A new battle for the leadership of the Gambia Football Federation is beginning to take shape after football administrator Sadibou Kamaso unveiled a sweeping manifesto promising what he described as a "new era" for Gambian football.
Under the slogan "Restore Confidence," Kamaso launched a detailed 2026-2030 strategic document titled The Starting XI, outlining an ambitious reform agenda aimed at rebuilding trust in football administration, improving infrastructure, professionalising the domestic league and expanding opportunities for youth and women across the country.
The manifesto comes at a time when Gambian football is facing growing debate over governance, infrastructure, player welfare and the future direction of the national game. Kamaso, who previously served as vice chairman of the GFF Finance Committee and secretary of the federation's Emergency Committee, says the federation must urgently reconnect with stakeholders and restore public trust.
"Our football deserves leadership that restores confidence and delivers results," Kamaso declared in the opening pages of the document, while appealing to clubs, regional football associations, coaches, players, supporters and the media to support his candidacy.
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The football administrator painted a picture of a federation struggling with weak stakeholder relations, poor infrastructure, underdeveloped women's football, governance gaps and overreliance on FIFA funding. He argued that Gambian football has suffered "considerable erosion of confidence" over the years and now requires "urgent strategic and clear approaches."
At the centre of Kamaso's campaign is an 11-point programme he calls "The Starting XI." The plan focuses on governance reform, infrastructural development, professional league structures, grassroots football, women's football advancement, financial sustainability, constitutional reforms, player welfare and administrative efficiency.
One of the strongest themes running through the document is transparency and accountability. Kamaso promised "open governance," regular briefings and transparent procurement processes if elected. He also pledged to establish Legal and Compliance departments alongside Monitoring and Evaluation units within the federation to improve oversight and accountability.
The candidate said Gambian football can no longer develop properly while many regions continue to play on poor football pitches and outdated facilities. He promised that every region would have at least one pitch meeting minimum league standards before eventually benefiting from stadiums capable of hosting international matches.
"Our football pitches are not up to standard," the manifesto states, warning that poor playing surfaces have damaged player careers and slowed football development in the country.
Kamaso also proposed improved support for Regional Football Associations and allied associations, promising office spaces, equipment and operational support to strengthen football administration across the country.
Perhaps the boldest section of the manifesto is the plan to professionalise Gambian league football. Kamaso argued that the amateur nature of the domestic league has prevented local players from reaching higher international standards and limited the growth of clubs.
"The Gambian league has been amateur since the inception of the GFF in 1952," the document states.
To address this, Kamaso unveiled what he calls the League Clubs Excellence Programme (LCEP), which he described as the flagship project of his administration. The programme seeks to transform clubs into professional and sustainable institutions through reforms in governance, finances, medical care, youth development, marketing and infrastructure.
Under the proposal, clubs would undergo assessments and licensing processes while receiving support to improve management structures and commercial operations. The plan also includes the creation of a League Management Company where clubs would own shares and participate directly in league governance.
The manifesto further promises major increases in league prize money and support for clubs. Kamaso proposed increasing the Male First Division League prize money to D2 million for the champions, while participating clubs would each receive D250,000 in preparatory support. Women's football would also receive major financial boosts, with the Women's First Division winners set to earn D1 million under the proposal.
According to the document, the total planned spending on league prize money and club support would amount to D25.9 million. Kamaso insisted that "monies meant for football must be spent on football."
Youth football development also features heavily in the proposed reforms. The candidate promised to establish a digital database for registering young players and introduce stronger systems to prevent age-cheating scandals that have previously affected Gambian football.
He also promised annual youth and school football tournaments designed to attract scouts and create clearer pathways for talented players to rise through the football pyramid. Nawettan football structures would also be integrated into official football pathways through collaboration with Regional Football Associations.
Women's football, which has grown steadily in recent years, occupies a central place in Kamaso's vision. He pledged to increase the number of women involved in decision-making at the federation and improve support for female coaches, administrators and players.
"We shall establish a development programme for women's football specifically to create a pool of female football players that shall represent The Gambia," the document stated.
The manifesto also addressed the federation's finances, describing the current financial condition of the GFF as "the least impressive since its inception." Kamaso promised tighter financial controls, improved accountability systems and new revenue-generating initiatives to reduce dependence on FIFA funding.
Among the proposed measures are commercialization of league football, merchandise sales, improved sponsorships, better use of the GFF Football Hotel and stricter financial oversight mechanisms.
Player welfare was another major concern raised in the document. Kamaso proposed creating a medical fund to support footballers suffering serious injuries and introducing medical schemes for players in both the men's and women's first and second divisions.
The plan would be financed through FIFA and CAF funds, gate takings, television rights and other federation revenues.
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Kamaso also outlined plans to strengthen technical development by expanding coaching education, referee training and administrative capacity-building programmes. He argued that Gambian referees and coaches must be equipped to compete at the highest levels both locally and internationally.
The candidate's own football background forms a major part of his campaign message. According to the manifesto, Kamaso has served in several football leadership positions, including as General Secretary of Hawks Football Club, Vice President of AJ Soccer Football Club and a member of various GFF committees.
He also worked as a scout and Chief Administrative Officer at Sportlex, where he reportedly helped facilitate transfers of Gambian players to clubs in Europe.
As the race for the presidency of the federation gathers momentum, Kamaso's manifesto is likely to intensify debate within the Gambian football community about the future direction of the sport.
For many football stakeholders, the document represents one of the most detailed football reform blueprints presented in recent years. Whether the promises can be achieved remains to be seen, but the campaign has already added new energy to discussions surrounding governance, professionalism and the future of the game in The Gambia.
Closing the manifesto, Kamaso called on football stakeholders to unite behind his vision.
"For the good of our game and country," he wrote, appealing for a "resounding mandate" to lead Gambian football into what he described as a new period of transformation.
