Governance: Maintaining a Strong GFF
(Goalkeeper)
We will continue to observe strict adherence to the FIFA approved Constitution, with the Executive Committee holding regular meetings and ensuring sound management of the strategic direction of the GFF. We will also appoint competent people to all statutory subcommittees & judicial organs and all meetings and decisions to be in line with the tenets of the GFF Constitution.
The Executive Committee will continue to be responsible for setting the policies whilst the Senior Management Team is wholly responsible for the implementation of all approved plans, programs and activities. The Annual General Meetings are regularly held where the Executive Committee presents its Activity Reports, Financial Statements, Budgets and Resolutions for the consideration and approval of Members and this will continue.
We will continue to work towards solidifying the promotion of cooperation between the Government of The Gambia and the GFF, through the National Sports Council/ Ministry of Youth and Sports as well as a healthy relationship with FIFA, CAF & WAFU and strict adherence to FIFA Rules & Regulations. We will also continue to promote unity within the Football family to maintain the upward trend in Football Development in The Gambia. We will also respect the termlimit set by this Executive Committee to leave office in 2026 as well as introducing reforms in our new term with the creation of the positions of a Vice Presidents for Regional Football and Women’s Football respectively. We will also increase women’s representation in the Executive by co-opting two new members both of whom shall be women.
3: THE BACK FOUR
Football Development:
3.1 Improving Infrastructure
We shall continue to improve mini stadiums in phases even though we had delays in the completion of some of the grounds, the planned works will continue to ensure that we improve on the standards of the said stadiums to conform to CAF standards in hosting local and international club matches. The infrastructure works are dependent on the access of FIFA Forward Development Funds. We will also continue to engage the Government of The Gambia through the Ministry of Youth and Sports for Government to invest in a new National Stadium.
Regional Infrastructure
3.2 Capacity Building
We will continue to make capacity building the core of our agenda in order to eliminate the huge gap between the number of footballers and trained personnel for proper and sustainable development of football throughout The Gambia. Through our CARM Project which will be conducted every year in collaboration with CAF & FIFA the following training of Coaches, Administrators, Referees and Medics shall be implemented.
3.22 Coach Education
3.23 ADMINISTRATOR EDUCATION
Through the UEFA Support Project, we will implement the Club Development and Licensing program by training all club administrators on branding, marketing, as well as fan promotion and engagement.
3.24 REFEREES EDUCATION
3.25 MEDICS EDUCATION
– Annual first aid seminars, trainings and workshops for medical personnel of clubs and leagues to support the them in terms of player treatment and rehabilitation during and after injuries.
– Career plan for Club Medical staff.
3.26 SAFETY & SECURITY TRAINING
We will work with FIFA/CAF safety and security departments and our national security agencies to train up to 500 security personnel and stewards on football match safety and security procedures. Equally, all clubs (1st, 2nd and 3rd Regional Leagues) Safety and security officers will also be train on football match safety and security procedures. This will enhance harmonization of match security organisation in line with FIFA/CAF regulations.
3.3 TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT
a) the Technical Director of the GFF will be among leaders of football in Africa
b) the GFF Technical Department to be fully equipped and manned by qualified personnel
c) Clear and consistent National Technical Action Plan
3.4 GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT
The following programs will continue to serve as the bedrock of our grassroots football development:
i. Nationwide School Football Program
ii. FIFA Talent Development Scheme (Academies)
iii. Annual National Summer Jamboree for U-12/U-15 boys and girls
iv. Inter-regional National Lower Basic Schools League
v. Annual CAF Pan-African U-15 championship in collaboration with the School Football Association
YOUTH LEAGUES TO BE INTRODUCED
i. Regional U-15 leagues
ii. National U-15 league finals
iii. U-15 National Team
iv. Super Nawettan competition – the Super Nawettan zones will be supported to organise their own competition.
4: THE MIDFIELD FIVE
4.1 National Football Leagues’
We will continue to make the domestic national leagues more attractive to the spectators by introducing, as part of the league calendar, an annual awards ceremony for the league immediately the season ends where both the champions and cup winners will be officially decorated.
In addition to that, we will also introduce the following awards in collaboration with the
Coaches and Players Association for all categories across the board
· Player of the season
· Goalkeeper of season
· Young player of the season
· Coach of the season
· Referee of the season
· Most disciplined team of the season
· Goal of the season to be named after Biri Biri
4.21 Men’s League Division One
· Reform the Organising Committee and other organs
· Free Registration, Capacity Building, Financial Support (Preparatory Money, introduce the Sharing of Gate Takings between the GFF and the Clubs, and acquisition of Sponsorship for the league)
4.22 National 2nd Division
· Ø Free Registration, Capacity Building, Financial Support (Preparatory Money, introduce the Sharing of Gate Takings between the GFF and the Clubs, and acquisition of Sponsorship for the league)
4.23 Women’s Football: First Division
· Increase women representation in the Exco, and women leadership at all levels.
· Increase the player pool by increasing the number of teams to 14 clubs by 2025
· Continues funding of the women’s national first division league
4.24 Women’s Second Division
· Continues funding of the women’s national second division league
· Increase the player pool by increasing the number of teams to 16 clubs by 2025
4.3 Regional Football Development
· We will ensure standardise regional football leagues across the seven Administrative Regions.
· Improving the standard of football infrastructure in the regions by implementing the outstanding regional fields and to complete the Soma Mini Stadium
· Capacity building of programs for our regional stakeholders through the implementation of the CARM project in all the regions
· Operationalisation of program support for league sponsorship to be shared amongst league clubs.
4.4 Professional League
· We will introduce the first ever professional league in 2024 by helping the clubs to attain the required criteria which will uplift our football to another level.
· Engage the Government of The Gambia to support the professional league initiative by giving tax concessions to business entities who are willing to invest into football.
4.5 Income Generation
We ensure to leverage all support from the FIFA Forward 3.0 as recently announced by FIFA (Regulation yet to communicated) and CAF Support to Members Association. Also, the reintroduce gate takings and a new income sharing system with clubs at all GFF organised matches. Other income generation methods like event sponsorship, selling of merchandise will be introduced to fund football.
We will continue to engage the Government of The Gambia to fund all categories of the national teams so that the GFF Funds can be used for the Organisation and Development of football.
We will continue support all stakeholders (Clubs, Regional and Allied Associations) financially through the FIFA Operational Support, Share of Gate Taking, Sponsorship of leagues:
· We will ensure that the Football Hotel realises its potentials to generate more revenue for the Federation that would be ploughed back into grassroots football development.
· Following the signing of a partnership with Baluwo, we will continue to look for more partners and sponsorship for our national leagues as well as the regional 3rd division leagues.
· We will look for other income generation ventures including the sale of merchandise amongst others.
5: THE STRIKER
Respectable Football Nation: National Teams
5.1 Men’s National Teams
i. Following our maiden qualification to the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon and the eventual sixth place finish, we’re now committed to the process of continuity in terms of achieving minimum objectives by making The Gambia a respectable football nation. We will ensure to qualify the Scorpions to the 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
ii. We promise to also ensure the CHAN Team qualify for its first ever finals in Algeria 2023
iii. Qualify the National U-23 to the Paris Olympics in 2024
iv. Following our third-place finish in Mauritania in 2021 and qualification to the World Cup, we now target winning the African U-20 Cup of Nations by 2025 and qualify for another World Cup.
v. We also promise to win our third AFCON U-17 title by 2025 and to qualify for another World Cup in that category.
vi. We will also establish a U-15 – National Team for the first time
5.2 Women’s National Teams
i. We will ensure the Queen Scorpions qualify to the AWCON in 2026
ii. Women’s U-20 to also secure qualification to AWCON by 2026
iii. U-17 – qualification to AWCON by 2026
6: THE RESERVES
Football Veterans Welfare Fund
Recognising their immense contribution to the development of football in the country over the years, and considering the fact that most of them often face medical and financial difficulties, we intend to create a Football Veterans Welfare Fund.
The Fund will be partly financed from an annual allocation of D1.00 Million by the GFF and also the active Senior National Team Players will be encouraged to contribute to the fund.
The Fund will be managed by a Board of trustees to be appointed in consultation with the National Football Veterans Association and the active players.
