FIFA Warns Liberia Football Association of Potential Sanctions

FIFA has issued a warning to the Liberia Football Association (LFA) regarding ongoing legal actions that threaten to halt the electoral congress scheduled for April 18, 2026. The warning follows a preliminary injunction filed by Cassel Kouh, president of FC Fassel, in a Liberian lower court, seeking to stop the electoral process and obtain a declaratory judgment.

In a letter dated March 22, addressed to LFA General Secretary Emmett Crayton, FIFA cautioned that taking football-related disputes to civil court constitutes undue third-party influence and violates FIFA statutes, which could attract serious sanctions, including the potential suspension of Liberia's international football activities. FIFA emphasized that ordinary court recourse is prohibited unless specifically provided for in FIFA regulations.

The global football body further advised that disputes should be resolved through established football arbitration channels rather than national courts, urging the LFA to keep FIFA informed of any developments in the legal proceedings amid rising tensions within Liberian football.