By Lamarana S. Jallow
The National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously ratified the agreement between the Government of The Gambia and the West African Football Union (WAFU) Zone A. The motion, presented by the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Bakary Y. Badjie, received no objections from parliamentarians. In his address, Honourable Bakary Y. Badjie emphasised the importance of the agreement to The Gambia’s development, both in football and broader socio-economic terms. With the ratification by the National Assembly, the agreement will be submitted to CAF and FIFA, paving the way for WAFU Zone A to be officially registered as a sub-regional, internationally affiliated organisation with its headquarters in The Gambia.
The agreement marks a significant step in the Confederation of African Football’s efforts to enhance football governance across the continent. CAF had previously divided Africa into football zones for better management, with West Africa being split into two: Zone A and Zone B. The Gambia alongside Cabo Verde, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, and Sierra Leone formed the WAFU Zone A.
Originally, the Zone’s headquarters were designated to be based in The Gambia. However, in January 2021, operations was fully moved to Dakar, Senegal, warranting efforts by the Gambia Football Federation, with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports to engage in sustained efforts to bring back the headquarters to The Gambia. In July 2023, during a WAFU Executive Committee meeting held in The Gambia under the chairpersonship of the GFF President, Mr. Lamin Kaba Bajo, it was decided that the headquarters would be relocated back to Banjul.
The formal establishment of the WAFU Zone A headquarters in The Gambia is expected to bring numerous benefits to the country, including placing The Gambia as the centre of football governance for West Africa Zone A, attracting regional meetings, training sessions, and tournament draws. This influx of visitors is expected to boost the local economy, particularly in the tourism and business sectors. The Minister highlighted that this development marks a major milestone in the country’s sports history and positioning The Gambia as one of the central hubs for football in West Africa.
