New TT Premier Football League season given tentative November 22 start date

The 2024/25 Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) season has been given a tentative start date of November 22. This was confirmed to Newsday on October 24 by TT Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards.

The TTFA president said meetings will be held with TTPFL teams in the coming week to finalise the start date, fixtures and other arrangements for the third TTFPL campaign.

In 2023, the inaugural TTPFL league title was claimed by Defence Force, who also ran away with the knockout cup honours. In the subsequent 2023/24 season which spanned from November 2023-May 2024, Defence added more silverware when they copped the First Citizens Knockout Cup.

Defence Force defeated AC Port of Spain by a 3-1 margin to retain their TTPFL knockout crown, but the latter club had the last say in the league when they pipped Miscellaneous Police FC to the title.

Last season, a mixture of financial shortcomings and the need for administrative restructuring prevented stalwart clubs San Juan Jabloteh and W Connection from competing in the 2023/24 TTPFL season, with both teams opting to take a "sabbatical." Both teams had competed in tier one of the inaugural TTPFL season, with Jabloteh finishing eighth and W Connection finishing ninth on the 12-team table.

On October 24, Edwards told Newsday Jabloteh will be making their return to the TTPFL for the upcoming season.

Speaking to Newsday just after his team completed a training session on October 24, Jabloteh club director Phillip Fraser said the team is still looking for sponsorship, but they're optimistic of returning to the TTPFL for the 2024/25 campaign.

"Some of these (financial issues) are still relevant right now, but we're working through these challenges to try and re-enter the league," Fraser said.

"We want to be there (in the TTPFL). We're working on it. We have potential sponsors we're looking at."

Last November, as Jabloteh confirmed their withdrawal from the previous TTPFL campaign, Fraser said it was "painful" to see a club with such a rich history in TT football bow out of active competition.

With Jabloteh chairman and American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) CEO Nirad Tewarie "working assiduously" behind the scenes, Fraser is confident of brighter days ahead and a return to the playing field for Jabloteh.

Fraser said as many as 30 players attended the October 24 training session, with young talents such as Trevis Byron, Dwight Jordan and San Juan North Secondary standout Lindell Sween among those vying for playing spots.