Published: September 18, 2026
VIRGINIA — On a stretch of land along Hotel Africa Road, a new chapter in Liberia’s youth sports development is taking shape.
Construction is underway on a state-of-the-art National Sports Academy in the Unity Conference Center Community, a facility designed to bring education, football training and youth development under one roof.
Bea Mountain Mining Corp., a Turkish-owned gold mining company based in Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County, is constructing the academy. The project is being implemented in partnership with the Government of Liberia and is expected to be completed between January and February 2027.
Dionysius Sebwe, the project’s liaison and focal person and a former Lone Star player, said construction is progressing and the facility should be ready early next year.
The Virginia academy is part of a broader plan by Bea Mountain to establish three sports academies in Liberia. The other two are planned for Bong and Grand Cape Mount counties.
The facility will target young people ages 6 to 19, giving them the opportunity to pursue formal education while receiving structured training and developing their sporting abilities.
Built for education and sport
The centerpiece of the project is a 108-room academic and residential complex with accommodation for approximately 350 students and staff.
The complex will include administrative offices, a fully equipped gymnasium, a cafeteria, underground parking, and other support facilities.
A fan zone and open-air parking area are also planned.
Football will occupy a central place in the academy’s development program.
The facility will include a 5,000-seat stadium for the Bea Mountain senior team, which competes in Liberia’s top tier. It has a FIFA-standard practice pitch, a mini-stadium, and recreational facilities for students.
Construction began in May 2026, and the project team reports that most workers are Liberians.
The project’s official cost has not been disclosed. According to the project team, the facility is being constructed as a gift to the Liberian people.
More than a football facility
The academy is being designed to offer more than a place for young players to train.
Its broader objective is to create a structured pathway in which young people can remain in school while receiving consistent sports training and development.
For aspiring athletes, that could mean having access to organized coaching, modern facilities and an academic environment without having to choose between education and sport.
The academy also comes as Liberia continues to seek stronger systems for identifying and developing young sporting talent.
Once completed, the Virginia facility is expected to serve as a major hub for football and youth sports development, providing young Liberians with a dedicated environment to study, train and pursue their sporting ambitions.
If completed on schedule, the academy could mark a significant addition to Liberia’s sports infrastructure — and provide a new foundation for developing the country’s next generation of athletes.
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