MONROVIA – The Liberia Football Association (LFA) has sounded a distress signal over the crumbling state of youth football development, following a startling disclosure that the Government of Liberia will no longer provide financial support for the nation’s junior squads.
By: Christopher C.Walker 0777898224/0886723075 [email protected]
LFA President Mustapha Raji revealed this first media engagement of the year that the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS), acting on behalf of the government, has officially notified the association that it is broke and unable to finance the operations of the youth national teams.
This leaves the LFA as the sole financier of a massive developmental pyramid that was previously a shared responsibility.
‘Unsustainable’ Reliance on FIFA Funds
According to Raji, the association is now being forced to survive exclusively on FIFA Forward 3.0 funds to keep the youth programs alive.
It is a situation he described as unsustainable, given the sheer volume of teams now under the LFA’s wing.
“We received information from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, representing the Government, that they cannot support or finance the youth national teams,” Raji confirmed.
The LFA President raised the alarm over the math of the situation, questioning how a single grant can’t cover the U-20 girls, U-17 girls, U-15 girls, U-17 boys, and U-20 boys simultaneously.
“How much do you know is there in the FIFA Forward 3.0 funds to run all these teams?” Raji asked . “These are things we need to look at and find solutions for.”
No Miracles Without Money
The LFA president stressed that the days of hoping for “miracle” qualifications on the international stage are over. He argued that success is a product of investment, not luck.
“A team without sufficient motivation, without sufficient investment and support, wouldn’t just qualify by miracles,” Raji emphasized.
He warned that Liberia risks becoming a regional footnote as neighboring nations continue to pump significant capital into their youth academies and national structures.
The withdrawal of state support comes at a critical juncture for Liberian football, where the youth national teams serve as the primary pipeline for talent aiming for professional careers abroad.
MYS Tight-Lipped
The government’s decision has sent shockwaves through the football community, yet official explanations remain scarce.
As of press time, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has not responded to inquiries from FrontPage Africa regarding the withdrawal of funds.
Efforts to obtain comments from Youth and Sports Minister Jeror Cole Bangalu and Deputy Minister for Sports G. Andy Quamie proved unsuccessful, as messages were not returned.
Football stakeholders now fear that this financial abandonment will stall ongoing youth programs and undermine the country’s long-term ambitions to return to the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) or the World Cup stage.
Without the government’s “skin in the game,” many worry that the LFA’s lone efforts will not be enough to sustain the dreams of thousands of young Liberian athletes.
