Following the successful staging of a truncated Jamaica Premier League (JPL) season, the clubs are now set to benefit from a capacity-building workshop courtesy of a team from Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Assist League Development Programme.

Members of the UEFA team are being hosted by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) in tandem with Concacaf to conduct the three-day workshop which begins today and ends on Friday with a closing session and a midday press conference at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

A limited number of media representatives will be accommodated at today’s opening ceremony scheduled for 9:00 am.

The intensive programme will focus on best practices in the modern league, through several topics aimed at further developing the JPL clubs.

“The clubs represent the main cornerstone for the development of football in Jamaica. We have come a long way in club development over the years but there is still a mountain to climb if we are to get to our destination,” JFF President Michael Ricketts said.

“This workshop will help to bridge the knowledge gap and introduce our clubs to best practices and methods in today’s game. The JFF welcomes the assistance of both Concacaf and UEFA, and I implore the participants to capture as much knowledge as is possible,” he added.

The capacity-building sessions are only a part of an overall League Development Programme. They follow similar sessions conducted online last year for the JFF, with participation of the then recently-established Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL).

This week, the sessions are being delivered in person by international experts to the JPL clubs – including the clubs vying for the spot to contest the league next season.

A part of UEFA Assist key aims is to share knowledge and best practices to help UEFA’s sister confederations and their member associations develop and strengthen football within their respective territories, as well as respond to the needs of national associations and confederations around the world, while increasing solidarity and facilitating football development globally.

Eva Pasquier, UEFA head of international relations, expressed delight in leading the initiative.

“Building the capacity of the Jamaica Premier League clubs is a vital step in the UEFA Assist League Development Programme. Strengthening their knowledge in key areas like income generation, governance, and financial management will prove invaluable to ensuring the clubs remain sustainable over the long term. We are delighted to support this important initiative and help grow Jamaican football,” she said.

Meanwhile, Howard McIntosh, Concacaf’s senior manager of One Concacaf and Caribbean Project said this initiative falls in line with the confederation’s commitment to improve football in the region.

“Clubs are the heartbeat of football. Developing the clubs in Jamaica and the region is part of our commitment to improving the game in Concacaf. This is even more critical with the professional game,” said McIntosh.

“We remain committed to supporting our member associations and the clubs in our region. This workshop is one small demonstration of our continued support. I would encourage all the clubs to take full advantage of this opportunity to learn about best practices in the professional game,” he added.