Esteemed Ladies and Gentlemen, representing all sectors of society, I extend warm greetings from the members of my Executive Committee.It is with great pleasure, as President of the Sierra Leone Football Association, that I address this distinguished gathering in Port Loko, happening for the first in the history of Blackman’s London as Port Loko is popularly known. As the saying goes; there is always a first time, THE FA CUP FINALS IS HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME. At the time the pronouncement was made that the FA Cup Finals would be played in Port Loko, this ground was a dusty ground but today, it has been transformed to beautiful venue to host such a prestigious event. We sincerely look forward to many other local and international competitions to be hosted in Port Loko.
The event we are gathered to witness tonight marks the culmination of the National Football Association Cup, which has brought together over 220 football clubs from across the nation, including teams from the premier league, first, and second divisions.
As part of my commitment as President of SLFA, I am dedicated to ensuring that football is played in even the most remote areas of our country. Despite any criticisms of our progress, the truth remains that, as an FA, we have made significant strides in the realm of competitions.
Since 2016, when the last edition of the National Football Association Cup was held in Makeni, where FC Johansen defeated RSLAF FC 1-0, my Executive Committee, with the support of the Sierra Leone Government, has successfully revived this crucial competition, which has been played in all 146 chiefdoms, 16 districts, and 5 regions nationwide.
Under my leadership, this competition has seen the participation of teams like Chico Myers FC from Kambia in the North West Region, Bainkonko in Tonkolili in the North East region, Captain Ben Hirch in Segbwema in the East region, Rutile Rangers in Bonthe District in the Southern region, and Waterloo FC in the Western Area. These teams not only participated in the competition for the first time but also had the opportunity to host premier league clubs like Ports Authority FC, Bo Rangers FC, Freetown City FC, and Mighty Blackpool SC, among others, in their respective localities.
I assure you that under my tenure as President of the Sierra Leone Football Association, this competition will remain an annual event and a permanent fixture in our competitions calendar.
The FA Cup has created significant economic impact for teams in their respective regions. Here in Portloko, it is evident that hotels and other establishments have welcomed guests from across the country. It is clear that our local traders are benefiting from increased sales due to this great match.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, consider the social impact the FA Cup has had on fans and supporters of various clubs. Football truly unites nations. As a unifying force, I will continue to support the agenda of peace in football, as we cannot afford to regress to the discord of the past.
Through this FA Cup, we have witnessed the progress made by young players from all 16 districts. I was impressed by Francess FC’s performance against FC Kallon in the quarterfinals, showing promise for young players. Indeed, we are making strides in youth football.
I would like to express my gratitude to our partners; FIFA, CAF, WAFU and the Government of Sierra Leone for their support to this event. Without them, staging such a successful event would have been challenging. We continue to appeal to them and other partners to provide the necessary financial support to the SLFA to organize future editions of this competition.
I also extend my thanks to the District FAs, Regional FAs, the SLFA secretariat, the Northwest Region for hosting a befitting FA Cup finals and especially the Competitions Department for their efforts in organizing this event. To all sports journalists, I am grateful for your unwavering commitment to reporting on our beautiful game, both locally and internationally.
Finally, I want to announce that the winner of this year’s competition will not only receive a prize money of one hundred million old Leones but will also be engaged by the SLFA to participate in the 2024/25 CAF Confederation Cup competition. Additionally, the runner-up will receive 50 million Leones as prize money.
In closing, I thank all the participating teams in this year’s FA Cup competition and wish the two finalists the best of luck in today’s match. May the better side emerge victorious!
Thank you for your attention.
Thomas Daddy Brima
President, Sierra Leone Football Association
Saturday 4th May, 2024
