Monrovia — President Joseph N. Boakai Sr. has expressed a firm desire to see Liberia’s national football team, the Lone Star, qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), as the Liberia Football Association proposes boosting player match fees to $2,500 ahead of a major September 11 presidential fundraising dinner.
By Christopher C. Walker | [email protected]
Youth and Sports Minister Atty. Cornelia W. Kruah disclosed the President’s mandate on Friday, August 21, during a meeting of the Presidential National Team Resource Mobilization Fundraising Initiative at the Executive Mansion.
The meeting was chaired by Minister of State Without Portfolio Hon. Hadja Mamaka Bility and brought together officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Liberia Football Association (LFA), and the Ministry of State.
Minister Kruah revealed that during a private meeting several months ago, she asked President Boakai what his primary expectation was for the national team heading into the AFCON qualification cycle.
“I asked him, ‘What do you want as we go into AFCON?'” Kruah recalled. According to the minister, the President’s response was direct: he wants the Lone Star back on the continental stage.
Liberia last qualified for the AFCON finals in 2002. Minister Kruah noted that the President’s goal has reinforced the government’s commitment to providing the backing necessary to end the long absence.
She stated that the Ministry of Youth and Sports is working closely with the LFA on technical and logistical preparations, including supporting the national team’s newly appointed head coach, Moroccan national Mohammed Adil Erradi.
Coach Erradi has compiled a 35-player provisional squad and is initiating talks with players and their club managers.
Budget Deficit and Player Welfare
Despite the ambitious campaign, financing remains a significant hurdle. Minister Kruah explained that the funding allocation currently proposed by the Ministry of Finance falls short of the budget submitted by the LFA.
“That is where the fundraising committee will have to step in,” Kruah said, noting that the committee must bridge the gap to ensure smooth operations.
Liberia is scheduled to play six qualification matches three at home and three away.
In addition to team expenses, funds are urgently required for stadium maintenance, artificial turf upkeep, and meeting FIFA inspection standards to clear the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex for international fixtures.
A key priority of the campaign is improving player welfare. The LFA has proposed raising match appearance fees from US1,000 to US 2,500 per game to motivate current players and attract top Liberian talent playing abroad.
The proposed package also includes upgraded accommodation and travel logistics.
Presidential Dinner Set for Sept. 11
Minister of State Without Portfolio Hon. Hadja Mamaka Bility, who heads the fundraising initiative, outlined the roadmap for corporate and public engagement.
She announced that the committee will host the Presidential National Team Resource Mobilization Fundraising Dinner on September 11, 2026.
The event will gather President Boakai, government officials, private sector leaders, concessionaires, and corporate executives to raise capital for the Lone Star.
Minister Bility has appointed Minister Kruah to serve as Secretary of the initiative, giving her a primary operational role in coordinating the event.
Bility stressed that the drive is not solely about revenue generation, but about building national solidarity around the country’s sporting ambitions.
Echoing her sentiment, the Chairman of the Lone Star Mobilization Committee, Rev. J. Luther Tarpeh, called the qualification drive a “national vision” that demands unified support across political and institutional lines.
Rev. Tarpeh commended the collaboration between the Sports Ministry and the LFA, while urging all stakeholders to streamline coordination and avoid unnecessary administrative friction.
“The objective is bigger than any individual, institution, or government agency,” Tarpeh said. “It is about uniting Liberia behind the national team.”
The Lone Star faces a challenging road ahead, having been drawn into Group K alongside West African powerhouse Mali, Cape Verde, and Rwanda.
