KFC Ja boosts JWPL support with $3.5m investment

Returning for another season of support, Restaurants of Jamaica (ROJ), operators of the KFC brand locally, have increased their investment in the Jamaica Women’s Premier League (JWPL) to $3.5 million in cash and meal support for the 2025-2026 season.

The investment marks an increase from the $2.5 million provided last year and signals the brand’s continued backing of the country’s top-flight women’s football competition. The league kicked off yesterday.

The quick-service restaurant is no stranger to supporting sports and youth development across the island. From its long-standing association with the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) schoolboy football competition to its decades-long support of the KFC/Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA) Star Search Basketball Camp and JUMPBALL Basketball Camp, to backing the Reggae Girlz ahead of their historic FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign in 2023, the brand has consistently supported sports development at different levels.

Speaking at the JWPL’s media launch at the Jaguar Land Rover showroom on Arthur Wint Drive, KFC Jamaica Marketing Officer Kandine West said the brand recognises the importance of supporting the league and the opportunities it creates for young female footballers.

“The Jamaica Women’s Premier League continues to show what is possible when young women are given the platform and visibility to grow in the sport,” West said.

“At KFC Jamaica, we understand the importance of supporting initiatives that open doors and create real opportunities for players. Increasing our support this season reflects our belief in the direction of the league and the talent coming through it.”

The league will feature 12 teams, including new entrants Real Mona, as participation in the women’s game continues to grow.

Delivering remarks on behalf of Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange, Florette Blackwood noted that the progress of the league reflects the broader advancement of women’s football in Jamaica. She added that continued collaboration between government and corporate partners will be key to sustaining that momentum.

Vice-president of the Jamaica Football Federation and Head of Women’s Football Elaine Walker-Brown also acknowledged the league’s growth, noting that the women’s competition has come a long way from earlier seasons when support for the sport was far more limited.

“We have come a long way from where women’s football was just a few seasons ago,” Walker-Brown said.

“The progress we are seeing now is the result of the support the league has received and the commitment of the women who continue to represent the game.”

Professional Women’s Football Jamaica Limited (PWFJL) chairperson Christina Hudson pointed to the impact that increased visibility has already had on the players competing in the league.

“That visibility is already translating into real opportunities for our players,” Hudson said.

“Over the past season, 12 players secured university scholarships and two earned professional contracts. That is impact. That is transformation. That is why this work matters.”

The opportunities were made possible through improved access to match footage and highlights, which allowed scouts and institutions to follow the league more closely.

The league continues to attract strong corporate backing, with sponsors including Supreme Ventures, Sherwin Williams, TruShake, Valvoline, WATA, Hummel Jamaica, Kind Hearts Foundation, Acroscopic, MPowa, Powerade and Mailpac supporting the season alongside KFC Jamaica.