Monrovia –The Liberia Football Association (LFA) and the National High School Sports (NHSS) have signed a two-year partnership agreement in what is being described as a game-changing step for school and youth football development in Liberia.
By: Christopher C Walker 0777898224/0886723075christopher.walker@frontpageafricaonline.com
The partnership, which runs from 2025 to 2027, aims to expand football access in schools and establish a reliable age verification system to support player development and ensure integrity in national team selection.
The agreement was formally signed on Thursday, June 5, 2025 at the LFA’s Headquarters in Paynesville, outside Monrovia. It outlines joint efforts to decentralize football, strengthen school competitions, and build a sustainable talent pipeline for LFA-sanctioned leagues.
Under the agreement, NHSS will lead the implementation of a national high school football league, while the LFA will provide technical support—including the training of coaches and referees, along with logistical coordination across all 15 counties.
Targeting Age Cheating and Talent Development
Speaking during the signing ceremony, LFA Deputy Secretary General, Mohammed Sheriff, described the partnership as a timely intervention to address one of the most persistent challenges in Liberian football: age cheating.
“This partnership will help feed players into the LFA’s youth system and will drastically reduce age cheating. Many times, players provide one age to the LFA and a different one to their schools,” Sheriff said.
He also emphasized that the partnership aligns with the LFA’s youth development agenda and is being driven by former footballers who understand the realities on the ground.
When asked about how the new deal affects the LFA’s existing relationship with the Inter-School Sports Association (ISSA), Sheriff clarified that the NHSS partnership will not replace ISSA.
“The LFA inherited ISSA. Their focus is on extracurricular activities, while NHSS brings a strong emphasis on age verification and structured school competitions, which caught our attention,” he explained.
A New Era for Youth Football
In a statement delivered at the event, Dionysius Sebwe, Executive Director of NHSS, laid out the broader goals of the partnership, particularly its potential to clean up the youth football system.
“Our combined capacities will prevent age cheating—a sad reality that has plagued our youth national teams and led to international disqualifications,” Sebwe said.
He explained that the agreement will allow NHSS to work with the LFA in tracking players’ ages and performance history, starting at the high school level, effectively creating a data repository to support future player vetting.
“This collaboration will restore credibility to youth national team selection while giving the LFA tools to effectively track the ages of future players,” he added.
Key Objectives of the Partnership
The agreement outlines five core objectives:
Age Tracking: Establish a school-based database to verify players’ ages for future league and national team inclusion.
Grassroots Promotion: Decentralize football development at the school level to reach underserved communities.
Player Vetting: Supply accurate, school-verified data to the LFA during the national team selection process.
Policy Integration: Collaborate with the Ministries of Education and Youth & Sports to align policies on sports and education.
Veteran Involvement: Strengthen ties between the LFA and former Liberian football professionals to support development efforts.
Sebwe used the opportunity to thank LFA President Mustapha Raji and Executive Committee member Ivan Brown for their roles in finalizing the partnership, which he described as “historic and unprecedented.”
A Timely Move Amid Growing Concerns
The deal comes at a time when Liberia’s football community has raised growing concerns about the lack of a credible youth development system and widespread age fraud.
It can be recalled that some of Liberia’s U-17 national teams were disqualified from international competitions due to inconsistencies in players’ age documentation.
Observers believe that if this new framework is fully implemented, it could set a new standard for transparent scouting and player development in the country.
“The process culminating in this agreement was driven by cooperation, good intention, and love of the game,” Sebwe noted.
As the agreement takes effect, all eyes will be on delivery and accountability—two areas where Liberia’s sports governance has often fallen short. Whether this partnership becomes another shelved document or a true turning point for youth football remains to be seen.
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