men's association football in Jamaica.[1] Contested between 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Jamaica Football Championship.[2][3] Most games are played on Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings (Monday Night Football).[4]

Quick Facts Organising body, Founded ...
Jamaica Premier League
Organising bodyJFF Jamaica FA
Founded1973; 51 years ago (1973)
CountryJamaica
ConfederationCONCACAF
Number of clubs14
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toJamaica Football Championship
Domestic cup(s)JFF Champions Cup
International cup(s)Regional
CFU Club Shield
CONCACAF Caribbean Cup
Continental
CONCACAF Champions Cup
Current championsCavalier F.C. (3rd title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsPortmore United F.C. (7 titles)
Top goalscorerKevin Lamey (115 goals)
TV partnersDomestic
SportsMax TV
International
Ceen TV
Live Streaming
SportsMax App
Jamaica Premier League TV (YouTube)
Sponsor(s)Wray & Nephew
Websitejamaicafootball.org
Current: 2024–25 Jamaica Premier League
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History

The Jamaica Premier League was formed in 1973 to serve as the top tier of Jamaican professional club football.[5] The league's inaugural season kicked off on September 22, 1973 as the Craven A National Club League Championships, and finished with Santos F.C. as the first title winners.[6] 14 clubs have been crowned champions of Jamaica. Portmore United F.C. is the most successful team with 7 top flight titles.

The 2019–20 season was ruled null and void on March 12, 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic.[7][8] Later in 2020, Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) began managing the league with its focus being the commercialization and marketing of professional football in the country.[9]

In May 2021, the Jamaican Football Federation announced that the league would resume, playing a shortened season between June and September, competed by the 12 teams from the previous season.[10] In June 2021, UWI F.C. announced it would withdraw ahead of the 2021 season due to the modified schedule conflicting with other player commitments; leaving 11 teams in the competition.[11]

Montego Bay United was promoted to the league at the start of the 2022 season, restoring the league to 12 teams. Also in 2022, the league entered an agreement with Admiral Sportswear to supply kits to all teams in the league.

The league was expanded to 14 teams for the 2022–23 season.[12]

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Competition format

The Jamaica Premier League's regular season typically runs from late August to May the following year. The competition is divided into two stages; the single table regular season and the playoffs.

The regular season is contested in a round robin format with each team playing every other team at home and away for a total of 26 matches. The top six clubs contend for the championship in the playoffs, the first and second place regular season finishers advance directly to the semifinals and the third to sixth place teams advance to the quarterfinals.

The quarterfinals and semifinals are played in a two legged, home and away, format with the winner decided on aggregate with away goal rules enforced. The finals and third place matches are contested as a single leg match.

The bottom two regular season finishers are relegated and replaced the next season by the top two finishers of the JFF National Tier II.[12]

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Clubs

2024–25 clubs

More information Club, 2023–24 Regular Season (Playoffs) ...
Club 2023–24
Regular Season (Playoffs)
City Stadium
Arnett Gardens 5th (3rd place) KingstonAnthony Spaulding Sports Complex[13]
Cavalier 2nd (Champions)KingstonStadium East Field[14]
Chapelton Maroons Champions (Jamaica Football Championship) Chapelton
Dunbeholden 8thPortmoreDunbeholden Sports Complex[15]
Harbour View 12th KingstonHarbour View Football Club Stadium[16]
Humble Lions 10thMay PenEffortville Community Centre[17]
Molynes United 11thKingstonJasceria Park Recreational Center[18]
Montego Bay United 7thMontego BayWespow Park[19]
Mount Pleasant 1st (Runners-up)Runaway BayDraxhall Sports Complex
Portmore United 4thPortmoreFerdi Neita Sports Complex[20]
Racing United Runners-up (Jamaica Football Championship) Portmore
Tivoli Gardens 3rdKingstonEdward Seaga Sports Complex[21]
Vere United 9thHayesWembley Centre of Excellence[22]
Waterhouse 6thKingstonWaterhouse Mini Stadium[23]
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  Title holders   Promoted

All-time table

The following is the historical table of the Jamaica Premier League from the professional era in the 2001-02 season up to the concluded 2023-24 season. Table does not include matches played in the playoff stages.

More information Pos, Teams ...
Pos Teams Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1Portmore United695322215158870539+3311187
2Harbour View730320217193951691+2851185
3Waterhouse730328215207964677+2871175
4Tivoli Gardens7303221902181009749+2601160
5Arnett Gardens729299213217970786+1841116
6Montego Bay United515169150196582629-47655
7Humble Lion462160148164488452+36628
8Boys' Town459159139161494537-43616
9F.C. Reno506123169214500653-153538
10Village United381127118136421427-6499
11Cavalier31612790105371310+61465
12Rivoli United3058592128305366-61338
13Sporting Central Academy2947996119288349-61331
14Mount Pleasant146924238255141+114318
15UWI F.C.161584657180188-8220
16St. George's SC152474263134168-34183
17Dunbeholden146473043144143+1171
18Constant Spring158355766151224-73165
19August Town142354067125198-73145
20Wadadah158334184167323-156140
21Vere United146304175111190-79131
22Molynes United113262361127210-83104
23Highgate United762121346993-2484
24Invaders United658203752134-8244
25Lime Hall (Benfica)6411114248146-9844
26Meadhaven United38912173653-1739
27Maverley Hughenden33714122634-835
28Savannah SC3868242474-5026
29Barbican33510182661-3525
30Sandals South Coast3357212560-3522
31Arlington3357212365-4222
32Naggo Head3356222665-3921
33Bull Bay3249191957-3819
34Star Cosmos3237222266-4416
36Faulkland26110152355-3213
35Duhaney Park2823231359-469
37Chapelton Maroons2636171462-489
38Treasure Beach2634191752-357
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  Currently in Jamaica Premier League
  Currently in lower divisions
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Champions

By season

Since the inaugural 1973-74 season, 14 teams have claimed the Jamaica Premier League title. As of 2023–24 season, Cavalier F.C. are the reigning title holders, making this their third league title overall.

More information Season, Winners ...
Finalists by Season
Season Winners Result Runners-up Third Place Result Fourth Place
1973–74 Santos F.C. 1–0 Boys' Town F.C.
1974–75 Santos F.C. 3–2 Boys' Town F.C.
1975–76 Santos F.C. Cavalier F.C.
1976–77 Santos F.C. 1–0 Cavalier F.C.
1977–78 Arnett Gardens F.C. Harbour View F.C.
1978–79 Abandoned
1979–80 Santos F.C. Cavalier F.C.
1980–81 Cavalier F.C. Thunderbolts F.C.
1981–82 No Competition
1982–83 Tivoli Gardens F.C. Santos F.C.
1983–84 Boys' Town F.C. 2–1 (agg) Tivoli Gardens F.C.
1984–85 Jamaica Defence Force 2–1 (agg) Seba United F.C.
1985–86 Boys' Town F.C. Harbour View F.C.
1986–87 Seba United F.C. Boys' Town F.C.
1987–88 Wadadah F.C. F.C. Reno
1988–89 Boys' Town F.C. Seba United F.C.
1989–90 F.C. Reno Black Lions F.C.
1990–91 F.C. Reno Arnett Gardens F.C.
1991–92 Wadadah F.C. F.C. Reno
1992–93 Hazard United F.C. Arnett Gardens F.C.
1993–94 Violet Kickers F.C. Seba United F.C.
1994–95 F.C. Reno 3–1 (agg) Constant Spring F.C.
1995–96 Violet Kickers F.C. F.C. Reno
1996–97 Seba United F.C. 4–3 (agg) Arnett Gardens F.C.
1997–98 Waterhouse F.C. 2–1 (agg) Seba United F.C.
1998–99 Tivoli Gardens F.C. 3–1 (agg) Harbour View F.C.
1999–00 Harbour View F.C. 2–1 (agg) Waterhouse F.C.
2000–01 Arnett Gardens F.C. 4–2 (agg) Waterhouse F.C.
2001–02 Arnett Gardens F.C. 3–2 (agg) Hazard United F.C.
2002–03 Hazard United F.C. 4–3 (agg) Arnett Gardens F.C.
2003–04 Tivoli Gardens F.C. 5–3 (agg) Harbour View F.C.
2004–05 Portmore United F.C. 2–1 (agg) Tivoli Gardens F.C.
2005–06 Waterhouse F.C. Harbour View F.C. Tivoli Gardens F.C. Portmore United F.C.
2006–07 Harbour View F.C. Portmore United F.C. F.C. Reno Waterhouse F.C.
2007–08 Portmore United F.C. Tivoli Gardens F.C. Boys' Town F.C. Harbour View F.C.
2008–09 Tivoli Gardens F.C. Portmore United F.C. Harbour View F.C. Boys' Town F.C.
2009–10 Harbour View F.C. Tivoli Gardens F.C. Waterhouse F.C. St. George's S.C.
2010–11 Tivoli Gardens F.C. Boys' Town F.C. Harbour View F.C. Waterhouse F.C.
2011–12 Portmore United F.C. Boys' Town F.C. Waterhouse F.C. Humble Lions F.C.
2012–13 Harbour View F.C. Waterhouse F.C. Portmore United F.C. Arnett Gardens F.C.
2013–14 Montego Bay United F.C. 5–2 Waterhouse F.C.
2014–15 Arnett Gardens F.C. 2–0 Montego Bay United F.C.
2015–16 Montego Bay United F.C. 2–1 Portmore United F.C.
2016–17 Arnett Gardens F.C. 2–1 Portmore United F.C.
2017–18 Portmore United F.C. 0–0 (aet, 4-3 pen) Waterhouse F.C.
2018–19 Portmore United F.C. 1–0 Waterhouse F.C. Cavalier F.C. 1–0 Mount Pleasant F.A.
2019–20 Abandoned due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2021 Cavalier F.C. 1–1 (aet, 5-4 pen) Waterhouse F.C. Tivoli Gardens F.C. 1–1 (aet, 4-3 pen) Mount Pleasant F.A.
2022 Harbour View F.C. 1–1 (aet, 6-5 pen) Dunbeholden F.C. Cavalier F.C. 4–1 Waterhouse F.C.
2022–23 Mount Pleasant F.A. 2–1 Cavalier F.C. Arnett Gardens F.C. 1–0 (aet) Harbour View F.C.
2023–24 Cavalier F.C. 1–1 (aet, 4-3 pen) Mount Pleasant F.A. Arnett Gardens F.C. 5–1 Waterhouse F.C.
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Note: No championship was awarded for the 1978–79, 1981–82, and 2019–20 seasons.
Source: RSSSF

By club

Portmore United is the league’s most successful club having won 7 league titles and finishing runners-up 5 times.

More information Club, Winners ...
Champions by Club
Club Winners Championship Seasons Runners-up Runners-up Season
Portmore United (*) 7 1992–93, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2017–18, 2018–19 5 2001–02, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2015–16, 2016–17,
Harbour View 5 1999–00, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2022 5 1977–78, 1985–86, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2005–06
Tivoli Gardens 5 1982–83, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2010–11 4 1983–84, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2009–10
Arnett Gardens 5 1977–78, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2014–15, 2016–17 4 1990–91,1992–93, 1996–97, 2002–03
Santos 5 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1979–80 1 1982–83
Montego Bay United (**) 4 1986–87, 1996–97, 2013–14, 2015–16 5 1984–85, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1997–98, 2014–15
Boys' Town 3 1983–84, 1985–86, 1988–89 5 1973–74, 1975–76, 1986–87, 2010–11, 2011–12
Cavalier 3 1980–81, 2021, 2023–24 4 1975–76, 1976–77, 1979–80, 2022–23
F.C. Reno 3 1989–90, 1990–91, 1994–95 3 1987–88, 1991–92, 1995–96
Waterhouse 2 1997–98, 2005–06 7 1999–00, 2000–01, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2021
Wadadah 2 1987–88, 1991–92
Violet Kickers 2 1993–94, 1995–96
Mount Pleasant 1 2022–23 1 2023–24
Jamaica Defence Force 1 1984–85
Thunderbolts 1 1980–81
Black Lions 1 1989–90
Constant Spring 1 1994–95
Dunbeholden 1 2022
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Notes
(*) Includes titles won as Hazard United.

(**) Includes titles won as Seba United.

  Record Number of Titles

Source: RSSSF

By parish

Kingston and St. Andrew are the most successful parishes with 28 top flight titles won by 7 clubs from Kingston’s metropolitan area. No club from rural St. Andrew has won the league.

St. James is the next best parish with 8 league titles won by 3 clubs. Two of their title winners, Violet Kickers and Wadadah, have since fell from grace and compete in the lower divisions.

Hazard United won 2 league titles while based in Clarendon before the club relocated to St. Catherine and rebranded as Portmore United.

No club from the parishes of Hanover, Manchester, Portland, St. Elizabeth, St. Mary, St. Thomas nor Trelawny have won the league.

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Statistics

Top scorers

  Record Goals Scored in a Single Season

All-time goalscorers

More information Rank, Country ...
Rank Country Scored Goals Years
1 Jamaica Kevin Lamey 115 1998-2016
2 Jamaica Devon Hodges 106 2002-2020
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Hat-tricks

More information Rank, Country ...
List of hat-tricks scorers
Rank Country Player Hat-tricks
1 Jamaica Christopher Nicholas 4
2 Jamaica Roen Nelson 3
Jamaica Kwame Richardson
4 Jamaica Collin Anderson 2
Jamaica Kevin Lamey
Jamaica Trivante Stewart
Jamaica Justin Dunn
Jamaica Fabian Reid
9 Jamaica Jermaine Anderson 1
Jamaica Patrick Beech
Jamaica Navion Boyd
Jamaica Lacon Brissett
Jamaica Fabian Davis
Jamaica Nigel Ellis
Jamaica Irvino English
Jamaica Oneke Ford
Jamaica Devon Hodges
Jamaica Jermaine Hue
Jamaica Lenworth Hyde
Jamaica Kevin King
Jamaica Oneill McDonald
Jamaica Gary McIntosh
Jamaica Kemar Mills
Jamaica Derrick Planter
Jamaica Ricardo Scott
Jamaica Leon Strickland
Jamaica Fabian Taylor
Jamaica Warren Ukah
Jamaica Denzil Watson
Jamaica Kevin Wilson
Jamaica Javane Bryan
Jamaica Nicholas Nelson
Jamaica Kemar Beckford
Jamaica Andre Fletcher
Jamaica Jason Wright
Jamaica Cleo Clark
Jamaica Rojay Smith
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Records

Players

Most goals by a player in a single season
Most goals by a player in a single game

Source: JPL Statistics

Clubs

Longest winning run

Regional competitions

The top two finishers in a given season qualify for the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup, a regional club tournament held each fall. The third place team qualify for the CFU Club Shield. A top-three finish in the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup is the only route for Jamaican teams to enter the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

The league has produced two Caribbean Club Champions, each with two titles; Portmore United F.C. (2005, 2019) and Harbour View F.C. (2004, 2007). The Caribbean Club Championship was replaced with the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup in 2023 as a part of CONCACAF's new club football ecosystem.[27]

No team from the league has made it past the first round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The league has been more successful in the discontinued CONCACAF League competition with both Portmore United F.C. (2018) and Waterhouse F.C. (2019) making it to the quarterfinals.

More information Competition, Year ...
Regional Competitions Finalists
Competition Year Club Position
Caribbean Club Championship
(1997-2022)
1997 Seba United Runners-up
2004 Harbour View Champions
Tivoli Gardens Runners-up
2005 Portmore United Champions
2007 Harbour View Champions
2015 Montego Bay United 3rd Place
2016 Arnett Gardens 4th Place
2017 Portmore United 3rd Place
2018 Arnett Gardens Runners-up
Portmore United 3rd Place
2019 Portmore United Champions
Waterhouse Runners-up
2022 Waterhouse 4th Place
CONCACAF Caribbean Cup 2023 Cavalier Runners-up
Harbour View 4th Place
CFU Club Shield 2024 Arnett Gardens Champions
CONCACAF Caribbean Cup Cavalier Champions
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Sponsorship

During the 1970s to 1990s, the league received sponsorship from Craven A, a subsidiary of Carreras Tobacco Company, throughout its initial two decades. However, in 2002, the pressure from various lobbyists, notably the American Cancer Society, led to the termination of the cigarette company’s sponsorship of both the premier league and local horse racing, marking the end of direct associations between tobacco companies and sporting events.[6]

Wray and Nephew assumed sponsorship of the league in 2002 and subsequently extended the contract until 2012. However, their arrangement abruptly concluded in 2007 when Wray and Nephew released the Jamaica Football Federation from the contract without penalties.[28] Subsequently, the league entered into an agreement with investment company Cash Plus in 2007, despite uncertainties arising in early 2008 about Cash Plus’s commitment.[29][30] In April 2008, the Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA) ceased their association with Cash Plus Limited as league sponsors and initiated plans for legal action against the investment firm.[30][31]

Digicel signed a three-year sponsorship deal with the league that remained active until 2011.[32]

Red Stripe assumed the title sponsorship of the league starting from the 2011-12 season, a contract that concluded after the league was abandoned in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Digicel commenced a second three-year sponsorship spell from 2020 to 2023. Additionally, after a 16-year hiatus, Wray and Nephew returned as title sponsors in 2023.

More information Period, Sponsor ...
Title Sponsors by the Years
Period Sponsor Brand
1973–1976 Craven A Craven A National Club League Championships[6]
1976–1997 Craven A National League[6]
1997–2002 Craven A National Premier League[6]
2002–2007 Wray & Nephew Wray & Nephew National Premier League[28]
2007–2008 Cash Plus Cash Plus National Premier League[33]
2008–2011 Digicel Digicel Premier League[32]
2011–2020 Red Stripe Red Stripe Premier League[34]
2020–2023 Digicel The Jamaica Premier League – powered by Digicel[35]
2023– Wray & Nephew Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League[36]
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References

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