National Premier League

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For other uses, see National League (disambiguation) and Premier League (disambiguation).
For the second-tier of Australian association football, see National Premier Leagues.
National Premier League
Red Stripe Premier League Logo.png
Founded1973
CountryJamaica
ConfederationCONCACAF
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toKSAFA Super League
Western Confederation Super League
Eastern Confederation Super League
South Central Confederation Super League
Domestic cup(s)JFF Champions Cup (Defunct)
International cup(s)CFU Club Championship
CONCACAF Champions League
CONCACAF League
Current championsCavalier F.C.
(2021)
Most championshipsPortmore United (7 titles)
TV partnersTelevision Jamaica, , (Radio) (live matches)
WebsitePremierLeagueJamaica.com
Current: 2022 National Premier League

The National Premier League, also known for sponsorship purposes as the Red Stripe Premier League,[1][2] is sanctioned by the Jamaican Football Federation as the top division for men's association football in Jamaica.[3] Contested between 12 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Jamaica's regional Super Leagues where the two lowest placed teams are relegated to their corresponding local second division league.[4]

History[]

The National Premier League was formed in 1973 to serve as the top tier of Jamaican professional club football. The league's inaugural season kicked off on September 22, 1973 as the Kingston Major League, and finished with Santos F.C. as the first title winners.[5] 13 different clubs have been crowned champions of Jamaica. With Portmore United being the most successful team with 7 national titles.

To date, the league has produced four Caribbean champions: Portmore United (2005, 2019) and Harbour View (2004, 2007).

As of the 2020 season, no team from the league has made it past the first round of the CONCACAF Champions League. The league has been more successful in the new CONCACAF League competition with both Portmore United (2018) and Waterhouse (2019) making it to the quarterfinals. The 2019-2020 season was ruled null and void due to COVID-19 pandemic on March 12, 2020.[6][7]

In May 2021, the Jamaican Football Federation announced that the National Premier League would resume, playing a shortened season between June and September, competed by the 12 teams from the previous season[8] In June 2021, UWI F.C. announced it would withdraw ahead of the 2021 season due to the modified schedule conflicting with other player commitments; leaving 11 teams in the competition.[9]

Competition format[]

The Premier League's regular season typically runs from late August to May the following year. Teams are organized into a single-table format and the competition is divided into three stages, with clubs playing each other once during each stage. Following the third stage (33 matches), the teams are divided into two groups based on point totals and enter the fourth round of league play. The top six clubs contend for the championship, with the bottom six teams fighting to avoid relegation. The bottom two finishers are replaced the next season by the top two finishers of the second division regional playoffs.[10]

The top two finishers in a given season qualify for the CFU Club Championship, a regional club tournament held each spring. A top-four finish in the CFU Club Championship is the only route for Jamaican teams to enter the CONCACAF Champions League and the CONCACAF League.

2021 Clubs[]

A total of 11 teams contest the league in the current season, including 10 sides from the 2018–19 season and two promoted from the 2018–19 National Play-off, Vere United and Molynes United.

Club City Stadium
Arnett Gardens Kingston Tony Spaulding Sports Complex
Cavalier FC Kingston Stadium East Field
Dunbeholden Portmore Prison Oval, Spanish Town
Harbour View Kingston Harbour View Stadium
Humble Lions May Pen Effortville Community Centre
Molynes United Kingston Jacisera Park
Mount Pleasant F.A. Runaway Bay
Portmore United Portmore Ferdie Neita Sports Complex,
Tivoli Gardens Kingston Railway Oval
UWI Kingston UWI Bowl (Withdrew)
Vere United Hayes, Clarendon
Waterhouse Kingston Waterhouse Stadium

Champions[]

Champions[]

Since the inaugural 1973-74 season, 13 teams have claimed the National Premier League title. As of 2022, Cavalier are the reigning title holders, making this their first league title in 40 years along with winning their second title in history.

Club Winners Runners-Up Championship Seasons
Portmore United 7 5 1992–93, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2017–18, 2018–19
Arnett Gardens 5 4 1977–78, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2014–15, 2016–17
Tivoli Gardens 5 4 1982–83, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2010–11
Santos 5 1 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1979–80
Harbour View 4 5 1999–00, 2006–07, 2009–10,
Montego Bay United 4 5 1986–87, 1996–97, 2013–14, 2015–16
Boys' Town 3 5 1983–84, 1985–86, 1988–89
Reno 3 3 1989–90, 1990–91, 1994–95
Waterhouse 2 4 1997–98, 2005–06
Violet Kickers 2 0 1993–94, 1995–96
Wadadah 2 0 1987–88, 1991–92
Cavalier 2 3 1980–81, 2021
Jamaica Defence Force 1 0 1984–85

Note: No championship was awarded for the 1978–79, 1981–82, and 2019-2020 seasons.

Source: RSSSF

Top scorers[]

Year Player Team Goals
Jamaica Roen Nelson Hazard United 19
Jamaica Fabian Taylor Harbour View 19
Jamaica Christopher Nicholas Tivoli Gardens 25
Jamaica Kevin Lamey Waterhouse 22
Jamaica Irvino English Waterhouse 18
2007–08 Jamaica Roen Nelson Portmore United 16
2008–09 Jamaica Devon Hodges Rivoli United 24
2009–10 Jamaica Devon Hodges Rivoli United 18
2010–11 Jamaica Arnett Gardens 17
2011–12 Jamaica Jermaine "Tuffy" Anderson Waterhouse 14
Jamaica Jermaine "Tuffy" Anderson Waterhouse 21
2013–14 Jamaica Brian Brown Harbour View 19
2014–15 Jamaica Craig Foster Reno F.C. 20
2015–16 Jamaica Owayne Omar Gordon Montego Bay United F.C. 19
2016–17 Jamaica Jermaine Johnson Tivoli Gardens F.C. 16
2017–18 Jamaica Craig Foster Humble Lions 17
2018–19 Jamaica Colorado Murray Tivoli Gardens F.C. 13
2019–20 Jamaica Mount Pleasant Football Academy 14
2021 Jamaica , Jourdaine Flectcher and Harbour View, Mount Pleasant F.A, Waterhouse FC 6

Source: JPL Statistics

Premier League Awards[]

At the conclusion of each season, the league presents several awards for outstanding achievements, mostly to players, but also coaches, referees, and commissioners.[10]

  • Fair Play
  • Junior Player of the Year
  • NPL Season MVP
  • Coach of the Year
  • Tony Burrowes Player Personality of the Year
  • Top Goal Scorer or the Year
  • Goalkeeper of the Year
  • Referees for the Season
  • Match Commissioner of the Year

References[]

  1. ^ "Red Stripe signs new deal with Jamaica Premier League". jamaica.loopnews.com. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  2. ^ Red Stripe to serve Jamaica better through football[permanent dead link] – Sporting Eagle
  3. ^ "About the JFF". jff.live. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  4. ^ KSAFA teams strong challengers for DPL title – Jamaica Observer
  5. ^ Hans Schöggl (10 April 2010). "Jamaica 1973/74". rsssf.com.com. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  6. ^ Livingston Scott (17 March 2021). "JPL targets June start date". The Jamaica Star. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  7. ^ "RSPL suspends games after Jamaica confirms second case of coronavirus". loopnews.com. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  8. ^ Leighton Levy (20 May 2021). "Jamaica Premier League to kick off June 26 as football returns to Jamaica". sportsmax.tv. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  9. ^ Javid Bryan (24 June 2021). "UWI pulls out of Jamaica Premier League (JPL) ahead of new season". sportsmax.tv. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Rules and Regulations | PFAJ 2018" (PDF). Jamaica Football Federation. 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

External links[]

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