One year after assuming office, the leadership of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) under President Babadi Kamara has embarked on an ambitious programme of institutional reform, financial recovery, football development, infrastructure expansion, and international engagement.
The administration, which emerged following the SLFA Elective Congress in Lungi on the 2nd August 2025, inherited an Association facing administrative, financial, and developmental challenges.
Babadi Kamara’s stewardship: The President hailed that his Executive has implemented a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening governance, improving technical standards, expanding commercial partnerships, promoting women’s football, modernising communications, and aligning Sierra Leonean football with international best practices.
Governance and Institutional Reform
One of the administration’s earliest priorities was rebuilding the Association’s internal structure.
A comprehensive restructuring of the Secretariat introduced clearer reporting lines, better-defined departmental responsibilities, improved communication between management and staff, and faster administrative decision-making. A revised organisational structure now provides greater accountability while improving supervision and performance evaluation across departments.
The Association also strengthened its workforce through strategic recruitment to fill critical capacity gaps and invested in staff development to improve service delivery.
Gender inclusion was equally prominent, with increased support for women’s football programmes and a conscious effort to promote gender balance in recruitment and appointments.
Perhaps the most significant governance reform was the creation of the SLFA Safeguarding Department, established in December 2025 to strengthen child and vulnerable adult protection while ensuring compliance with FIFA safeguarding standards.
Since its establishment, all SLFA staff have received safeguarding training, with 90 percent completing the FIFA Guardians Safeguarding Essentials Course. Safeguarding training has also been extended to Women’s Premier League clubs and the National U-17 Women’s Team, while the Association has drafted its first comprehensive Safeguarding Policy for nationwide implementation.
Financial Recovery and Commercial Growth
Financial sustainability has been another major focus.
The current administration inherited liabilities amounting to NLe. 1,805,039 and USD 106,393.
Through disciplined financial management, the Association has already settled NLe. 1,193,440 and USD 16,398, significantly reducing its inherited debt while maintaining operational stability.
At the same time, the SLFA expanded its commercial portfolio by attracting record corporate investment.
Leone Rock Metal Group increased its sponsorship of the Men’s Premier League to
NLe. 4,066,164 approximately USD 180,000, while Marampa Mines Limited committed USD 150,000 to the Women’s Premier League, the largest corporate sponsorship ever secured for women’s football in Sierra Leone.
Additional commercial partnerships with Orange Sierra Leone and Africell Sierra Leone have further diversified revenue streams while improving football promotion and fan engagement. Orange Sierra Leone sponsored the SLFA FA Cup whilst Africell Sierra Leone provided ‘Value Added Service (AVS)’ sponsorship
Raising Technical Standards
Coach education remained central to the Association’s development strategy.
The nationwide CAF D Licence Coaching Programme trained grassroots coaches across Sierra Leone’s five football regions, while CAF Licence C Diploma courses and refresher programmes for Licence A, B and C coaches ensured continuous professional development.
The country also hosted its first-ever FIFA Elite Goalkeeper Coaching Course, facilitated by FIFA experts and designed to modernise goalkeeper coaching techniques in Sierra Leone.
Alongside coach education, the launch of the SLFA Talent Development Scheme and the nationwide Football for Schools Programme demonstrated the Association’s commitment to building long-term player development pathways.
Women’s Football Enters a New Era
Women’s football experienced arguably its most transformative year in the Association’s history.
For the first time, the SLFA appointed a dedicated Women’s Football Manager, Elizabeth Alberta Kailey, providing specialised leadership for the women’s game.
The Association also completed the Women’s Football Strategy 2026–2030, becoming the country’s first long-term strategic framework dedicated exclusively to women’s football.
International confidence in the programme was reflected through substantial FIFA investment, including USD 100,000 for an Under-17 Talent Identification Scheme, USD 10,000 to launch the Women’s Football Strategy, and preparations for an additional USD 50,000 capacity-building project.
The Women’s Football Manager also represented Sierra Leone internationally through the FIFA Women’s Football Development Programme in Morocco while serving in key management roles for the national women’s teams.
Improving Safety, Security and Integrity
The administration placed considerable emphasis on creating safer football environments.
In partnership with CAF, the SLFA organised the Safe Stadium Initiative Workshop, bringing together security agencies, stadium managers, football administrators, and Premier League clubs to improve match-day safety standards.
Regional safety training programmes later expanded these efforts across the country.
Integrity also received renewed attention through safeguarding workshops, referee anti-match manipulation training, and the signing of an Anti-Doping Memorandum of Understanding with the National Olympic Committee.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate a broader effort to align Sierra Leonean football with global governance and integrity standards.
Strengthening Refereeing
The Referees Department also underwent significant development.
Fitness assessments and merit-based selection processes were introduced for Premier League officials, while integrity workshops and regional instructor training strengthened officiating standards nationwide.
The Association additionally invested in youth referee development and secured FIFA approval for specialised referee education programmes.
Internationally, Sierra Leonean referees continued to gain recognition, with officials earning appointments to FIFA and WAFU competitions, highlighting the growing quality of refereeing in the country.
Competitions Continue to Grow
On the field, the Association maintained an active football calendar.
The Leone Stars continued their FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign while participating in international friendlies and the FIFA Series Tournament in Azerbaijan.
Domestically, the Leone Rock Men’s Premier League and Marampa Mines Women’s Premier League both enjoyed successful campaigns, with every men’s league match broadcast globally on FIFA+.
The inaugural Unity Cup, the Orange FA Cup, and the continued expansion of youth competitions further strengthened the domestic football ecosystem.
The National U-17 Girls Team also enjoyed remarkable success by winning the WAFU A Championship before progressing in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
Media Transformation and Global Visibility
The Media Department significantly expanded the Association’s digital footprint.
Through FIFA+, Sierra Leonean domestic football now reaches international audiences, increasing both exposure and broadcast revenue.
The Department also modernised its promotional strategy through collaboration with Orange Sierra Leone while redesigning the Association’s official website.
International recognition came with CAF appointing Head of Media and Marketing Ibrahim Kamara as Tournament Media Officer for the AFCON U-17 Qualifiers in Mali.
Investing in Infrastructure
Infrastructure development also featured prominently during the year.
The commissioning of the new 435-seat pavilion at the SLFA Secretariat in Kingtom represents one of the administration’s most visible capital investments, creating additional space for football programmes, meetings, technical courses, and stakeholder engagement.
The project reflects a broader commitment to improving football infrastructure alongside administrative and technical reforms.
Apt:
The Babadi Kamara-led Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has continued its drive to transform the country’s football landscape, with the Association settling all sanctioned competition cash prizes owed to participating clubs.
The latest development also comes against the backdrop of outstanding cash prizes from the 2021/22 season, which were not fulfilled under the previous SLFA administration. The settlement of these financial obligations is being viewed as a significant step towards restoring confidence among clubs, strengthening financial accountability and promoting greater professionalism in Sierra Leone football.
The payments cover winners and runners-up of the country’s major domestic competitions, as follows:
Leone Rock Premier League 2025/26: Champions Bo Rangers received NLe. 500,000, while runners-up Star Sport Academy received NLe. 250,000.
Marampa Mines Women’s Premier League 2025/26: Champions Mogbwemo Queens received NLe. 500,000, with runners-up Ram Kamara FC receiving NLe. 250,000.
Orange FA Cup 2026: Champions East End Lions received NLe. 150,000.
The timely fulfilment of these financial commitments signals a shift in the administration of domestic football, with the SLFA seeking to build greater trust and confidence among clubs and stakeholders.
Looking Ahead
While challenges remain, the first year of the current administration has been characterised by structural reforms, expanded investment, stronger governance, increased commercial confidence, and renewed emphasis on technical development.
From financial recovery and safeguarding reforms to women’s football investment, infrastructure expansion, referee development, media innovation, and grassroots football, the Association has pursued a broad programme aimed at modernising football administration and strengthening the foundations of the game.
As Sierra Leonean football continues its development journey, these initiatives provide a framework upon which future growth, competitiveness, and sustainability can be built.
