Kingston Football Academy (KFA) has celebrated a second successful European tour, thanks in part to the support of Restaurants of Jamaica (ROJ), through their KFC brand.

The youth football organization, which is one of the fastest growing in Jamaica, was the recipient of a sponsorship package worth JMD$900,000 to cover the costs of their trip to Europe, where they played a series of matches against teams from The Netherlands, Germany, England, Denmark, Italy, and Belgium.

KFC has supported the KFA since its inception in 2017 as a training program for Campion College students. Since then, the academy has expanded to welcome all young Jamaican football players, and KFC has consistently provided cash sponsorships and meal donations to support its continued growth and success.

During their European tour, KFA played a series of matches against some of the top football clubs in Europe, including PSV Eindhoven and Borussia Monchengladbach. The U15 football team finished third out of 52 teams in the tournament, while the U17 team maintained their winning streak, ranking first in their tournament.

Andrei Roper, ROJ brand manager, expressed his pride in the KFA’s achievements and said, “The KFA has made themselves, families, the entire country, and of course, our team proud. We take great pride in knowing that we were once again able to play our part in making the KFA trip to Europe a success.”

Eric Rademakers, KFA director and coach, expressed his gratitude to KFC for their continued support.

He said: “We might not have made it to Europe if KFC had not stepped in when we needed them. Since we came on the scene, they have been extremely generous, offering our academy money and our boys food. So, it was certainly not taken for granted when they sponsored our trip again this year. Their contribution helped us to afford aeroplane tickets, hotel accommodation and other transportation.”

Rademakers also praised the hard work of the KFA players and coaches, saying, “Our boys have been working hard, some desiring scholarships, some having the ultimate goal of being professional athletes. So, we are grateful that they believe in us and continue to show that.”

KFC has pledged to continue their support of the Kingston Football Academy, with Roper saying, “We certainly look forward to continuing to partner with the KFA, and we’re so excited to witness their increased growth and success.”