By Seedy Jobe
Sadibou Kamaso, a presidential candidate for the Gambia Football Federation (GFF), has argued that the national team’s recent success at the Africa Cup of Nations should not be used as the sole measure of football development in The Gambia, saying lasting progress depends on building a sustainable domestic football ecosystem.
Speaking in an interview on Kerr Fatou’s Brunch program, Kamaso said the Scorpions’ run to the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations was a significant achievement but failed to produce meaningful long-term benefits for many Gambian players.
He said only a handful of players secured improved contracts after the tournament, suggesting that international success had not translated into broader opportunities within the country’s football industry.
“Reaching the quarterfinals was commendable,” Kamaso said, “but that alone does not define the success of football in The Gambia.”
Instead, Kamaso said the country’s football development should be judged by the strength of its domestic structures, particularly whether local clubs can provide players with sustainable careers.
He said many clubs struggle to pay player salaries consistently, not because they lack the willingness, but because they face persistent financial constraints. As a result, he argued, talented young players are left without a viable pathway to earn a livelihood through football.
Kamaso said a successful football system must be anchored by a financially stable domestic league and a strong grassroots development program.
He cited figures indicating that if every registered player across the country’s football leagues received regular salaries, the sector would support approximately 1,680 jobs. Such employment data, he said, could strengthen the case for football as an important contributor to the government’s youth employment agenda.
“So you have no reason to go back with,” Kamaso said, referring to football’s potential to create livelihoods and discourage irregular migration among young Gambians.
Responding to claims that his campaign has the backing of the government, Kamaso said the Ministry of Youth and Sports had expressed interest in the proposals outlined by his campaign team after reviewing its manifesto.
He said the ministry’s support should not be interpreted as political endorsement but rather as recognition that the campaign’s proposals align with national efforts to create jobs for young people.
“Government support is important. What we need government for is for them to see that we’re here to complement their efforts,” he said.
Kamaso added that his engagement with government officials and other stakeholders has been undertaken in his role as leader of the “Team Restore Confidence” campaign, not as a representative of the government.
He said his objective is to implement policies that would make Gambian football more self-sustaining, reduce dependence on state funding, and expand investment in zonal facilities and development programs.
With the right structures in place, Kamaso said, football could become a significant driver of employment and youth development in The Gambia.
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