Jamaica’s next generation of football talent will take centre stage this Saturday, May 16, as the KFC Elite Cup closes out its 2026 season with the grand final and third-place playoff at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in Kingston.

The day’s action will see last season’s champion Mount Pleasant Academy face Harbour View FC in the third-place playoff at 3pm, before Portmore United and Kingston Football Academy meet at 5pm in the final of the invitation-only under-18 competition.

Now in its second year, the KFC Elite Cup has quickly become one of the leading youth football competitions in Jamaica, bringing together some of the island’s top clubs and academies for a three-month season of structured, high-quality competitive football. This year’s participating teams were Mount Pleasant Academy, Harbour View FC, Kingston FA, Waterhouse FC, Ballaz Academy, Montego Bay United and Portmore United.

KFC Jamaica, which has been the main sponsor of the competition since its inception in 2025, sees the Elite Cup as a meaningful investment in youth development through sport. The brand’s sponsorship of this year’s competition is valued at $2.5 million. KFC is also a long-time club sponsor of two of the participating teams in the Elite Cup – Ballaz Academy and Kingston FA.

Andrei Roper, Marketing Manager, KFC Jamaica, said the competition continues to provide an important space for young players to test themselves and grow through sport.

“Football continues to be one of the strongest avenues for discipline, confidence and opportunity among young people, and the KFC Elite Cup gives some of Jamaica’s best young players the consistent, competitive setting they need to grow,” Roper said. “That is why this competition matters to us. It allows these players to challenge themselves, sharpen their talent and be seen in an environment that can help open the door to bigger opportunities. KFC Jamaica is proud to support a competition that is helping to make that possible.”

The KFC Elite Cup was developed to give elite youth players regular access to high-quality matches, while allowing clubs and academies to expose their young talent to a higher standard of play. The competition also creates an avenue for players to build readiness for national youth programmes, overseas opportunities and professional pathways.

Eric Rademakers, organiser of the KFC Elite Cup, said the tournament has become an important platform for youth football development in Jamaica.

“The value of the KFC Elite Cup is that it gives our best young players regular, high-level games against teams that are taking youth development seriously,” Rademakers said. “From the organisers to the participating clubs, there has been a real effort to create the right environment for these players. That kind of consistency is important. Players need to be challenged often, in good environments and against strong opposition if we want to help them grow.”

As co-founder of Kingston Football Academy, Rademakers also expressed pride in seeing his club reach the final after falling in the semi-finals last season.

“Seeing Kingston Football Academy reach the final this year is a proud moment for everyone involved with the club,” Rademakers added. “After losing in the semi-finals last year, the players have shown great maturity, discipline and determination throughout this season. Reaching the final reflects the hard work they have put in both on and off the field, and it is another important step in their development.”

Saturday’s matches are expected to bring a competitive close to a season that has placed some of Jamaica’s most promising under-18 players in the spotlight. For the clubs involved, the KFC Elite Cup has served not only as a test of talent, but as an avenue for preparation, exposure and continued growth.