The SLFA has officially welcomed the Sierra Leone U-15 National Team delegation at the SLFA Secretariat following their participation in the 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀 𝐔-𝟏𝟓 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐮, 𝐀𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐢𝐣𝐚𝐧. The ceremony brought together SLFA officials, technical staff and members of the delegation to celebrate the team’s achievement and commend their representation of Sierra Leone on the international stage.

Head of Delegation and Chairman of the Southern Region Football Association, 𝐌𝐫. 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐌𝐛𝐨𝐠𝐛𝐚, described the tournament as a valuable experience, praising the players for their performances. He expressed his intention to recommend continued participation in the competition, highlighting its benefits to youth football development. 𝐒𝐋𝐅𝐀 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐄𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐊𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 also congratulated the team and commended the delegation’s leadership and technical staff for their dedication, particularly in ensuring the welfare of the young players throughout the tournament.

Welcoming the delegation, 𝐒𝐋𝐅𝐀 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐰𝐨𝐡 reaffirmed the Federation’s commitment to supporting the players’ development and creating opportunities for them to progress to the senior Leone Stars. He also called for the expansion of youth development categories and commended the technical team for their efforts, noting that SLFA officials, including the President, closely followed the team’s matches despite being away from Azerbaijan. “𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐭 𝟐:𝟎𝟎 𝐀𝐌, 𝟑:𝟎𝟎 𝐀𝐌, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟓:𝟎𝟎 𝐀𝐌 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲,” he said.

𝐒𝐋𝐅𝐀 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐋𝐅𝐀 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞, 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐉𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐡, conveyed the President’s greetings and reaffirmed his commitment to youth football development. He emphasized the importance of establishing a football academy to identify and nurture young talents, assuring the players of the President’s continued support while encouraging them to remain disciplined, focused and avoid drugs as they pursue their football ambitions.

In his response, 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐉𝐨𝐬é 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐭é𝐬 thanked the SLFA, particularly President Babadi Kamara, for providing the players with the opportunity to compete internationally. He urged the Federation to keep the group together and sustain investment in their development, stressing that continuity and consistent support are essential to building a competitive national team for the future.

Also in attendance were SLFA Deputy General Secretary Ishmail Saidu Kanu, Women’s Football Manager Madam Elizabeth Alberta Kailay, Safeguarding Manager Aiah Alusine Kabba and other SLFA staff members. The ceremony concluded with renewed calls for sustained investment in youth football and continued support for the young players as they work towards representing Sierra Leone at the highest level.