Spectators will have to fork out more to watch Jamaica's upcoming World Cup qualifying matches at the National Stadium.

In a release yesterday, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) announced 40 to 50 per cent increases on the previous prices of $1,000, $2,500 and $3,500, which were charged to enter the bleachers and grandstand (categories one and two).

New prices

The new prices read: bleachers - $1,500; grandstand - $3,500 (category one) and $5,000 (category two).

"The new pricing [not only] represents our effort to shorten the gap between our revenues and expenditure, but also our drive to ensure that the joy of participating in the historic Reggae Boyz World Cup 2010 campaign remains within reach of every Jamaican," said the release.

"The reality is that success comes at a high cost, a truth made even more painfully obvious after the last three matches against St Vincent and the Bahamas, which realised a combined net loss of some $300,000," it added.

Sponsors' role

Starting with a call to action for Jamaicans to put their "full weight" behind JFF and technical director René Simoes as Jamaica tries to realise the dream of participating in South Africa 2010, the release also went on to outline the role of sponsors in the campaign and the need for spectators to understand theirs.

"The ready, invaluable support of our corporate sponsors has done much to help defray these costs," it stated. "Still, we must once again reach out to our base of fans who have always vigorously supported Jamaican football, and ask them to help move us even closer to our goals in this critical World Cup qualifying phase."