THE Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) said it will need to earn at least $12 million from Sunday’s friendly international against Canada to break even.

General secretary of the JFF, Horace Reid, outlined that it was crucial for a profit to be made from the National Stadium match-up as the Federation continues to grapple with mounting debt and reduced revenue made worse by the current economic climate.

“Financially, this game is important as we’re facing some challenging times in funding the programme. Therefore, a capacity venue would be a good way to… give us the oxygen for the momentum going into the next several months,” Reid said at a press function at Cuddyz Sports Bar and Grill in New Kingston yesterday.

“These friendly internationals in Jamaica are very expensive to stage and this game alone on Sunday has to make $12 million to break even before we even begin to see a profit… and this is to put into perspective the kind of attendance we need,” said the veteran administrator.

Reid made an impassioned plea to Jamaicans for support of the game which will mark the start of the Reggae Boyz’s Brazil 2014 World Cup campaign.

“It’s very important that we get the support… not only for the Boyz, but for the efforts of the JFF in charting a course to Brazil 2014,” said Reid.

Tickets for the game will go for $1,000 for Bleachers, $3,000 for Grandstand Category One and $2,500 for Grandstand Category Two.

And in an effort to generate desperately needed cash, the JFF has launched a merchandising initiative where players’ kits and replica shirts will be on sale on match day.

“We’re very happy that finally we have some kits from our main kit manufacturer Kappa… They are some very exciting designs in the forms of polo shirts, T-shirts and the usual match kit and all these items will be made available to the public both at the federation and at Sunday’s game and at other future matches,” Reid explained on an afternoon where the local body announced a range of initiatives.

The Kappa sets, he added, will also be available in a number of sports shops locally for both sexes. Polo shirts will be sold for US$50 (J$4,500) and the replica T-shirts for US$30 (J$2,700).

Also planned for Sunday’s game, which is set to start at 6:00 pm, is a massive drive to raise funds for Haiti’s earthquake victims in general and the Haitian Football Federation, in particular.

This drive will be a collaborative effort of the JFF and the Salvation Army where collection cans will be circulated through the stands.

“The whole question of Haiti… came up as a matter of discussion at the organising committee meeting on Monday last and it was recommended that we do an initiative with the game to allow for funds to be raised… specifically in the case of football there,” Reid said.

That effort is being spearheaded by Major Desmon Brown of Independence Park Limited, along with Lola Chin-Sang and Clyde McKenzie.

Cellular phone giant Digicel will be the major sponsor of Sunday’s match and sports sponsorship manager Paula Pinnock-MacLeod was delighted her company is involved in yet another JFF project.

“We’re very excited that we’re able to sponsor this game against Canada, and we at Digicel are committed at various levels in our support for football in Jamaica,” she said yesterday.

Pinnock-MacLeod also hailed the JFF’s move to incorporate schoolboys into their senior programme.

“We also support the bold step of the JFF and coach (Theodore) Whitmore of introducing the schoolboy players to the team because, as you know, we believe in the foundation of the sport as evidenced in our Kick-Start clinics,” she said.