Monrovia – The Liberia Football Association (LFA) is pressing forward with the kickoff of the 2025/2026 national league season on October 18, despite an unresolved case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) involving Jubilee FC, a club relegated under controversial circumstances for allegedly submitting falsified documents.
By: Christopher C. Walker | [email protected]
According to a fixture release by the Football house the first division league will kickoff on October 18 with Downtown FC taking on Gardnerville FC and Wologizi facing Freeport FC.
The LFA’s decision to proceed has sparked sharp criticism from football observers and stakeholders, who accuse the Association of disregarding due process and undermining international sports governance standards.
Many say the move exposes a troubling culture of impunity at the Football House where accountability is often preached but rarely practiced.
Jubilee FC, relegated to the Third Division earlier this year, maintains that the sanctions imposed by the LFA’s Disciplinary Committee were unfair and politically influenced.
The club insists it was punished without a fair hearing and that its internal appeal was ignored, prompting it to escalate the matter to CAS in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Despite the pending appeal, the LFA has continued with preparations for the league, maintaining that the case has no bearing on football operations.
CAS Confirms Hearing for Jubilee FC Appeal
FrontPage Africa has obtained an official CAS communication confirming that the appeal CAS 2025/A/11482 Jubilee Football Club v. Liberia Football Association remains active and is set for hearing later this month.
In a letter dated October 6, 2025, addressed to Jubilee’s counsel Atty. Joseph Howe and LFA Legal Affairs Manager Cllr. Benedict A. Yarsiah, CAS Counsel Delphine Deschenaux-Rochat informed both parties that the sole arbitrator will be available for a hearing on October 22 or 23, 2025.
“Pursuant to Article R57 of the Code of Sports-related Arbitration, the Sole Arbitrator has decided to hold a hearing in this matter… The parties are invited to inform the CAS Court Office by 8 October 2025 whether they would be available on those dates,” the letter reads in part.
The correspondence confirms that the dispute remains under CAS jurisdiction contradicting claims from within the LFA that the matter had been “concluded.”
LFA Under Fire for ‘Unprofessional Conduct’
According to Danesius Marteh, who writes for The Variety News, CAS had earlier rebuked the LFA for making what it described as “professionally inappropriate and unfounded allegations.”
Marteh reported that the LFA accused CAS of showing “sympathy” toward Jubilee FC, an assertion flatly rejected by CAS Director-General Matthieu Reeb, who in a written response described the allegation as “entirely without merit and a serious departure from the professional standards expected in international arbitration.”
Reeb further warned that CAS would “not engage further with unfounded allegations that question the integrity of CAS procedures or personnel.”
Marteh also revealed that CAS confirmed receipt of Jubilee’s payment of the required filing fees, contradicting the LFA’s claim that the club had not fulfilled its financial obligations under Article R64.2(3) of the CAS Code.
CAS Denies Jubilee’s Bid to Halt League
Meanwhile, on October 13 Webster Cassell wrote on Liberian Sports International that CAS has denied Jubilee FC’s application for provisional measures seeking to suspend the national league.
In his report, Cassell wrote:
“The Court of Arbitration for Sport rules that the application for provisional measures filed by Jubilee Football Club on 3 October 2025 in the matter CAS 2025/A/11482 Jubilee Football Club vs Liberia Football Association is denied.”
The ruling, signed by sole arbitrator Harve Le Lay, noted that the cost of the decision would be determined in the final award. Cassell observed that the ruling effectively cleared the way for the LFA to proceed with the 2025/26 season, reinforcing the Association’s authority to continue domestic competitions while the main case remains pending.
However, legal experts say CAS’s refusal to halt the league does not validate the LFA’s actions, emphasizing that the substantive hearing scheduled for October 22–23 will determine whether Jubilee’s relegation was lawful.
Background to the Dispute
The standoff began in January 2025, when the LFA fined Jubilee FC US$10,000 for allegedly submitting falsified business registration documents during the club licensing process.
After the club failed to pay by the stated deadline, the LFA enforced automatic relegation, a decision Jubilee branded as “vindictive and inconsistent with procedural fairness.”
The club’s appeal to the LFA Appeals Committee was dismissed, leaving CAS as its final recourse.
Silence from Football House
When contacted, LFA Secretary General Emmett Crayton had not responded to FrontPage Africa’s inquiries about the Association’s position on the ongoing legal battle or the pending CAS hearing.
The LFA’s silence, coupled with its decision to push forward with the season, has drawn widespread criticism. Stakeholders say the Association’s conduct undermines its credibility and exposes Liberian football to potential embarrassment on the international stage.
Accountability on the Line
As fans celebrate the return of the league this weekend, the shadow of the Jubilee case looms large over the season’s kickoff.
The outcome of the CAS hearing could have far-reaching implications for the LFA’s governance, financial liability, and reputation.
For now, the LFA insists the league must go on but as critics point out, so will the case.
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