# Liberia women's national football team

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.

## 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.
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. 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. When quality female football players are developed, they tend to leave for greater opportunities abroad. Continent wide, funding is also an issue, with most development money coming from FIFA, not the national football association. 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.
The national federation, Liberia Football Association, was founded in 1936. It became a FIFA affiliate in 1962. Women's football is represented on the committee by specific constitutional mandate. In 2009, the organization did not have any full-time staff members specifically dedicated to assisting women's football. Their kit includes red shirts, white shorts and red socks.
Football is the most popular women's participation sport in the country. A women's football program was first organized by the national federation in the country in 1988. In 2000, there were 264 registered female players in the country. In 2006, there were 277 players. 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. By 2009, regional and national women's football competitions had been established, but no competition had been organized for UL or schools. Rights to broadcast the 2011 Women's World Cup in the country were bought by the African Union of Broadcasting.
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. 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).

### The team

In 1985, almost no country in the world had a women's national football team, including Liberia who did not play in their first FIFA recognized match until February 2007 though the team played three non-recognized games in 2006. National team matches have been played at Antoinette Tubman Stadium.
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. On 10 March in a game in Addis Abeba, Liberia lost to Ethiopia 0–2 after being down 0–1 at the half. In 2010, the country did not have a team competing in the African Women's Championships. The country did not have a team competing at the 2011 All Africa Games. On 13 February 2011 in a game in Monrovia, Liberia lost to Ghana by a score of 0–4. On 27 February in a game in Accra, Liberia lost to Ghana 0–7.
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; and in 2012, 130, while holding 35th place in Africa.

## Team image
### Other national teams
#### U17 team

In 2006, there was no FIFA recognized youth national team. 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.

#### U19/U20 team

In 2006, there was no FIFA recognized youth national team. Between 2002–2010 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.
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.

#### 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.

#### 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.

## 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
Their first draw was achieved in 2014.
| Date | Location | Home team | Score | Away team |
| 18 February 2007 | Monrovia | Liberia | 0–3 (0–1) | Ethiopia |
| 10 March 2007 | Addis Ababa | Ethiopia | 2–0 (1–0) | Liberia |
| 13 February 2011 | Monrovia | Liberia | 0–4 | Ghana |
| 27 February 2011 | Accra | Ghana | 7–0 | Liberia |
| 8 March 2014 | Makeni | Sierra Leone | 0–0 | Liberia |

### 2024
## Coaching staff
### Current coaching staff

    As of 6 August 2021
| Position | Name | Ref. |
| Head coach | Selam Kebede | |

### Manager history

Selam Kebede(20??–)

## Players
### Current squad

* The following players were named in December 2024 For face 2024 Mano River Union Tournament from 3 to 8 December 2024.
* Caps and goals accurate up to and including 30 October 2021.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Club |
| – | 1GK | Jackie Touah | (2004-04-17) April 17, 2004 (age 20) | Determine Girls |
| – | 1GK | Albertha Pratt | | |
| – | 1GK | Makula Konneh | | |
| – | 2DF | Lucy Massaquoi | | Determine Girls |
| – | 2DF | Aline Capehart | | Ambassadors FC |
| – | 2DF | Sangay Moulton | | |
| – | 2DF | Diamond Dahn | | |
| – | 2DF | Margaret Stewart | | |
| – | 2DF | Diatta Langama | | |
| – | 2DF | Francisca Howe | | |
| – | 2DF | Oretha Tokbah | | Real Muja |
| – | 3MF | Louise Brown | | Determine Girls |
| – | 3MF | Hawa Kpan | | World Girls |
| – | 3MF | Sylvia Pyne | | |
| – | 3MF | Christine Kouadio | | DC Shooters |
| – | 3MF | Princess Bogar | | |
| – | 3MF | Bendu Yantay | | |
| – | 3MF | Jessica Quachie | | Real Muja |
| – | 3MF | Wonder Juery | | Soccer Ambassadors |
| – | 4FW | Lucy Kikeh | | FC Kallon |
| – | 4FW | Miatta Morris | | Shaita Angels |
| – | 4FW | Dalphine Glao | | Soccer Ambassadors |
| – | 4FW | Lisa Sarwee | | Real Muja |
| – | 4FW | Cynthia Weah | | Shaita Angels |
| – | 4FW | Makasian Sayon | | |

### Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up to a Liberia squad in the past 12 months.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Club | Latest call-up |
| GK | Aminata Dicko | | Real Muja | Training Camp December 2023 |
| GK | Olive Wolo | | Senior Female Professionals | Training Camp December 2023 |
| DF | Jennie Tisdell | (2000-11-11) November 11, 2000 (age 24) | Determine Girls | Training Camp December 2023 |
| DF | Marthaline Moore | (2001-07-21) July 21, 2001 (age 23) | Determine Girls | Training Camp December 2023 |
| DF | Blessing Nagbe | | Real Muja | Training Camp December 2023 |
| DF | Makasian Saryon | | Ravia Angels | Training Camp December 2023 |
| DF | Esther Massaley | | Nimba Girls | Training Camp December 2023 |
| MF | Hawa Fatomah | | World Girls | Training Camp December 2023 |
| MF | Zeta Kromah | | LEAD Monrovia Academy | Training Camp December 2023 |
| MF | Yassah Gwaikolo | | Dolakeh FC | Training Camp December 2023 |
| FW | Elizabeth Tamba | (2000-10-31) October 31, 2000 (age 24) | Determine Girls | Training Camp December 2023 |

## Records

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

## Competitive record
### FIFA Women's World Cup

FIFA Women's World Cup record :
| Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 1991 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1995 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1999 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2003 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2007 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2011 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2015 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2019 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2023 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2027 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Total | 0/10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
    *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

### Olympic Games

Summer Olympics record :
| Year | Result | Pld | W | D* | L | GS | GA | GD |
| 1996 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2000 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2004 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2008 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2012 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2016 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2020 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2024 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| Total | 0/8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
    *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

### Africa Women Cup of Nations

Africa Women Cup of Nations record :
| Year | Round | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA | GD |
| 1991 to 2006 | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist | did not exist |
| 2008 to 2018 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Africa | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Africa | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Africa | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Africa | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Africa | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Africa | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Africa | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Africa |
| 2022 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2024 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| Total | 0/7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
    *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

### African Games

African Games record :
| Year | Result | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | GF | GA |
| 2003 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2007 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2011 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2015 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2019 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2023 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| Total | 0/4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### WAFU Women's Cup record

WAFU Zone A Women's Cup :
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 2020 | Third | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 |
| 2023 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| Total | Group Stage | 1/2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 17 |