By Jamesetta D. Williams
Monrovia-The Liberia Football Association (LFA) has outlined a series of preparations for Liberia’s national teams ahead of upcoming international competitions, including the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Speaking Thursday at the Ministry of Information press briefing in Monrovia, LFA Acting Deputy Secretary General and Media and Communications Manager Anthony Kokoi provided updates on the senior national team, the U-17 and U-20 teams, the U-15 national team, player bonuses, talent development, coaching education and football infrastructure.
Kokoi said the LFA is working with the government and other partners to ensure that Liberia’s national teams are adequately prepared for their respective international engagements.
Kokoi highlighted the performance of Liberia’s U-17 national team, which is currently participating in the West African Football Union (WAFU) U-17 competition in Senegal.
He said Liberia finished at the top of Group B with four points and advanced to the semifinal stage.
The Liberian U-17 team is scheduled to face The Gambia in a crucial semifinal encounter as it seeks to secure qualification for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted in Morocco.
Kokoi said the team entered the competition better prepared than in its previous campaign, when Liberia lost all of its matches.
He praised Head Coach Marcus Polo and his technical staff for their work in guiding the team to the semifinal stage.
According to Kokoi, a victory over The Gambia would move Liberia closer to qualification for the U-17 AFCON.
He also expressed appreciation to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for a goodwill message delivered to the team ahead of the match, saying the gesture boosted the players’ morale.
Turning to the senior national team, Kokoi said Head Coach Mario Marinica has finalized the squad for Liberia’s upcoming AFCON 2027 qualifying matches.
He said the squad consists largely of foreign-based players, along with three locally based players.
Kokoi explained that most of the foreign-based players are currently with their respective clubs and will only be released during the FIFA international window, which begins on September 21.
Liberia is scheduled to face Togo away on September 25 before returning home to host Mali on September 29 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex.
He said preparations have been made for the team’s travel, accommodation and other logistical requirements for both matches.
Kokoi added that the team manager has already begun arrangements for accommodation in Togo, while the LFA continues to coordinate with relevant government institutions to ensure the team’s preparations are completed.
The LFA official said the Liberian government has provided an allocation from the approved national budget to support the two upcoming AFCON qualifying matches.
He thanked the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Finance for working with the LFA to address funding requirements for the national team.
Kokoi also acknowledged the Liberia Immigration Service for its cooperation on visas and other immigration-related matters involving visiting teams and technical personnel.
He explained that, under competition regulations, Liberia is responsible for arrangements involving visiting teams, including tickets, accommodation and entry visas.
Kokoi also disclosed an increase in appearance and win bonuses for national team players. He said the LFA has increased the amount paid to players for representing the national team, with the new structure intended to motivate players to perform better when representing Liberia.
According to him, both locally and foreign-based players will receive equal treatment under the revised bonus arrangement.
Kokoi said the players have welcomed the increase and expressed appreciation to the government for its support.
The LFA Acting Deputy Secretary General also announced preparations for Liberia’s U-15 national team to participate in the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan.
He said the tournament is being organized under FIFA’s youth development initiative to provide young players with opportunities to compete internationally and develop their football careers.
Kokoi said the LFA is working with tournament organizers to ensure that Liberia’s delegation is adequately prepared for the trip.
Meanwhile, Liberia’s U-20 national team is preparing for the WAFU U-20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Kokoi said the team has been training in Liberia and is expected to travel to Mali for the competition.
He expressed hope that the young Lone Star team will perform well and secure qualification for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
Kokoi also provided an update on the FIFA Talent Development Scheme being implemented by the LFA.
He announced that the first batch of 60 student-athletes, ranging from Grade 3 to Grade 12 and U-15 level, has been enrolled at the Heros Human Brown Academy located at the LFA Technical Center in Careysburg.
He said the program is designed to identify and develop young football talents while ensuring that they receive formal education alongside their football training.
According to Kokoi, the FIFA Talent Development Scheme is a global initiative aimed at helping all 211 FIFA member associations develop competitive football programs and reduce the gap between footballing nations with different levels of resources.
He said the program is fully supported by FIFA and is intended to create a long-term pathway for talented young Liberians to progress into Liberia’s national youth teams and eventually the senior national team.
The students receive football training several times a day while also continuing their education.
Kokoi said the LFA is also making progress on football infrastructure across Liberia.He announced that work is nearing completion at a football facility in Margibi County, where floodlights and goalposts have already been installed.
He said the LFA plans to complete additional work, including stands, dressing rooms and other facilities to increase the capacity of the playing venue.
Kokoi said the project will add to the number of playing facilities developed by the LFA since the current administration took office in 2018.
He noted that the association has also worked on other facilities, including practice fields and football infrastructure in different parts of the country.
He called for continued support from the government and development partners to enable the LFA to construct more playing facilities for young boys and girls interested in football.
The LFA official also highlighted efforts to strengthen coaching capacity in Liberia. He said the association recently concluded a CAF coaching course involving 20 participants, including foreign coaches from Nigeria.
Kokoi said Liberia has increasingly developed its own coach educators, allowing the country to conduct coaching courses locally instead of relying entirely on instructors from outside the country.
He added that Liberian coach educators are also being given opportunities to conduct training programs in neighboring countries, including Sierra Leone.
Kokoi further disclosed that the LFA is working to improve transparency in Liberia’s domestic football transfer market.
He said clubs will be required to declare the amounts paid for players transferred between clubs.
According to him, the initiative is intended to provide a clearer picture of the value of Liberia’s domestic football market.
Kokoi said the LFA expects to publish information on domestic transfer activities after the current transfer window closes.
He said the information would help demonstrate the financial activity taking place within Liberian football and provide greater transparency regarding player transfers.
The LFA is also continuing its nationwide talent identification program, according to Kokoi.He explained that scouts are being used to identify players, particularly those under the ages of 12 and 15, across Liberia.
Selected players are brought together for further assessment by local and FIFA-supported talent identification experts.
Kokoi said the final selection process is not based on family background or personal connections, but on the players’ football abilities and assessments conducted through the talent identification program.
He said the objective is to identify promising young players who can eventually enter the national academy and contribute to Liberia’s youth and senior national teams.
Kokoi concluded by emphasizing that football development is a long-term process requiring investment in infrastructure, coaching, youth development and national teams.
He said the LFA continues to work with FIFA, CAF, the Liberian government and other partners to strengthen football development in the country.
He expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Finance, Liberia Immigration Service, FIFA, CAF and other partners for their support to the national football program.
Kokoi said the LFA remains committed to developing Liberia’s football talent and creating more opportunities for young Liberians to participate and compete at international levels.
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