By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) convened a stakeholders engagement meeting at Wusum Field in Makeni with the North-East Region Football Association (NERFA).
The session brought together first and second division teams both male and female to deliberate on SLFA’s proposed Football Ecosystem and a Workable Football Calendar aimed at restructuring the game nationwide.
NERFA Secretary General, Sheku Bilo Conteh emphasized the importance of the gathering noting it as a platform to address widespread concerns surrounding the football structure and its operational framework.
Representing SLFA President Babadi Kamara and the Executive Committee, SLFA Vice President-1, Alie Badara Tarawallie outlined the association’s vision:
“We want to roll out a four-year plan which will help to restructure football under this new dispensation.”
He stressed that the consultative tour across regions is designed to incorporate stakeholder input into a unified document aligned with FIFA and CAF calendars. The SLFA V.P-1 further revealed that the SLFA aims to synchronize all tournaments across categories ensuring consistency and sustainability a challenge that plagued the previous administration due to funding gaps.
To address financial constraints, SLFA is actively pursuing sponsorships for first division clubs. Notably, the Women’s Premier League has already secured backing from a mining company for the upcoming season. Additionally, referee and coach training will be decentralized to regional bodies.
A major digital transformation is also underway. From 17–19 October, CAF will train regional representatives on the CAF CMA system which will serve as the foundation for the new league structure. V.P Badara Tarawallie concluded by highlighting plans to reduce team numbers, reintroduce inter-district leagues, and revive school football initiatives to foster community ownership.
SLFA’s Director of Competitions, Sorie Ibrahim Sesay, reinforced the roadmap noting that the official football window registered with FIFA spans October to May a timeline previously neglected. He confirmed that starting this year, SLFA will fully implement the ecosystem capping district and regional teams at 20 to promote fair play.
NERFA Chairman underscored the necessity for structural integrity in Division One teams declaring that promotions will be contingent on proper support systems. He also affirmed the region’s mandate to conduct training programs and urged communities to take active ownership of their teams.
Closing the session, NERFA Vice Chairman Abdul Pascal Gbla extended gratitude and called for unified support of the new structure emphasizing its potential to elevate the game across Sierra Leone.
