Monrovia – The Liberia Football Association (LFA) has been informed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) of its decision not to approve the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) Sports Stadium for the upcoming World Cup qualifying match involving Liberia and South Africa.

By: Christopher C. Walker 0777898224/0886723075 christopherc.walker@frontpageafricaonline.com

The Lone Star is expected to take on the Bafana Bafana in the 2023 African cup of nations qualifiers at home on March 28.

But a communication from the confederation of African Football states that Liberia is among countries that don’t have an approved stadium to host international games.

Since the official opening of the SKD Stadium in 1986, the official home turf of the Liberia national football team has had natural grass. After decades of activities and renovations, the playing pitch was no longer playable and the facility was outdated and could not “fully meet the set CAF stadium minimum requirements.”

This led to the banning of SKD, depriving Liberians of watching the Lone Star play its home matches in other countries since 2020. However, Liberians wishing to have the opportunity to watch their national team play on home soil once more.

According the parent body of African   football 24outbofbits 54 members don’t have a standard stadium approve by CAF for matches.

Among the countries not qualified to host the third and fourth round of the 2023 nations cup qualifiers is Liberia.

CAF named South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria, Zambia, and Equatorial Guinea as countries with approved stadiums to host matches.

The latest decision by CAF is contrary to its initial communication in 2022 approving the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex to host international matches.

The SKD sports Complex was refurbished by the Liberian Government in 2022 following banned by FIFA and CAF.

The Stadium now has artificial turf and bucket seats and was officially dedicated by the Chief Patron of Sports George Manneh Weah on July 23, 2022.

Despite all the work done at the Country’s international stadium, CAF believed that more work needs to be done at the stadium before it can host international matches.

With many Liberians hoping to see the national team play at home for the first time after three years it seems they will have to wait a little longer.

But when contacted Youth And Sports Minister D. Zeogar Wilson confirm CAF decision but said they are hopeful that Lone Star will play at home in March.

He told’ our sports desk that CAF informed Liberia that if they want to play at home they must communicate that to CAF.

 The communication from CAF dated January 30/, 2023 statutes “In case a stadium from your country is not part of the attached list, and your association wishes to obtain its homologation for the Africa Cup of Nations Côte d´Ivoire 2023 group stage qualifiers match day 3 & 4, a full stadium pre-inspection should be conducted, and the report sent to CAF no later than February 10, 2023,,”

“The required stadium pre-inspection report should be completed by the National Club Licensing Manager in your association and be accompanied by the CAF Checklist, high-quality photos and videos area of the stadium. Failure to complete the stadium pre-inspection report or in case the quality of the report is not satisfactory, CAF will automatically run out the stadium from hosting the AFCON Côte d´Ivoire 2023 group stage qualifiers match day 3 & 4.,”

CAF said that based on the stadium pre-inspection report, a decision will be taken by CAF regarding the approval of the stadium and its CAF decision will be made based on the status of the stadium and the level of compliance reported at the time of the inspection.

The African football body indicated that it will not grant an additional period for works in the stadium to be concluded.

“Kindly note that CAF may decide to carry out an independent inspection visit by one of its experts before or after receipt of the pre-inspection report sent by your federation. CAF’s inspection visit is not, however, a prerequisite for its decision to approve a stadium. Please be also aware that CAF may decide not to accept a stadium based on its previous inspections and assessments, and in this case, CAF will communicate the decision to the respective national association accordingly,” CAF said in its communication.

Minister Wilson told FPA that the government through the Liberia Football Association has informed CAF that they want to play the South Africa game on March 28 at home.

He disclosed that LFA Club Licensing Manager Mohammed Sheriff has completed an inspection on the SKD Sports Complex and send his report to CAF.

“You can see that we have done a lot of work at the SKD Sports Complex and we have no doubt about it passing this CAF regulation,”

“I can assure you that we will play at home the main problem he had was the playing pitch but we have a first class artificial turf so I see no reason why we will not play at home we are still working on the stadium da and before March it will be up to the level CAF wants it,”. Minister Wilson said.

The government of Liberia in the 2022 fiscal budget allocated US$1.75 million for the SKD’s refurbishment project, which includes the installation of artificial turf.

MONROVIA – The Minister of Youth & Sports, Zeogar Wilson has termed the ban on the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex as a ‘political decision’ taken by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Min. Wilson’s description of the ban comes after the decision which barred Liberia from playing her remaining two home games in the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers on home soil was recently reversed by CAF to all LPRC Oilers to use the stadium for their home matches in the CAF Tournament.

LPRC Oilers will be playing against Orland Pirates on November 28, 2021 in the CAF Tournament.

Minister Wilson wondered which measure and or criteria was used by CAF to rclear the banned stadium for LPRC.

“This is sad and unfortunate he told University of Liberia Fendell campus students following concerns and barrage of questions relative to the reason why the SKD was banned but is now playable according to CAF.

He said after discussions with CAF, they all agreed that due to the time factor that the artificial turf and bucket seats could not be possible but it was shocking to him for CAF to take such a decision.

He at the same time pointed out that there were some interventions made at the SKD by the government during said period which may not be visible to the spectators including the addition of medical room, media Center , dressing room for both teams with five commode and showers unlike the previous two, media tribune, match commissioner room and anti doping center among others.

According to him, Liberia was not the only country whose stadium was banned by CAF rather about 36 others including Senegal, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, among others.

He said those countries stadiums were built in the 80s including Liberia and can’t meet the present day standards.

However, the Youth and Sports Minister stressed that the story of ban story will soon be of the past.

He assured Liberians that in 2022 the SKD will be renovated including the construction of an artificial turf to give it a new, modern and international face unlike before.

According to him the 2022 budget of the Ministry has captured one million seven hundred and fifty thousand United States Dollars to ensure the execution of said task beginning 2022 which upon full completion will laid to rest said issue.