Sierra Leone national football team

History

Sierra Leone's first match was at home on 10 August 1949 against another British colony, Nigeria, and was lost 2–0. In 1954 it played another British colony and British administered U.N trust territory, Gold Coast and Trans-Volta Togoland, and lost 2–0 away. On 22 April 1961, it hosted Nigeria and lost 4–2. On 12 November 1966, it hosted Liberia in its first match against a non-British colony and earned its first draw, 1–1. A week later, it lost 2–0 in Liberia. On 13 January 1971, it played its first match against a non-African team, West Germany's B-team. The match in Sierra Leone was won 1–0 by the Germans. Sierra Leone's first match outside Africa was its first against an Asian nation, China. It lost 4–1 in China on 5 April 1974.

In August 2014, Sierra Leone FA cancelled all association football matches in an effort to stop the spread of the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic in Sierra Leone, a week after Liberian FA did the same. Sierra Leonean players playing outside Sierra Leone, such as Michael Lahoud playing in the United States, were discriminated against, with opposition players refusing to swap shirts, shake hands and allow them to certain places of the stadium because they fear that they could be carrying the disease. The Sierra Leonean national team wasn't allowed to play home games and all players had to be foreign-based.

Results and fixtures

Main article: Sierra Leone national football team results (2020–present)

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

2025

• Bundu
• Mu. Kamara
• I. Turay
• Monteiro
• Kamara
• Koroma
• Zougrana
• Farah
• Bah
• Tarawallie

2026

Coaching history

• FRG Burkhard Pape (1966–1968)
• FRG Klaus Ebbighausen (1976–1978)
• ENG Warwick Rimmer (1979)
• SLE Christian Cole (1989)
• SLE Christian Cole (1991)
• FRA Raymond Zarpanelian (1993–1994)
• SWE Roger Palmgren (1994–1996)
• SLE John Sherington (1996–1997)
• SLE Abdulai Sesay (1997–2000)
• FRY Dušan Drašković (2000)
• SLE Christian Cole (2001)
• BRA José Antonio Nogueira (2003)
• SLE John Sherington (2003–2006)
• NGA James Peters (2006–2007)
• SLE Mohamed Kanu (2007–2009)
• SLE Daniel Koroma (2009–2010)
• SLE Christian Cole (2010–2011)
• SWE Lars-Olof Mattsson (2011–2013)
• NIR Johnathan McKinstry (2013–2014)
• SLE Atto Mensah (2014)
• SLE John Ajina Sesay (2014–2015)
• SLE John Sherington (2015)
• GHA Sellas Tetteh (2015–2017)
• SLE John Keister (2017–2019)
• GHA Sellas Tetteh (2019–2020)
• SLE John Keister (2020–2023)
• SLE Amidu Karim (2023–)

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Group A matches against Burkina Faso and Djibouti on 8 and 12 October 2025; respectively.

Caps and goals are correct as of 8 October 2025, after the match against Burkina Faso.

Recent call-ups

The following players had been called up in 12 months preceding the above draft. ;Notes INJ Withdrew due to injury.

PRE Preliminary squad / standby

RET Had announced retirement from international association football.

SUS Is serving a suspension.

PRI Absent due to private circumstances.

WD Withdrawn.

Records

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Africa Cup of Nations

Coaching staff

Honours

Regional

• Amílcar Cabral Cup
  • Champions (2): 1993, 1995
  • Runners-up (2): 1984, 1986

References

Sources

• Sierra Leone to 'host' the Elephants of Ivory Coast in Abidjan – footballsierraleone.net (archived 5 March 2016)
• Sierra Leone 1–1 Malawi: International Friendly – footballsierraleone.net (archived 5 April 2016)

References

1. Courtney, Barrie. (15 August 2006). "Sierra Leone – List of International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
2. (19 November 2015). "Sierra Leone – List of International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
3. (2014-08-04). "Sierra Leone suspends football matches as Ebola virus spreads". The Independent.
4. (2014-10-14). "Ebola affecting Sierra Leone team – Michael Lahoud". BBC Sport.
5. (14 October 2014). "The land where football is religion". FIFATV.
6. (2 October 2025). "Leone Stars Squad Announced". Sierra Leone Football Association.
7. "Sierra Leone".