Eastern Region Football Association Champions SLFA Reforms

Eastern Region Football Association Champions SLFA Reforms

The Eastern Region Football Association (ERFA) successfully hosted a pivotal Football Stakeholder Engagement Meeting on Thursday, October 16, 2025, addressing the Sierra Leone Football Association's (SLFA) proposed Football Ecosystem and Calendar Reform.

The event, held at the ERFA Secretariat in Kenema, brought together a diverse group of football leaders and stakeholders, including SLFA Vice Presidents I Alie Badara Tarawallie and II Prince Kai Saquee, Exco Member Melvin Kwaku Lisk, and SLFA Head of Female Football Haja Ramatulai Kamara.

Vice President I Tarawallie outlined the Executive Committee's plan to implement a nationwide Football Ecosystem, emphasizing its mandate under Articles 34 and 35 of the SLFA Statutes. He stressed the initiative's goal of gathering regional insights to foster a more inclusive, transparent, and sustainable football system.

A key focus was the misalignment of Sierra Leone's football calendar with CAF competitions, which has hindered local clubs' international preparation.

To rectify this, the Executive Committee has proposed a new football calendar running from October to May annually, aiming to align with CAF tournaments and transfer windows. Significant reforms discussed included standardized promotion and relegation, harmonized player transfers via a centralized CAF CMS registration system, direct financial and capacity support for regional associations, and a reduction in Premier League clubs to 14 male teams by 2027. V

Vice President Tarawallie also announced a major sponsorship boost for the female Premier League, with SLFA President Babadi Kamara in final discussions with a leading mining company. Additionally, CAF technical support for regional administrators on the CMS platform will be provided in Bo City from October 17-19, 2025.