Published: January 7, 2026
MONROVIA — Jubilee FC has filed a formal appeal challenging the Liberia Football Association’s rejection of its petition for an Extraordinary Congress, intensifying a governance and legal dispute that could influence the association’s April 2026 elections.
The Old Road–based First Division club argues that the LFA’s decision was procedurally flawed and legally unsound, and that it improperly blocks efforts to amend statutes Jubilee FC says conflict with Liberia’s Constitution.
Background to the Petition
On Dec. 29, 2025, Jubilee FC submitted a petition to the LFA, supported by five clubs—FC Fassell, Determine Girls, Senior Female Professionals, Kneeling Warriors, and Shaita Angels. The proposal, bearing the signatures of 25 clubs, called for an Extraordinary Congress to amend portions of the LFA’s 2018 statutes.
The petition specifically targeted Articles 45.4 and 58.1, which bar individuals found guilty of criminal offenses from contesting presidential, vice-presidential, or executive committee positions within the association.
Jubilee FC contends those provisions violate Article 21(k) of Liberia’s 1986 Constitution, which restores civil rights once a sentence has been served, fines paid, or a presidential pardon granted.
LFA’s Denial
In a Jan. 2, 2026 letter, LFA General Secretary Emmett Crayton informed Jubilee FC that the petition had been rejected.
The association cited Article 36.1 of its statutes, which requires written requests from more than 50% of Congress delegates representing members—or a decision by the Executive Committee—for an Extraordinary Congress to be convened.
The LFA further argued that Jubilee FC’s participation in the First Division League is provisional, pending a final determination by the Club Licensing Board following a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. On that basis, the association said Jubilee FC lacked standing to initiate congress-related actions.
The letter also claimed that five signatory clubs were not admitted to Congress under Article 35.2 and asserted that several others—including Borough FC, World Girls, Real Muja, and Margibi FC—had distanced themselves from the petition. Jubilee FC maintains that no written evidence has been produced to support those assertions.
The Appeal
On Jan. 5, 2026, Jubilee FC lodged an appeal, describing the LFA’s decision as “legally erroneous, procedurally unfair, internally contradictory, and inconsistent with the express provisions of the LFA Statutes.”
Club lawyer Joseph Y. Howe said the association improperly relied on Jubilee’s so-called “provisional” status while failing to fully implement the same CAS ruling it cited.
Howe noted that CAS had earlier set aside an illegal relegation decision taken by the LFA on May 8, 2025, and remitted the matter to the association for correction under the principle of subsidiarity.
“The LFA Statutes do not recognize or create a category of ‘provisional members,’” Howe said. “Any interpretation to the contrary is extra-statutory, unsupported by the plain language of the provision, and amounts to an unlawful expansion of powers not conferred by the Statutes.”
He also cited Supreme Court precedents holding that rights explicitly granted by statute or the Constitution cannot be curtailed through administrative discretion.
Membership Dispute
Addressing the LFA’s reliance on Article 35.2(j) to exclude several Second Division clubs, Howe argued that the provision governs voting rights, not membership.
“The composition of Congress is exhaustively defined by Article 33.1, which recognizes Second Division clubs as members of the Association,” he said. “All clubs referenced are actively participating in the ongoing league season and are treated by the LFA as members for regulatory purposes.”
Howe added that Article 40 of the statutes explicitly provides for both voting and non-voting delegates, reinforcing that limited voting rights do not negate membership or representation.
What Lies Ahead
The appeal sets the stage for a high-stakes confrontation between Jubilee FC and the LFA, with broader implications for football governance, constitutional compliance, and the credibility of the association’s April 2026 elections.
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