MINISTER CONFIDENT STADIUM WILL BE READY FOR AFCON QUALIFIERS

By Arret Jatta

The Minister of Youth and Sports Bakary Badjie has expressed his confidence that The Gambia will be able to host international football matches at the Independence Stadium by September when the Afcon qualifiers would begin.

The stadium was banned from hosting matches by Caf five years ago. But a major renovation works have reached an advanced stage with the authorities now hoping that the facility would meet Caf standards.

Speaking at the Mansa Kunda town hall meeting Friday night, the minister said the football component of the stadium project has been completed, while work continue on the athletics facilities.

“Yes, we are sure that we will play here in September,” Badjie said.

According to the minister, the government inherited a facility that had gone more than four decades without major renovation since its opening in 1983.

He explained that while the original plan focused on upgrading the football infrastructure, President Adama Barrow later approved additional funding to rehabilitate the athletics tracks to ensure the stadium serves multiple sporting disciplines.

“The pitch is renovated. The consultant that was sent here by Caf is satisfied with what has happened,” Badjie said.

The minister noted that workers have already removed the old athletics tracks and are currently installing the necessary drainage and foundation systems before laying new tracks.

He said the government wants the completed facility to accommodate football, athletics and other track-and-field events.

Badjie also dismissed suggestions circulating on social media that recently published images of the renovated pitch were AI generated.

“They are not AI pictures, they are real pictures,” he said.

The minister acknowledged delays in the project but maintained that the government remains committed to delivering a modern facility capable of hosting international competitions and serving Gambian athletes for years to come.

National team funding
The minister also hit back at the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) following the federation’s announcement that it fully funded the national team’s recent friendly match against Iran, all by itself.

Badjie questioned the federation’s decision to publicly highlight its financial contribution while remaining silent about government funding provided for previous national team activities.

He said the GFF was keen to emphasise that government did not contribute financially to the Iran match.

“They only made an announcement that The Gambia-Iran game was fully funded by the GFF,” Badjie said. “Maybe they wanted that to be clear, that the ministry didn’t put in money.

They even put a breakdown of how much they were spending, which is interesting. This is the first time we are seeing those kinds of things. When we put in money, we don’t see our money announced by them. But it’s interesting that when they put their money in, they announce it,” the minister said.

Badjie argued that while transparency is welcome, it should apply to all funding sources.

He further accused the federation of expecting government support after making decisions without proper consultation.

“You don’t just go and make decisions on your own and expect us to give you money,” he said.

According to the minister, sports federations are expected to present planned activities in advance so that government can assess funding requests and allocate resources accordingly.

Badjie maintained that government remains the principal financier of national teams and cited a recent friendly match against Senegal, during which he said government provided D8 million for camping allowances and player bonuses.

Infrastructure
The minister also defended government’s decision to direct more resources toward infrastructure development, arguing that years of heavy spending on international competitions had left the country with inadequate sporting facilities.

“Government is deliberately reducing spending on some international sporting activities in order to invest more in sports infrastructure across the country. This policy shift is aimed at addressing long-standing infrastructure challenges that continue to affect the development of sports in The Gambia,” he said.

According to the minister, government has taken a deliberate decision to balance international participation with investments in facilities that will provide long-term benefits to athletes and communities.

He argued that while participation in overseas competitions is important, the country must also ensure that athletes have access to quality training facilities at home.

Badjie cited the ongoing renovation of the Independence Stadium as well as investments in community sports infrastructure across the country, including football fields, pavilions, lighting systems and youth centres.

He disclosed that several communities have received financial support from the ministry to improve local sporting facilities. These include support for fencing football grounds, constructing changing rooms and installing floodlights.

The minister also highlighted government-funded coaches in football, athletics and volleyball as part of broader efforts to strengthen sports development.

Referring to previous international competitions, Badjie said some athletes had attributed poor performances to inadequate facilities and lack of exposure to modern sporting environments.

He argued that investing in infrastructure would help address such concerns and create better conditions for future success.

While acknowledging that some stakeholders may be disappointed by reduced funding for international participation, the minister maintained that building sustainable sports infrastructure remains essential for the long-term growth and competitiveness of Gambian sports.