Former Jamaica Premier League champions Mount Pleasant Football Academy (MPFA) have taken a major step onto the European football stage, announcing on Friday their acquisition of a majority stake in Belgian third-tier club R.A.E.C Mons.

The deal, confirmed in a joint statement by MPFA owner Peter Gould and Managing Director Charlie Methven, marks a significant milestone for both clubs and signals an ambitious new chapter for Caribbean football development.

Founded in 1910, RAEC Mons boasts a rich legacy in Belgian football. The club has spent the majority of its history in the top two divisions, winning the Belgian Second Division in 2005–2006, and securing three Third Division titles in 1949, 1985, and 1999–2000. They have twice earned promotion to the Belgian Pro League through playoff triumphs in 2001–2002 and 2010–2011.

Working closely with the club’s previous owners, Hubert Ewbank and Bernard Courcelles, Mount Pleasant aims to revive the historic Belgian outfit while also creating a structured pathway for talented Caribbean players to break into the European game.

“Becoming an owner of a historic European club is a proud day and the next step in our project to create a football powerhouse in the Caribbean,” said Gould. “There is a lot of hard work ahead for our management team, but between what we have in Jamaica and what we now have in Europe, I feel that the building blocks are in place to take us to the next level and beyond.”

Methven echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the broader significance for players across the region.

“This is a huge moment for Caribbean football,” he said. “Until now, young players from our region have had to rely significantly on chance as to whether they get their big move to Europe. But now, when they come to Mount Pleasant they will know that if their talent and hard work merits a contract in Europe then that will definitely happen for them.”