The Sierra Leone national football team represents Sierra Leone in association football and is governed by the Sierra Leone Football Association. It has qualified for Africa Cup of Nations three times.
History Sierra Leone's first match was at home on 10 August 1949 against another British colony, Nigeria, and was lost 2–0. In 1954 it played another British colony and British administered U.N trust territory, Gold Coast and Trans-Volta Togoland, and lost 2–0 away. On 22 April 1961, it hosted Nigeria and lost 4–2. On 12 November 1966, it hosted Liberia in its first match against a non-British colony and earned its first draw, 1–1. A week later, it lost 2–0 in Liberia. On 13 January 1971, it played its first match against a non-African team, West Germany's B-team. The match in Sierra Leone was won 1–0 by the Germans. Sierra Leone's first match outside Africa was its first against an Asian nation, China. It lost 4–1 in China on 5 April 1974.
In August 2014, Sierra Leone FA cancelled all association football matches in an effort to stop the spread of the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic in Sierra Leone, a week after Liberian FA did the same. Sierra Leonean players playing outside Sierra Leone, such as Michael Lahoud playing in the United States, were discriminated against, with opposition players refusing to swap shirts, shake hands and allow them to certain places of the stadium because they fear that they could be carrying the disease. The Sierra Leonean national team wasn't allowed to play home games and all players had to be foreign-based.
Results and fixtures
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
2025
2026
2027
Coaching history
Burkhard Pape (1966–1968) Klaus Ebbighausen (1976–1978) Warwick Rimmer (1979) Christian Cole (1989) Christian Cole (1991) Raymond Zarpanelian (1993–1994) Roger Palmgren (1994–1996) John Sherington (1996–1997) Abdulai Sesay (1997–2000) Dušan Drašković (2000) Christian Cole (2001) José Antonio Nogueira (2003) John Sherington (2003–2006) James Peters (2006–2007) Mohamed Kanu (2007–2009) Daniel Koroma (2009–2010) Christian Cole (2010–2011) Lars-Olof Mattsson (2011–2013) Johnathan McKinstry (2013–2014) Atto Mensah (2014) John Ajina Sesay (2014–2015) John Sherington (2015) Sellas Tetteh (2015–2017) John Keister (2017–2019) Sellas Tetteh (2019–2020) John Keister (2020–2023) Amidu Karim (2023–2025) Mohamed Kallon (2025-2026)
Players Current squad The following players were called up for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches against Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea on 24 and 28 September 2026; respectively.
Caps and goals are correct as of 28 September 2026, after the match against Equatorial Guinea.
Recent call-ups The following players had been called up in 12 months preceding the above draft.
Notes INJ Withdrew due to injury. PRE Preliminary squad / standby RET Had announced retirement from international association football. SUS Is serving a suspension. PRI Absent due to private circumstances. WD Withdrawn.
Records
Players in bold are still active with Sierra Leone.
Most appearances
RankNameCapsGoalsCareer 1 Umaru Bangura 55 4 2006–2022 2 Ibrahim Bah 45 3 1986–1998 Kei Kamara 45 8 2008–2025 4 Mohamed Kallon 41 8 1995–2012 5 Sheriff Suma 37 3 2006–2015 6 Kwame Quee 35 3 2012–present 7 Yeami Dunia 34 0 2012–present 8 Medo Kamara 33 1 2008–20219 Julius Wobay 32 4 2001–2018 10 Ibrahim Kargbo 30 1 2000–2013
Top goalscorers
RankNameGoalsCapsRatioCareer1 Mohamed Kallon 8 41 1995–2012 Kei Kamara 8 45 2008–2025 3 Lamine Conteh 6 20 1993–20064 Alhaji Kamara 5 19 2012–present Augustus Kargbo 5 24 2021–present6 John Dumbuya 4 4 1984–1987 Teteh Bangura 4 12 2011–2014 Amadou Bakayoko 4 16 2022–present Alhassan Kamara 4 16 2012–2018 Musa Noah Kamara 4 16 2018–present Abu Kanu 4 16 1994–2003 Mustapha Bangura 4 17 2005–2016 Mustapha Bundu 4 23 2019–present Julius Wobay 4 32 2001–2018 Umaru Bangura 4 55 2006–2022
Competitive record
FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup recordQualification recordYearRoundPosition Not affiliated to CAFNot affiliated to CAF 1970Did not enterDid not enter 1974Did not qualify200203 1978411289 1982201135 1986200205 1990Did not enterDid not enter 1994WithdrewWithdrew 1998Did not qualify721448 200210217617 2006201112 2010832358 201462221010 2018210122 2022210123 2026104331210 2030To be determinedTo be determined 2034Total571612295382
Africa Cup of Nations YearRoundPosition*Squad 1962Not affiliated to CAF 1963 1965 1968Did not enter 1970Withdrew 1972Did not enter 1974Did not qualify 1976Did not enter 1978Did not qualify 1980Did not enter 1982Did not qualify 1984 1986Withdrew 1988Did not qualify 1990Withdrew 1992Did not qualify 1994Round 110th201104Squad 1996Round 113th310227Squad 1998Withdrew 2000Disqualified due to civil war 2002 Did not qualify 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2013 2015 2017 2019Disqualified due to FIFA suspension 2021Group stage18th302123Squad 2023Did not qualify 2025 2027To be determined 2028Total0 titles3/358134414—
Coaching staff
Head coach Amidu Karim Assistant coach Alusine SesayAssistant coach Amara Rahman BanguraSport therapist Joris De VosHead of medical Osman FofanahTeam manager Abdulai Kargbo
Honours Regional Amílcar Cabral Cup Champions (2): 1993, 1995 Runners-up (2): 1984, 1986
References
Sources Sierra Leone to 'host' the Elephants of Ivory Coast in Abidjan – footballsierraleone.net (archived 5 March 2016) Sierra Leone 1–1 Malawi: International Friendly – footballsierraleone.net (archived 5 April 2016)
External links
Football Sierra Leone Sierra Leone Football Association Sierra Leone at CAF Sierra Leone at FIFA Sierra Leone at National-Football-Teams.com