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Sierra Leone beat CAR to progress in Women's U17 World Cup qualifiers
by Football Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone beat CAR to progress in Women’s U17 World Cup qualifiers

The Sierra Leone U17 women’s team won 2-0 against the Central African Republic in Cameroon at the Multi-Purpose Japoma Stadium. They will now play the winner of the match between Guinea and Togo in the second round of the Women’s World Qualifier.

Aminat Kamara and Maseray Turay scored the goals that helped the team move forward in their quest for a spot in the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Morocco.

Coach Fatmata Turay’s team knew they could advance with just a scoreline draw, but they aimed higher and secured a two-goal victory after playing to a goalless draw in their first match in Sierra Leone.

The 2025 African U-17 Women’s World Cup qualification is the 10th edition of this tournament, open to players born on or after January 1, 2008. The four teams that win in the third round will qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

In the first leg of the CAF World Cup qualifier, the Sierra Leone U17 Girls finished their match at the Southern Arena in a goalless draw.

Sierra Leone U17 girls set for Central African Republic qualifying decider
by Football Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone U17 girls set for Central African Republic qualifying decider

The Sierra Leone U17 girls’ team will compete against the Central African Republic in the second leg of the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup qualifiers for Morocco on Saturday, January 18, at the Multi-Purpose Japoma Stadium in Cameroon.

Coach Fatmata Turay’s squad has arrived safely and is preparing for what promises to be an exciting match, following a goalless draw in their first encounter in Sierra Leone. The team is in high spirits and ready to represent Sierra Leone with pride. They completed their first training session on Thursday in preparation for this crucial game.

The winner of this match will advance to face another formidable opponent in the second round, meeting the winner of the match between Guinea and Togo.

The 2025 African U-17 Women’s World Cup qualification represents the 10th edition of this tournament, which is open to players born on or after January 1, 2008. The four winners from the third round will qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

On Saturday, Sierra Leone U17 Girls played to a goalless draw at the Southern Arena in the first leg of the CAF World Cup qualifier
On Saturday, Sierra Leone U17 Girls played to a goalless draw at the Southern Arena in the first leg of the CAF World Cup qualifier
The 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup qualifiers for Morocco start on Saturday, January 11 as the young women from Sierra Leone will try to move to the next stage. Coach Fatmata Turay's team will play against the Central African Republic in the first round of the U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers. The match will take place at Southern Arena in Bo City. This double-header against the Central African Republic is an important first step for both teams on their way to the World Cup. The team that wins will go to the second round and face the winner of the match between Guinea and Togo. Head Coach Fatmata Turay has shared her squad for the double-header against the Central African Republic. The 2025 African U-17 Women’s World Cup qualification is the 10th edition of this tournament. Players born on or after January 1, 2008, can join in. The four winners from the third round will qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.
by Football Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone U-17 Women’s gear up for Central African Republic

The Sierra Leone U17 girls will begin their 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup qualifiers for Morocco on Saturday, January 11, facing the Central African Republic.

Coach Fatmata Turay’s team is set to face the Central African Republic in the first round of the U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers. The match will be held at Southern Arena in Bo City. The second leg will take place at the Multi-Purpose Japoma Stadium in Cameroon next Saturday.

This double-header against the Central African Republic is an important first step for both teams on their way to the World Cup. The team that wins will go to the second round and face the winner of the match between Guinea and Togo.

Head Coach Fatmata Turay has shared her squad for the double-header against the Central African Republic.

The 2025 African U-17 Women’s World Cup qualification is the 10th edition of this tournament. Players born on or after January 1, 2008, can join in.

The four winners from the third round will qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Sierra Leone U17 Women's Squad confirmation
Sierra Leone U17 Women's Squad confirmation
Sierra Leone head coach Amidu Karim faces contract saga
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone head coach Amidu Karim faces contract saga

The National Sports Authority (NSA), in consultation with the Ministry of Sports, has communicated that they have formally “terminated” the contract of Leone Stars head coach Amidu Karim and his backroom staff. (Photo Credit Kemokai Sportgraphy) 

This pronouncement was communicated through an official letter to the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA). Additionally, the NSA has requested that the SLFA appoint a new coaching staff, according to the country’s football body, SLFA.

It remains unclear – what will happen if the SLFA insists on retaining Karim as head coach. Meanwhile, this medium has approached a senior executive official of the NSA for comment, but there has been no response at the time of writing.

Karim was appointed by the SLFA in a deal from October 3, 2023, to October 15, 2025, covering both the ongoing qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. But, the paymasters are the NSA, the body set up by government legislation to regulate and develop sport in Sierra Leone.

The National Sports Authority (NSA), which has been handling the salaries of the national team coaches through the government Finance Ministry, has cited Leone Stars’ poor performances as a primary reason for their termination.

It is common in most African countries for the government to issue the pay cheque to the head coach. But with World Cup qualifiers ahead, Sierra Leone has just two months to resolve the matter.

During the AFON 2025 qualifiers, the Leone Stars conceded ten goals while only managing to score five, marking yet another unsuccessful attempt to qualify for this year’s premier continental football event in Morocco.

Amidu Karim and his team were brought on board in October 2023 to guide the Leone Stars through the African Cup of Nations 2025 qualifiers and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. However, the West African team struggled to secure the vital victories needed for advancement.

Karim, who had previously served as an assistant coach for six years before taking on the head coaching role, had a mixed record in his time in charge. He notably led the team to a memorable victory against the reigning African champions, Ivory Coast, with a late goal from Amadou Bakayoko in the Liberian capital.

However, the team was unable to secure wins against Chad, resulting in consecutive draws that hindered their chances of qualifying for Morocco 2025.

At present, Sierra Leone is in fourth place in Group A of the World Cup 2026 campaign, with five points from one win, one loss, and two draws. Their next crucial matches are set against Guinea-Bissau and Egypt in March 2025.

SLIFA's Head Coach Jumu Bockarie Reflects on Debut Victory
by Football Sierra Leone

SLIFA’s Head Coach Jumu Bockarie Reflects on Debut Victory

Jumu Bockarie, head coach of Sierra Leone Premier League side SLIFA FC, spoke to the club’s media following his debut victory in the league, a 1-0 win at the approved school pitch in Freetown last Sunday.

A fantastic goal from Ernest George was the reason for the victory. “I want to express my gratitude to God and my family for their endless love and support. I would also like to thank SLIFA MANAGEMENT for allowing me to continue as head coach for the 2024/2025 season,” stated Bockarie, a UEFA C licensed coach.

“The focus of the staff was on welcoming our players, the style of play, and improving our passing, which played a significant role in our performance. The opponent posed a real challenge in the first ten minutes, but our players adapted well and demonstrated high-quality skills.

He also commented on the team’s performance: “We played very well and achieved a clean sweep across all fronts. Our victory was thanks to a fantastic shot that hit the crossbar, followed quickly by George, who sealed the score.

“It’s a fantastic achievement in my debut season; however, I’m not satisfied yet, and I remain focused on the next game. It’s essential to manage players effectively and use the right tactics.

I am grateful for SLIFA’s support on my journey to becoming a coach, and I am committed to helping our young players grow and entertain our fans,” he added.

Sierra Leone face difficult road to Women's AFCON 2026 in Morocco
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone face difficult road to Women’s AFCON in Morocco

Sierra Queens of Sierra Leone to embark on a difficult journey to qualify for the 2026 CAF Women’s African Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The qualifiers for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2026, will commence following the draw held at the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) headquarters in Cairo on Thursday.

In the initial round of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 Qualifiers, Sierra Leone will face Benin. Should the team succeed in this round, they will advance to meet Nigeria in the subsequent stage.

The Sierra Queens will first travel to Benin for the first leg of their match, scheduled from February 17 to 26, 2025, while the second round will occur between October 20 and 28, 2025.

The winner of the match between Sierra Leone and Benin will go on to challenge Nigeria, an established powerhouse in African women’s football. Nigeria has been granted a bye for the first round due to its high ranking.

The second round of fixtures is set to take place from October 20 to 28, 2025. A total of 38 African nations will compete for 12 available spots in the final tournament, alongside Morocco, which qualifies automatically as the host nation.

Qualifier Schedule:

  • First Round: February 17–26, 2025
  • Second Round: October 20–28, 2025

First Round Fixtures:

  • M1 & M2: Angola vs Zimbabwe
  • M3 & M4: Malawi vs Congo
  • M5 & M6: Botswana vs DR Congo
  • M7 & M8: Tanzania vs Equatorial Guinea
  • M9 & M10: Uganda vs Ethiopia
  • M11 & M12: Eswatini vs Namibia
  • M13 & M14: Burundi vs Burkina Faso
  • M15 & M16: Djibouti vs Togo
  • M17 & M18: South Sudan vs Algeria
  • M19 & M20: Rwanda vs Egypt
  • M21 & M22: Kenya vs Tunisia
  • M23 & M24: Niger vs Gambia
  • M25 & M26: Benin vs Sierra Leone
  • M27 & M28: Guinea vs Cape Verde
  • M29 & M30: Gabon vs Mali
  • M31 & M32: Chad vs Senegal

Second Round Fixtures:

  • M33 & M34: Angola/Zimbabwe vs Malawi/Congo
  • M35 & M36: Botswana/DR Congo vs South Africa
  • M37 & M38: Tanzania/Equatorial Guinea vs Uganda/Ethiopia
  • M39 & M40: Eswatini/Namibia vs Zambia
  • M41 & M42: Burundi/Burkina Faso vs Djibouti/Togo
  • M43 & M44: South Sudan/Algeria vs Cameroon
  • M45 & M46: Rwanda/Egypt vs Ghana
  • M47 & M48: Kenya/Tunisia vs Niger/Gambia
  • M49 & M50: Benin /Sierra leone Vs  Nigeria
  • M51 & M52: Guinea/Cape Verde vs Gabon/Mali
  • M53 & M54: Chad/Senegal vs Côte d’Ivoire
Sierra Leone plummet eight places in latest FIFA ranking
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone plummet eight places in latest FIFA ranking

Sierra Leone has seen a significant drop in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday, following their unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the Morocco 2025 AFCON tournament next year.

This decline is attributed to poor performances in the recent African Cup of Nations match day five and six, where they drew against Chad and suffered a 2-0 defeat to Zambia in Group G as hosts nation.

From 121st to 129th in the global ranking – as a result, the West African nation has plummeted also to 38th on the continent, having conceded ten goals while scoring only five in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers.

Africa’s top ten ranked teams include Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia and South Africa.

On the global stage, Argentina, captained by Lionel Messi, retains the top position, followed by France in second and Spain in third. England and Brazil hold the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.

These rankings reflect a busy international football calendar, which includes the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, AFCON 2025 matches, and Nations League fixtures.

Meanwhile, Niger made the biggest leap in the rankings, rising nine spots to 122nd globally with a total of 31.23 points.

The next FIFA ranking update is scheduled for December 12, 2024.

Sierra Leone Champions Bo Rangers Request Delay Prize Money
by David Lebbie

Sierra Leone Champions Bo Rangers Request Delay Prize Money

The management of Bo Rangers submitted a letter dated October 29 to the Acting Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Football Association, requesting their championship prize money for the 2023/24 Leone Rock Premier League after nearly six months of waiting.

The prize money for the championship is confirmed to be Five Hundred Thousand New Leones (NLe 500,000), as announced by the Premier League Board before the league’s commencement in November 2023.

Although the league was sponsored by Leone Rock Mining Company, which contributed Eighty Thousand American Dollars, along with an additional Two Million Eight Hundred Thousand Leones (NLe 2.8M) from the Government of Sierra Leone, the Premier League Board, led by Victor Lewis, and the Sierra Leone Football Association, have yet to disburse the prize money to the champions.

In their letter, Bo Rangers expressed that the delay in receiving the funds has raised concerns among the club’s management, particularly the board of directors. They urged the Sierra Leone Football Association to expedite the payment process for the championship prize.

“This delay has caused genuine concern among the club’s management, especially the board,” the letter stated. It emphasized that timely payment is crucial for the club’s financial planning and upcoming activities.

“We kindly ask the Football Association to expedite the processing of the championship funds to ensure that our club is duly rewarded for its hard work and achievements. Timely disbursement of these funds is essential for the club’s financial planning and future endeavours,” the FA Cup champions lamented.

An official from the SLFA, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the media, “The Champions will receive their prize money.

“Typically, it is the responsibility of the league board to distribute these funds, but they have been unable to do so. The FA will intervene and provide the payments in light of this situation. However, the process has been delayed because the Executive Committee requested that we hold off until they can review the report submitted by the league board.”

Read Related News Third straight Sierra Leone League Title For Bo Rangers

The Sierra Leone Champions Bo Rangers letter to the Sierra Leone Football Association
The Sierra Leone Champions Bo Rangers letter to the Sierra Leone Football Association
Zambia worsens Sierra Leone woes to end qualifying campaign on high
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Zambia worsen Sierra Leone’s misery to wrap up qualifying campaign on high

Sierra Leone suffered its third defeat, a 2-0 loss to Zambia in the last match of the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.During the campaign, Sierra Leone conceded ten goals and scored five in their six qualifying matches.

With goals from Kennedy Musonda and Emmanuel Banda at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Monrovia, the visitors enjoyed a resounding victory.

The victory means, Zambia topped Group G with 13 points, finishing one point ahead of the African champions, Côte d’Ivoire.

The Leone Stars have once again failed to secure a place in the continent’s most prestigious football tournament, missing the opportunity since their appearance in the 2021 finals in Cameroon.

This outcome has left many soccer enthusiasts disheartened, as they feel that the financial support provided by the government should have empowered Sierra Leone to compete against the top teams across Africa.

Fans had hoped to see their national team rise to the challenge and make a mark on the international stage, but the disappointment lingers as they reflect on what could have been.

Meanwhile, several nations qualified with good performances. Nigeria, Tunisia, and South Africa also secured their places, bringing in some of Africa’s most famous teams.

Some nations made a comeback, including DR Congo, Angola, and Gabon. Botswana returns to the tournament after many years, showing the growing competitiveness of African football. Sudan and Benin qualified on the last day of matches.

Last week, Zambia, Mali, Zimbabwe, and Comoros secured their spots, creating a balanced mix of established and new teams.

Equatorial Guinea and Uganda, known for their strong past performances, will join the tournament in Morocco.

This will be Botswana’s first appearance in 12 years, while Tanzania and Mozambique have fought hard to qualify.

The qualification rounds show that the level of football in Africa is rising. Now that all 24 slots are filled, excitement is growing for what will be a memorable tournament.

Group G Match Day Six Results

Ivory Coast 4-0 Chad

Sierra Leone 0-2 Zambia

The 24 nations competing in the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) have been confirmed. The tournament will kick off in December next year in Morocco, the host nation.
The 24 nations competing in the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) have been confirmed. The tournament will kick off in December next year in Morocco, the host nation.
Coach Karim urges players to record positive results against Copper Bullets of Zambia
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Coach Karim urges players to end AFCON campaign on high against Zambia

Despite the disappointment of not qualifying for the upcoming African Cup of Nations in Morocco, Sierra Leone coach Amidu Karim has urged his team to finish their AFCON qualifying campaign on a positive note as they face Zambia in their final Group G match on Tuesday.

Sierra Leone and Zambia will play their final match in the Liberian capital. This match will not affect their standings because Avram Grants side along with Ivory Coast, have already secured their advancement.

Karim’s team could not secure qualification after the Leone Stars’ 1-1 draw against Chad and Zambia’s victory over Ivory Coast. Their hopes of reaching Morocco in 2025 were dashed.

However, the coach is determined to achieve a positive ending, stating, “We are disappointed as technical staff and as a head coach for not making it to Morocco this time. Nonetheless, we want to assure our people and fans that we will fight and give our best against a difficult Zambia side.

“Just because we have been eliminated does not mean we cannot give our all for the people of Sierra Leone. We need to finish the group strongly, which means securing a positive result against Zambia.”

Sierra Leone will be without skipper Steven Caulker, and Kei Kamara and a couple of injured players might force the coach to make a few changes to his starting eleven.

Read related News – Zambia edges Sierra Leone in Group G AFCON qualifier.

Meanwhile, with only a few matches remain in the qualifiers for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025. So far, 21 teams have secured their spots for the tournament, which will take place in Morocco.