Raji Dismisses Morocco Move | Sports

Liberia Football Association (LFA) President Mustapha Raji has dismissed reports suggesting that Liberia has been forced to relocate its upcoming international home fixtures to Morocco because of stadium non-compliance, saying efforts are progressing to secure certification for the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) Sports Complex.

Raji, speaking during a press conference on Wednesday, said the SKD has already undergone an initial pre-maintenance procedure and is expected to undergo final testing by an international test institute as authorities race against time to meet the required standards.

He urged journalists seeking a detailed administrative account of the stadium rehabilitation to engage the Ministry of Youth and Sports, while assuring the public that work is ongoing at Liberia’s principal sporting facility.

“The Minister of Youth and Sports has been—and I will urge you to visit the ministry to investigate further. I’m here to just give you the facts,” Raji said.

“The SKD just completed the first pre-maintenance procedure to ensure that the Test Institute will come back to Liberia very soon … to conduct tests on the SKD so we can have final certification.”

Raji’s comments come amid widespread media reports that Liberia is among African countries that could be required to stage upcoming international fixtures outside their home territories because of facilities failing to meet Confederation of African Football (CAF) requirements.

However, the LFA president sought to temper those concerns, expressing confidence that the SKD will be ready to host the Lone Star once final certification is secured.

“I can tell you and rest assured that, yes, indeed, I am very hopeful that we will definitely use the SKD Sports Complex,” he said.

While acknowledging the challenges facing the SKD, Raji said Liberia currently has limited alternatives for hosting international matches.

He identified the Gompa pitch as the only other facility in Liberia that has met the relevant FIFA requirements for the testing process, but said it cannot serve as the country’s international home venue because of technical and logistical limitations.

“To date in Liberia, the only pitch that is certified by FIFA in terms of passing FIFA requirements and protocols for the Test Institute is the Gompa pitch,” Raji explained.

He said other venues do not currently meet the standards required to host international-caliber matches.

“Unfortunately, other venues cannot host international match caliber,” he added, pointing to additional distance-related requirements that make one potential alternative unsuitable.

“Also taking into consideration the distance requirement—there is more than two hundred millimeters difference—so that is completely out. We cannot use it as our home base.”

The comments underscore the significance of getting the SKD approved, as the country’s ability to host international fixtures on home soil remains heavily dependent on the facility meeting CAF and FIFA standards.

Raji credited the Ministry of Youth and Sports for working alongside football authorities to address the stadium’s deficiencies, saying government officials continued working at the facility even during the holidays.

“The Minister and Deputy Minister of Sports—I can tell you, during the holidays when some of you were relaxing—they were all at the SKD working along with the team to ensure that we have the certification, to ensure that we play our matches in front of our home fans,” Raji said.

He said the LFA remains optimistic that the ongoing rehabilitation and testing process will produce the required certification.

The latest pre-maintenance work is reportedly aimed at addressing several areas of the facility, including pitch conditions, floodlighting and administrative infrastructure, all of which are critical components of international stadium certification.

An international inspection team is expected to return to Liberia shortly to conduct further tests and determine whether the facility has satisfied the outstanding requirements.

The Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville remains Liberia’s largest and most prominent sporting venue.

Named after former President Samuel Kanyon Doe, the facility has a capacity of approximately 35,000 spectators and has historically served as the principal home of the Liberian national football team.

The stadium has hosted major national events, World Cup qualifying matches and continental football encounters, making its certification particularly important to the country’s footballing ambitions.

For the LFA and Liberian football supporters, securing certification would mean the Lone Star can continue playing competitive international matches before its home crowd rather than being forced to travel abroad.

Raji therefore appealed for patience as the LFA, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and technical teams worked to complete the remaining requirements.

While acknowledging the urgency of the situation, he maintained that there is still reason for optimism.

“I am very hopeful that we will definitely use the SKD Sports Complex,” Raji reiterated.