Liberia women's national football team

Last updated

Liberia
Association Liberia Football Association
Confederation CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation WAFU (West Africa)
Head coach Selam Kebede
FIFA code LBR
Kit left arm whiteborder.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body LBR11h.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm whiteborder.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
First colors
Kit left arm sevilla1011h.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body LBR11a.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm sevilla1011h.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Second colors
FIFA ranking
Current 167 Steady2.svg (12 June 2025) [1]
Highest141 (March – June 2007)
Lowest165 (December 2023 – December 2024)
First international
Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia 0–3 Ethiopia  Flag of Ethiopia (1996-2009).svg
(Monrovia; 18 February 2007)
Biggest win
Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia 4–0 Guinea-Bissau  Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg
(Makeni; 26 February 2020)
Biggest defeat
Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia 0–7 Ghana  Flag of Ghana.svg
(Accra; 27 February 2011)

The Liberia women's national football team represents Liberia in international women's football. It is governed by the Liberia Football Association. It has played in five FIFA recognized matches.

Contents

History

Background and development

The kind of football we have seen here shows that women [sic] football can no longer be regarded as novelty. I am proud to be a woman, watching these ladies display skill and ability that are even rare to see in the men's game. My call is to governments and big companies in Africa to grant women's football more support. If the men are going anywhere to play, the government will find the money. But when it is the women, you see them talking about lack of funds. When our national U-20 team was to play Algeria in the Fifa World Cup qualifiers, the government said they didn't have any money. But I went to Fifa and got them to fund our trip. But after we beat Algeria and then drew with Nigeria in the first leg of the last round of qualifiers, suddenly everyone wanted to be part of the trip to Nigeria. Suddenly the money became available for government officials to travel to Nigeria. There is a lot of insincerity in the way we deal with the women. That should be stopped.

Izetta Sombo Wesley, female football administrator [2]

Early development of the women's game at the time colonial powers brought football to the continent was limited as colonial powers in the region tended to take make concepts of patriarchy and women's participation in sport with them to local cultures that had similar concepts already embedded in them. [3] The lack of later development of the national team on a wider international level symptomatic of all African teams is a result of several factors, including limited access to education, poverty amongst women in the wider society, and fundamental inequality present in the society that occasionally allows for female specific human rights abuses. [4] When quality female football players are developed, they tend to leave for greater opportunities abroad. [5] Continent wide, funding is also an issue, with most development money coming from FIFA, not the national football association. [5] Future, success for women's football in Africa is dependent on improved facilities and access by women to these facilities. Attempting to commercialize the game and make it commercially viable is not the solution, as demonstrated by the current existence of many youth and women's football camps held throughout the continent. [3]

The national federation, Liberia Football Association, was founded in 1936. It became a FIFA affiliate in 1962. [6] Women's football is represented on the committee by specific constitutional mandate. [7] In 2009, the organization did not have any full-time staff members specifically dedicated to assisting women's football. [7] [8] Their kit includes red shirts, white shorts and red socks. [8]

Football is the most popular women's participation sport in the country. [7] A women's football program was first organized by the national federation in the country in 1988. [9] In 2000, there were 264 registered female players in the country. In 2006, there were 277 players. [7] In 2006, there were only two women's only teams available for women to play on while there were 43 teams for men to play on. [7] By 2009, regional and national women's football competitions had been established, but no competition had been organized for UL or schools. [9] Rights to broadcast the 2011 Women's World Cup in the country were bought by the African Union of Broadcasting. [10]

Jamesetta Howard has served as the country's Minister of Youth and Sports. The national football association president was Izetta Sombo Wesley. The country's president was Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. All were women and all supported the women's national team. [5] In 2007, Izetta Wesley was named a member of the FIFA Women's Football Committee and that of FIFA Women's World Cup, with her term starting in 2008. She has also served as the Match Commissioner of CAF and FIFA, and Vice President of the West African Football Union (WAFU). [11]

The team

In 1985, almost no country in the world had a women's national football team, [12] including Liberia who did not play in their first FIFA recognized match until February 2007 [13] though the team played three non-recognized games in 2006. [7] [13] National team matches have been played at Antoinette Tubman Stadium. [6]

On 18 February 2007 in a game in Monrovia, Liberia lost to Ethiopia women's national football team 0–3 after having been down 0–1 at the half. [13] On 10 March in a game in Addis Abeba, Liberia lost to Ethiopia 0–2 after being down 0–1 at the half. [13] In 2010, the country did not have a team competing in the African Women's Championships. [14] The country did not have a team competing at the 2011 All Africa Games. [15] On 13 February 2011 in a game in Monrovia, Liberia lost to Ghana by a score of 0–4. [13] On 27 February in a game in Accra, Liberia lost to Ghana 0–7. [13]

Liberia's international ranking improved in the late 2000s before falling in the early 2010s: in 2007, it was ranked 144; in 2008, 117; in 2009, 92; in 2010, 128; in 2011, 136; [16] and in 2012, 130, while holding 35th place in Africa. [17]

Team image

Other national teams

U17 team

In 2006, there was no FIFA recognized youth national team. [7] They participated in the African Women U-17 Championship 2008. In the preliminary round, they were supposed to play Benin but Benin withdrew from the competition. In the first round, they were supposed to play Nigeria but they withdrew from the competition. [18] [19]

U19/U20 team

In 2006, there was no FIFA recognized youth national team. [7] Between 2002 and 2010 in the FIFA Women U19/U20 World Cup, a U19 event up until 2006 when it became U20, the country participated in the qualifying tournament. [20]

The country participated in the African Women U-20 Championship 2006. They were supposed to play Guinea in Round 1 but Guinea withdrew from the tournament. In Round 2, they played their first match in Algeria, where they won 3–2. Algeria withdrew from the tournament before playing in the return match in Liberia. They met Nigeria in the quarterfinals, tying 1–1 in one match, before losing 1–9 in the second. [21]

Homeless World Cup team

In 2008, a national team represented the country at the Homeless World Cup. In the opening round robin round where they finished second, they beat Cameroon 16–1, beat Colombia 8–5, lost to Zambia 1–4, beat Paraguay 4–1, beat Uganda 7–2, beat Kyrgyzstan 7–3, and beat Australia 14–3. In the semi-final, they tied Colombia 1–1, and won 1–0 in penalty kicks. They lost to Zambia 1–7 in the final. [22]

Amputee football team

A woman's team from the country competed at the 2011 Cup of African Nations for Amputee Football. In that year, they played Ghana in a friendly in Monrovia, Liberia in the lead up to the competition. [23]

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win  Draw  Lose  Fixture

2024

3 December 2024 (2024-12-03) 2024 Mano River Union Tournament Sierra Leone U20  Flag of Sierra Leone.svg2–0Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia Makeni, Sierra Leone
16:00  UTC+0
Stadium: Wusum Field
4 December 2024 (2024-12-04) 2024 Mano River Union Tournament Liberia  Flag of Liberia.svg4–1Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea Makeni, Sierra Leone
16:00  UTC+0
Samoura Soccerball shade.svg75'Stadium: Wusum Field
7 December 2024 (2024-12-07) 2024 Mano River Union Tournament Guinea  Flag of Guinea.svg1–1Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia Makeni, Sierra Leone
16:00  UTC+0 Nabe Soccerball shade.svg57' Stewart Soccerball shade.svg39'Stadium: Wusum Field
8 December 2024 (2024-12-08) 2024 Mano River Union Tournament Liberia  Flag of Liberia.svg0–0Flag of Sierra Leone.svg  Sierra Leone U20 Makeni, Sierra Leone
16:00  UTC+0 Stadium: Wusum Field

2025

22 May 2025 (2025-05-22) 2025 WAFU Zone A Cup GS Guinea-Bissau  Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg 1–3 Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia Nouakchott, Mauritania
16:00 Iala Soccerball shade.svg16' Report
Stadium: Stade Ksar
Referee: Félicité Kourouma (Guinea)
24 May 2025 (2025-05-24) 2025 WAFU Zone A Cup GS Liberia  Flag of Liberia.svg 1–1 Flag of Mauritania.svg  Mauritania Nouakchott, Mauritania
19:00 Morris Soccerball shade.svg56' Report Diabira Soccerball shade.svg87' (pen.)Stadium: Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium
Referee: Humu Marah (Sierra Leone)
26 May 2025 (2025-05-26) 2025 WAFU Zone A Cup GS Mali  Flag of Mali.svg 1–1 Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia Nouakchott, Mauritania
16:00 Dembele Soccerball shade.svg21' Report Yantay Soccerball shade.svg45+3'Stadium: Ksar Stadium
Referee: Fatou Ngum (Gambia)
28 May 2025 (2025-05-28) 2025 WAFU Zone A Cup SF Senegal  Flag of Senegal.svg 1–0 Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia Nouakchott, Mauritania
19:00 H. Diallo Soccerball shade.svg70' (pen.) Report Morris Red card.svg 74'Stadium: Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium
Referee: Fatou Ngum (Gambia)
31 May 2025 (2025-05-31) 2025 WAFU Zone A Cup 3rd place Mali  Flag of Mali.svg 0–1 Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia Nouakchott, Mauritania
17:00 Report Glao Soccerball shade.svg63'Stadium: Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium
Referee: Félicité Kourouma (Guinea)

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

As of 6 August 2021
PositionNameRef.
Head coach Flag of Ethiopia.svg Selam Kebede

Manager history

Players

Current squad

No.Pos.PlayerDate of birth (age)Club
1 GK Anita Davis Flag of Liberia.svg Determine Girls

2 DF Aline Capehart Flag of Liberia.svg Ambassadors
2 DF Sangay Moulton Flag of Liberia.svg Kneeling Warriors
2 DF Diamond Dahn (2004-02-21) 21 February 2004 (age 21) Flag of Liberia.svg Determine Girls
2 DF Margret Stewart (1998-02-24) 24 February 1998 (age 27) Flag of Liberia.svg Determine Girls
2 DF Ditta Langama Flag of Liberia.svg Determine Girls
2 DF Francisca Howe Flag of Liberia.svg Shaita Angels

3 MF Louise Brown (2005-05-13) 13 May 2005 (age 20) Flag of Liberia.svg Determine Girls
3 MF Bendu Yantay Flag of Liberia.svg SFP FC
3 MF Jessica Quachie Flag of Liberia.svg Determine Girls
3 MF Wonder Juery Flag of Liberia.svg World Girls
3 MF Coslyn Bardy Flag of Liberia.svg LEAD Monrovia FA
3 MF Christine Kouadio Flag of Liberia.svg Kneeling Warriors

4 FW Lucy Kikeh Flag of Liberia.svg Shaita Angels
4 FW Miatta Morris Flag of Liberia.svg Shaita Angels
4 FW Dalphine Glao Flag of Liberia.svg Real Muja
4 FW Makasian Sayon Flag of Liberia.svg Ravia Angels
4 FW Mimi Eiden (1999-05-02) 2 May 1999 (age 26) Flag of Iceland.svg Vestri
4 FW Cynthia Weah Flag of Liberia.svg Shaita Angels

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up to a Liberia squad in the past 12 months.

Pos.PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsGoalsClubLatest call-up
GK Jackie Touah (2004-04-17) April 17, 2004 (age 21) Flag of Liberia.svg Determine Girls v.Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea,7 December 2024
GK Makula Konneh Flag of Liberia.svg v.Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea,7 December 2024

DF Lucy Massaquoi Flag of Liberia.svg Determine Girls v.Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea,7 December 2024
DF Oretha Tokbah Flag of Liberia.svg Real Mujav.Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea,7 December 2024

MF Hawa Kpan Flag of Liberia.svg World Girlsv.Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea,7 December 2024
MF Sylvia Pyne Flag of Liberia.svg v.Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea,7 December 2024
MF Princess Bogar Flag of Liberia.svg v.Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea,7 December 2024

FW Lisa Sarwee Flag of Liberia.svg Real Mujav.Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea,7 December 2024

Records

*Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 6 August 2021.

Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

Up to 2025, the team made only one attempt at qualification, but did not manage to advance.

FIFA Women's World Cup record
YearResultPldWD*LGFGAGACoach
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg 1991 to Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg 2007 Did not exist
Flag of Germany.svg 2011 to Flag of France.svg 2019 Did not enter
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Flag of New Zealand.svg 2023 Did not qualify
Flag of Brazil.svg 2027 Did not enter
Flag of Mexico.svg Flag of the United States.svg 2031 To be determined
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2035
Total0/1
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Olympic Games

As of 2025, the team has made two attempts to qualify for the Games, failing in the first and withdrawing from the second.

Olympic flag.svg Olympic Games record
YearResultPldWD*LGFGAGACoach
Flag of the United States.svg 1996 to Flag of Greece.svg 2004 Did not exist
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg 2008 Did not qualify
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2012 Did not enter
Flag of Brazil.svg 2016 Withdrew
Flag of Japan.svg 2020 Did not enter
Flag of France.svg 2024
Flag of the United States.svg 2028 To be determined
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2032
Total0/2
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Women's Africa Cup of Nations

Africa Women's Cup of Nations record
YearResultPldWD*LGFGAGACoach
Flag placeholder.svg 1991 to Flag of Nigeria.svg 2006 Did not exist
Flag of Equatorial Guinea.svg 2008 to Flag of Ghana.svg 2018 Did not enter
2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
Flag of Morocco.svg 2022 Did not qualify
Flag of Morocco.svg 2024
Flag of Morocco.svg 2026 Did not enter
Total0/2
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

African Games

African Games record
YearResultPldWD*LGFGAGACoach
Flag of Nigeria.svg 2003 Did not exist
Flag of Algeria.svg 2007 Did not enter
Flag of Mozambique.svg 2011 Did not qualify
Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg 2015 to Flag of Morocco.svg 2019 Did not enter
Since Flag of Ghana.svg 2023 See Liberia women's national under-20 football team
Total0/1

WAFU Zone A Women's Cup

WAFU Zone A Women's Cup record
YearResultPldWD*LGFGAGACoach
Flag of Sierra Leone.svg 2020 Third place530286+2 Robert Lartey
Flag of Cape Verde.svg 2023 Withdrew
Flag of Mauritania.svg 2025 Third place522164+2 Flag of Ethiopia.svg Selam Kebede
Total2/3105231410+4
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Honors

References

  1. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  2. Olajire, Ademola (5 November 2006). "AAGM: Wesley Canvasses Greater Support for Women [sic] Football". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 Alegi, Peter (2 March 2010). African Soccerscapes: How a Continent Changed the World's Game. Ohio University Press. ISBN   978-0-89680-278-0 . Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  4. Williams, Jean (15 December 2007). A Beautiful Game: International Perspectives on Women's Football. Berg. p. 186. ISBN   978-1-84520-674-1 . Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 Kuhn, Gabriel (24 February 2011). Soccer Vs. the State: Tackling Football and Radical Politics. PM Press. p. 34. ISBN   978-1-60486-053-5 . Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Goal! Football: Liberia" (PDF). FIFA. 21 April 2009. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 FIFA (2006). "Women's Football Today" (PDF): 115. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. 1 2 Pickering, David (1994). The Cassell soccer companion : history, facts, anecdotes. London: Cassell. p. 182. ISBN   0304342319. OCLC   59851970.
  9. 1 2 "Goal! Football: Liberia" (PDF). FIFA. 21 April 2009. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  10. "FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 2011TM Media Rights Licensees" (PDF). FIFA. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  11. Johnson, Julu M. (24 September 2007). "The News (Nigeria) – AAGM: LFA Boss Gets International Posts". The News. Nigeria. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  12. McDougall, Chrös (1 January 2012). Soccer. ABDO. p. 45. ISBN   978-1-61783-146-1 . Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Liberia: Fixtures and Results". Archived from the original on 31 January 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  14. "Fixtures — African Women Championship 2010". Cafonline.com. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  15. "Groups & standings — All Africa Games women 2011 – CAF". Cafonline.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  16. "Liberia: FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 31 October 2007. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  17. "The FIFA Women's World Ranking". FIFA.com. 25 September 2009. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  18. "African Women U-17 Championship 2008". Rsssf.com. 25 February 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  19. "Regulations — CAN U-17 women 2010". Cafonline.com. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  20. "Women U-19/U-20 World Cup". Rsssf.com. 21 January 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  21. "African Women U-20 Championship 2006". Rsssf.com. 22 August 2008. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  22. "Homeless Football World Cup". Rsssf.com. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  23. "The Feminine Side Of Amputee Football | Soccer News 13 April 2012". Ghanaweb.com. 30 November 2001. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  24. Jaheim T. Tumu (26 July 2023). "Liberia: LFA Appoints Ethiopian Selam Zeray on a Two-year Contract as Women's National Team Head Coach". frontpageafricaonline.com. Monrovia: FrontPage Africa . Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  25. Walker, Christopher (12 May 2025). "Liberia Names Final 21-Player Squad for WAFU A Women's Championship in Mauritania". frontpageafricaonline.com. Retrieved 13 May 2025.