Published: July 11, 2025
CONGO TOWN — The Liberia Football Association (LFA) on Thursday rejected allegations made by Montserrado County District 17 Representative Bernard Blue Benson Jr., who accused the body of profiting from the annual Montserrado County District League while shifting the financial burden onto lawmakers.
Speaking over the weekend during a podcast appearance, Benson alleged that the LFA was exploiting the popular offseason tournament and called for the immediate suspension of the 2025 edition. He cited what he described as a lack of financial transparency.
“The LFA puts the responsibility of the district teams on the lawmakers while collecting revenue from all these games,” Benson said. He disclosed that he spent more than 1.4 million Liberian dollars last year to support District 17’s team and described the costs as unsustainable. He also warned that the Montserrado County Legislative Caucus could move to suspend the tournament unless full financial disclosures are made.
In response, the LFA dismissed Benson’s claims as “unfounded and misleading.” In an interview with Intel Sports, LFA Media Manager Anthony Kokoi said the District League is not a profit-making venture.
“Monies collected are used for the running of the league as well as cash prizes to winners of the tournament,” Kokoi said during a phone interview. He emphasized that revenues are reinvested into operational expenses and awards.
The remarks marked the LFA’s first official response since Benson’s comments sparked renewed public scrutiny of the association’s financial practices.
LFA Competitions Manager Joel Freeman also responded to the controversy, telling The Liberian Investigator that district teams are not required to pay registration fees and are given a portion of gate revenues from their matches. He confirmed that prize money is derived from match-day income but declined to provide detailed financial breakdowns.
While Benson’s remarks have intensified calls for financial accountability, reactions among fellow lawmakers remain mixed. Some figures within the sporting community support demands for transparency but argue that lawmakers should instead advocate for increased public funding for grassroots sports—an area that provides significant informal employment opportunities across Liberia.
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