Author: Alusine Rehme Wilson

Kamara Nets Haul as Bamoi Queens Crush Future Queens 8-0 in Playoff Opener
by Alusine Rehme Wilson

Kamara Nets Haul as Bamoi Queens Crush Future Queens 8-0 in Playoff Opener

Bamoi Queens Football Club announced themselves as serious contenders for promotion with a ruthless 8-0 win over Future Queens in the opening match of the North West Region Football Association (NWRFA) Women’s First Division Playoffs at the Port Loko Mini Stadium.

The standout performer was prolific forward Kadiatu M. Kamara, who delivered a masterclass in finishing by scoring four goals and earning the Player of the Match award in a dominant display that left Future Queens with no answer to her attacking brilliance.

Kamara’s four-goal haul spearheaded a commanding team performance as Bamoi Queens overwhelmed their opponents from the first whistle, combining clinical finishing with disciplined defending to secure one of the biggest victories in recent regional women’s football competition.

Buoyed by a passionate home crowd, Bamoi Queens controlled possession, dictated the tempo and repeatedly breached the Future Queens defence, underlining their determination to reach the nationwide playoffs and secure promotion to the 2026/27 Sierra Leone Women’s Premier League.

Future Queens endured a difficult afternoon as they struggled to contain the relentless attacking waves from their opponents, conceding eight goals in a one-sided contest that showcased the gulf between the two sides on the day.

The ongoing NWRFA Women’s First Division Playoffs serve as the regional qualifying tournament for the national promotion playoffs, where clubs will compete for coveted places in Sierra Leone’s top-tier women’s football league.

For Bamoi Queens, the emphatic victory not only earned three valuable points but also sent a powerful message to rival teams that they possess both the quality and ambition to challenge for promotion.

With the playoffs continuing in the coming days, Bamoi Queens have already laid down an early marker, while Kadiatu M. Kamara’s remarkable four-goal performance has established her as one of the tournament’s players to watch.

Sierra Leone’s U-17 Girls Crash Out of World Cup Qualifiers After Benin Seal Double Victory
by Alusine Rehme Wilson

Sierra Leone’s U-17 Girls Crash Out of World Cup Qualifiers After Benin Seal Double Victory

Sierra Leone’s dream of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco ended in disappointment on Friday evening after the country’s U-17 female side suffered a second straight defeat to Benin in the African qualifiers.

The young Sierra Queens, coached by Fatmata “Taribo” Turay, lost 2-1 to Benin in the return leg played on Friday evening at the Kegue Stadium in Togo, following a heavy 3-0 defeat in the first leg on Monday, May 25. The result sealed a crushing 5-1 aggregate victory for Benin and confirmed Sierra Leone’s elimination from the race to Morocco.

During the crucial encounter, Benin opened the scoring in the return leg through Doris Ogoubi in the first half before Sierra Leone responded with an equalizer from Mariama Kamara, briefly raising hopes of a comeback for the West African side.

However, Benin restored their advantage after the break when captain Emmanuella Tchibozo found the net to secure another victory for her team. Despite a more spirited performance in the second encounter, the young Sierra Queens were unable to overturn the first-leg deficit as Benin maintained composure to advance to the next stage of the continental qualifiers.

The back-to-back defeats represent a significant setback for Sierra Leone’s growing women’s football program, which has been striving for greater competitiveness on the African stage.

Nonetheless, the campaign underscored the determination and potential of the country’s young female players amid ongoing challenges related to funding, infrastructure, and player development.

Sierra Leone’s U-17 Head Coach Fatmata “Taribo” Turay and her squad are expected to return home for a review of the campaign as football authorities begin preparations for future regional and international competitions.

The qualification series for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026 continues across Africa, with countries battling for one of the eight available slots in the ongoing second round to progress to the Africa continent’s limited places at the global tournament.

Sierra Leone U-17 Girls Stunned by Benin in 2026 World Cup Qualifier
by Alusine Rehme Wilson

Sierra Leone U-17 Girls Stunned by Benin in 2026 World Cup Qualifier

Sierra Leone’s Under-17 female team faces a daunting challenge in the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup African qualifiers after suffering a heavy 3-0 defeat to Benin in Monday’s first-leg clash in Lome, Togo.

The young Sierra Queens were punished by a clinical Benin side at the Kegue Stadium, with Romaine Gandonou striking in the 16th and 67th minutes while Diane Dogbe added a second-half goal in the 57th minute to hand the Young Amazons a commanding advantage.

Head Coach Fatmata “Taribo” Turay’s side struggled to contain Benin’s attacking pressure despite moments of resilience, leaving Sierra Leone with a mountain to climb ahead of Thursday’s crucial return-leg underway at the Kegue Stadium.

The defeat puts West African teams on the brink of elimination, meaning the Sierra Queens must produce an extraordinary comeback to keep their hopes of reaching the next stage of the African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup alive.

Sierra Leone U-17 Girls Eye Historic World Cup Spot
by Alusine Rehme Wilson

Sierra Leone U-17 Girls Eye Historic World Cup Spot

Sierra Leone’s U-17 girls are now just one step away from securing a historic place in the final qualifying phase of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup African qualifiers after edging past Cote D’Ivoire in a tense first-round encounter last month.

The young Sierra Queens advanced with grit and determination, keeping alive the nation’s dream of reaching the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, to be staged in Morocco from October 17 to November 7 this year.

With the first hurdle cleared in April, Sierra Leone is in good sharp ready to handle Benin in the second round of the African qualifiers, a tie that could move them within touching distance of the last eight and closer to an unprecedented World Cup appearance.

The first leg will be played on Monday, May 25, at the Kegue stadium in Lome, before the return leg on May 29, 2026, at the same venue, where Sierra Leone will seek to finish the job and continue their remarkable campaign.

Across the continent, 16 nations, including Sierra Leone, remain in contention, as Africa’s rising stars battle for qualification to the global showpiece. While traditional powerhouses such as Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and South Africa once again dominate the headlines, Sierra Leone’s emergence has become one of the competition’s most compelling stories.

The West African football-loving nation’s U-17 Women’s team, led by Fatmata “Taribo” Turay as head coach, has so far shown resilience and tactical discipline in the qualifiers, qualities that proved decisive against their Ivorian counterparts last month and could again be crucial against Benin in the coming days.

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup African Qualifiers second round will begin on Friday, May 22, with an East African derby between Uganda and Kenya in Kampala, while Senegal hosts Cameroon in another crucial tie.

The following day, continental giants Nigeria will travel to Abidjan to face Guinea, while Ghana will welcome Liberia in Accra, and Tanzania hosts South Africa in Zanzibar in another highly anticipated clash. 

For Sierra Leone, however, the spotlight will firmly remain on their showdown with Benin, a contest carrying the weight of national expectation and the possibility of another landmark achievement for women’s football in the country.

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup African Qualifiers – Full Second Round Fixtures:

First Legs

  • ● Uganda vs. Kenya — 22 May, Kampala
  • ● Senegal vs. Cameroon — 22 May, Dakar
  • ● Tanzania vs. South Africa — 23 May, Zanzibar City
  • ● Zambia vs. DR Congo — 23 May, Ndola
  • ● Ghana vs. Liberia — 23 May, Accra
  • ● Guinea vs. Nigeria — 23 May, Abidjan
  • ● Ethiopia vs Burundi — 24 May, Addis Ababa
  • ● Benin vs. Sierra Leone — 25 May, Lome

Second Legs

  • ●Sierra Leone vs. Benin — 29 May, Lome
  • ●Kenya vs. Uganda — 30 May, Nairobi
  • ● Burundi vs. Ethiopia — 30 May, Bujumbura
  • ● Cameroon vs. Senegal — 30 May, Yaounde
  • ● Liberia vs. Ghana — 30 May, Paynesville
  • ● DR Congo vs. Zambia — 31 May, Lubumbashi
  • ● South Africa vs. Tanzania — 31 May, Tshwane
  • ● Nigeria vs. Guinea — 31 May, Ikenne
Mighty Blackpool and East End Lions Storm Into Sierra Leone FA Cup Final
by Alusine Rehme Wilson

Mighty Blackpool and East End Lions Storm Into Sierra Leone FA Cup Final

Sierra Leone’s football season is set for a dramatic climax after traditional giants Mighty Blackpool and East End Lions advanced to the final of the 2026 Orange Sierra Leone FA Cup following a thrilling semifinal weekend in Freetown.

Mighty Blackpool FC sealed their place in the final on Saturday evening after overcoming ambitious newcomers Abacha City FC 4-3 in a penalty shootout at the SLFA Academy Playing Field following a tense goalless draw in regulation time.

The victory kept Blackpool’s hopes alive for another major domestic honour and underlined the club’s resilience in one of the most unpredictable FA-Cup campaigns in recent years.

Twenty-four hours later, East End Lions FC joined their long-time rivals in the grand finale after edging FC Kallon 1-0 at the Approved School Playing Field.

The decisive moment came just before halftime when forward Innocent Emmanuel Uduk struck in the 43rd minute, sending the “Killers” into celebration and crushing FC Kallon’s hopes of reaching the final.

FC Kallon’s exit added another dramatic twist to this year’s tournament since they had emerged as one of the favourites after eliminating defending champions Bo Rangers FC in the quarterfinals, a result that shocked many followers of Sierra Leonean football.

Instead, the competition will now culminate in a blockbuster clash between two of the country’s most successful and passionately supported clubs.

The final is expected to rekindle one of Sierra Leone’s fiercest football rivalries, with Mighty Blackpool nicknamed as the “Tis-Tas Boys” and East End Lions alias “The Killers,” preparing to battle for national supremacy and the right to be crowned 2026 Orange Sierra Leone FA-Cup champions.

As football enthusiasts across the country anticipate a charged atmosphere for the showdown, which promises a fresh chapter in the historic rivalry between the two Freetown-based clubs, the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has confirmed to Football Sierra Leone that an official date for the 2026 Orange Sierra Leone FA-Cup final is yet to be announced, noting that details will be communicated in due course.