MONROVIA — Flames Basketball, runners-up in the just-ended Liberian Basketball Association (LBA) Women’s Division, is grappling with severe financial and logistical hurdles as it prepares to host the preliminary qualifiers for the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA) from November 4 to 8, 2026.
The club is seeking roughly US$60,000 in budgetary support to host the continental showcase at a time when the governing body, the LBA, is reeling from its own crippling debt and operational constraints.
Addressing a news conference in Monrovia on Thursday, Flames Basketball’s leadership confirmed its readiness to host the tournament at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex Gymnasium in Paynesville.
Six women’s clubs representing four West African nations are slated to compete.
Flames Basketball President Fenny Taylor-Diggs emphasized that despite the staggering financial demands, the club remains committed to empowering young Liberian women through sports.
“Liberian basketball, particularly the women’s game, requires deliberate investment to encourage more young women to pursue sports as a career and a path to empowerment,” Taylor-Diggs said.
She stressed that hosting the qualifiers extends far beyond the club’s institutional obligations, describing it as a national opportunity to expose local talent to international standards.
“We are delighted as Flames Basketball to earn the trust of FIBA Africa and the LBA to bring this tournament to Monrovia,” Taylor-Diggs added.
“Our primary ambition is to deliver an exceptional tournament and secure a spot in the next stage of the competition in Egypt next year.”
She issued a passionate appeal to the Government of Liberia, corporate entities, and public institutions to rally behind the team and support the event.
Joining the conference, LBA Vice President Yanqueh Borsay admitted that the basketball authority is facing severe financial constraints, leaving the body indebted to several local vendors and unable to extend direct financial assistance to Flames.
“The LBA is standing with Flames Basketball in spirit, but our current financial limitations severely constrain our capacity to provide direct funding,” Borsay acknowledged.
Despite the financial strain, Borsay urged the nation to back the team fully, emphasizing that technical, physical, and emotional preparation will be vital for the players’ performance on home soil.
Hannah Daye, Chairperson of the tournament’s Local Organizing Committee (LOC), outlined the venue and operational preparations currently underway to meet FIBA Africa’s hosting mandates.
According to Daye, the US$60,000 budget covers venue renovations at the SKD Gymnasium, local transportation,security, meals, and specialized accommodation for visiting international match officials and FIBA representatives.
“Securing corporate sponsorships and public donations remains our main operational focus to cover these mandatory overheads,” Daye noted, calling on potential sponsors to invest in the advancement of women’s athletics in Liberia.
The five-day tournament will feature six regional powerhouses: Flames Basketball and D-Rokas representing host nation Liberia; Mountain of Fire (MFM) and First Bank from Nigeria; Energie BB from Benin; and Friends of Basketball (FBA) from Côte d’Ivoire.
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