The Western Area Rural District Football Association(WARDFA) has yesterday, September 22, 2023, launched its Le100 million tournament at the Jabbex multiple purpose hall in Waterloo.
The tournament, which is the maiden edition of the new WARDFA executive, will start in October this year at the Bassa Town Mini Stadium with football teams expected to participate from across communities in the district.
According to Polo Bangura, WARDFA Head of Competition, the idea of the competition was borne out of the fact that there’s yet a calendar for the Division 2 League.
Polo added that the competition will involve 32 teams that will be divided into eight groups. He said 63 matches will be played in the competition. Over 40 matches will be played at group stage and there’ll be a Round of 16.
In his address, chairman of the occasion who doubles as the Head of Media and Marketing at the Sierra Leone Football Association( SLFA), Ibrahim Kamara, admonished the need for concerted efforts, stating it’s about time the narrative of football changed in the district. “The competition is meant to introduce the new executive, to announce their arrival – this is where we determine their seriousness to take football to a stable level of growth in the district,” he stated. Kamara aslo entreated the new executive to equally consider the conduct of female leagues as it’s of transcendental importance.
Sorie Ibrahim Sesay, the Director of Competition at the SLFA, said he’s impressed with the set up of the new executive.
“It shows they are ready. If they work with this structure, the executive will get a lesser burden.”
Acting General Secretary of the Sierra Leone Football Association, Mohamed Benson Bawoh, committed the FA to the current executive of WARDFA, indicating their desire to promote the district to Division 1 and Premier League football. Bawoh also disclosed that the FA is proposing to construct Sierra Leone’s first ever Technical Center for Football – The Home of Football – in the district.
Kebbie Sesay, the newly elected chairman of WARDFA, pointed out the significance of the league and WARDFA’s role in improving football in the region. He assured the public of the Le100m package for the winner of the tournament.
The ceremony was attended by prominent football stakeholders in Sierra Leone. Key among them were the Director of Sports in Ministry of Sports, Acting General Secretary of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Director of Competition at SLFA, the recently appointed Chairman of the Premier League Board (PLB), and the Head of Media and Marketing at SLFA.
Credit: WARDFA Media and Communications Unit
