The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) says one of its key objectives ahead of the start of the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign is to rebuild the Reggae Boyz’s fanbase.

This, it says, involves having more high-profile opponents in Jamaica for international friendly matches.

While the JFF has secured an international friendly game against Argentina, a contender for this year’s Fifa World Cup title, that match will be played in Harrison, New Jersey, on September 27.

The JFF has not been able to lure high-profile teams to the island because of the large match fees they would require to accept the invitation.

But Vice-President Raymond Anderson says the JFF is now making plans to rebuild its relationship with the fanbase. But he says it will require the help of corporate Jamaica.

“We want to improve on our fanbase, so we’re gonna appeal more to corporate Jamaica to underwrite the cost of hosting games,” Anderson told the Jamaica Observer during a press conference to unveil new Head Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson on Friday. “It will take a lot to really have games here, in terms of gate receipts and cost of tickets.

“For example, if you were to get Argentina to come here, we would outprice ourselves. We have to make sure that we’ll get corporate Jamaica on board and our number one sponsor, which is the supporters, who really have to pay more to go through the gate. All of those things have to be taken into consideration, but I can tell you that the plan is to really have some key games in Jamaica because we have to rebuild the fanbase for the 2026 [Fifa World Cup] campaign.

The figure to host games depends on the opponent because of match fees commanded by the calibre of opponents and players, individually, on show.

“Some will take a developmental game, while others take one where all their top players have to be there,” Anderson said.

He describes considerations such as electricity for illuminating the venue for night matches as a “minimal cost”.

“It may cost an extra $500,000 or so, but everything adds up,” he said. “If spectators usually pay $2,000 or $3,000 to go to the bleachers and we increase it to $4,000, you will have resistance from the public.”

Anderson says should such a situation occur, the JFF would then need to give a justification to the public for the increase.

“But it has to happen,” he says. “If we’re really serious about the fanbase, and the 12th man, which we really need, we’re gonna have to work on it. But the president is working on it and we’re gonna definitely get it right.”

President Michael Ricketts says a number of changes will be made to the JFF’s operations. However, apart from the most obvious with Hallgrímsson’s appointment, he would not get into detail about them. But he did say that the fans also have to play a part in rebuilding the spirit around the team for the qualifying campaign.

“I want to call out to Jamaica for more commitment, more loyalty, more optimism as we try to change our football direction,” Ricketts said. “The truth is, however, that our senior women’s World Cup qualification, on its own, signifies an indication of a new start and we must not overlook that. The federation has muscled down and has been making important internal changes which will position it to fully support our national activities.

“The changes, I will not speak about too much, except to say that the call to action for optimism is based on efforts that we will all make effective immediately.”