Despite concerns about the future of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) following a series of high-profile issues this season, Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Owen Hill believes the nation’s top flight will continue its upward trajectory and establish itself among the region’s best.

The 2025/2026 JPL season ended last Sunday with Portmore United crowned champions after beating Cavalier FC in the final at the National Stadium. The result brough the curtain down on a nine-month campaign that was marred by several operational challenges across the league.

The league was suspended for seven weeks following the passage of Hurricane Melissa at the end of October, with several clubs in western Jamaica severely impacted. Treasure Beach FC of St Elizabeth were granted additional time before resuming competition.

While that disruption was largely considered unavoidable, the league was also rocked by the resignations of key officials, governance transitions and ongoing broadcast instability.

Livingstone Morrison, who took over from Chris Williams as PFJL chairman last September, resigned from the post after less than five months. Montego Bay United chairman Yoni Epstein and Mount Pleasant Football Academy owner Peter Gould also resigned from the PFJL finance committee over “troubling” practices of the board.

Several months of matches were not aired despite Pivott LLC being announced last August as the league’s broadcast partner. The company, which succeeded the now-defunct SportsMax, is now embroiled in a $100-million legal dispute with the PFJL. Social media content creators who had stepped in to live-stream matches on YouTube were later barred by the PFJL, which subsequently aired games on its own YouTube channel before reaching an agreement with RUSH Sports to air the play-offs across the Caribbean.

Hill told the Jamaica Observer that the highlighted issues did have an impact, but that the league was able to overcome them and continue moving forward.

“I think it is important to separate the administrative turbulence from the overall trajectory of the league product itself,” he said. “Despite those challenges, the Jamaica Premier League still delivered one of its strongest play-off campaigns in recent memory. Record numbers of goals attracted sponsor engagement in a tough economic climate and [are] still providing a solid platform for player development and showcase. Those are signpost on the journey reminding us that the football product remains strong.”

“With that said, we cannot minimise the impact of the issues, either. These are serious matters, and as an organisation we have to acknowledge them honestly. What I believe is most important is how we responded. From my perspective, this season exposed areas that require improvement, but it also demonstrated the resilience of the clubs, partners, and the football ecosystem overall.”

The Observer understands that several of the league’s sponsors, including title sponsors Wray & Nephew, expressed concern with the direction of the JPL due to the issues this season and are reevaluating their involvement going forward.

However, Hill says the relationship with sponsors is still strong and he expects it to continue in the long term.

“While there were challenges this season, we have also been able to demonstrate very tangible positives: Increased play-off attention, strong fan affinity, growing digital reach and continued player development feeding into the national programme,” he said. “Importantly, our sponsors recognise that the Jamaica Premier League is more than just a football competition. It is a national platform that connects brands to culture, passion, youth engagement and community impact.

“Sponsors want confidence that the organisation is learning, evolving, and building for sustainability, and those conversations have been central to our engagement with them. The overall sentiment from partners has been one of continued belief in the potential of the league. Naturally, they expect improvements, and so do we,” Hill said.

Although the 2025/26 season recently ended, the 2026/2027 campaign kicks off in less than three months. Hill says the PFJL is working towards making the upcoming season smoother than in recent years.

“While it is important for us to properly assess the lessons from the past season, the reality is that planning for 2026/27 is already underway. Discussions around competition structure, broadcast arrangements, sponsorship alignment, club readiness, operational systems, and fan engagement have already started because we understand the urgency of improving the overall product,” he said.

“One of the key priorities will be strengthening consistency across all operational areas. That includes refining broadcast delivery, improving matchday execution, enhancing communication workflows, and ensuring that sponsors and supporters experience a more seamless product throughout the season. The responsibility now is to convert momentum into stability and efficiency for 2026/27 and beyond. The objective is to improve in the critical areas.”

Mount Pleasant Football Academy defender Kyle Ming (left) tackles Portmore United forward Tedj Bryan during the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League first-leg semi-final match at the National Stadium on May 17, 2026. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Professional Football Jamaica Limited Chief Executive Officer Owen Hill (Photo: Observer file)