MONROVIA — In what many see as a surprising turn, Liberia Football Association (LFA) presidential hopeful Cassell Anthony Kuoh has praised the current LFA administration under Mustapha I. Raji for improvements in the national league’s structure.
Kuoh’s commendation comes despite his ongoing rivalry with Raji, which recently intensified when Kuoh reportedly rallied clubs to vote against the passage of the 2026 LFA budget at the association’s 29th Ordinary Congress.
Speaking over the weekend at the coronation of Women’s Upper League champions Determine Girls, Kuoh acknowledged progress in local football but insisted more needs to be done.
“Football is getting better in Liberia — nobody can deny that,” he told sports journalists at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex. “We want more to be done, and we believe this administration can’t lead us there. That’s why we’re opting for change.”
Kuoh, CEO of FC Fassell, dismissed claims that recent improvements in the league are solely due to his own investments in FC Fassell and Determine Girls, calling such assertions “a myth.”
“The game is getting better, thanks to the administration for their continued push,” he said. “Somebody might say, ‘Oh, Cassell came into the league, that’s why the league is getting momentum.’ But that’s a myth. One man doesn’t run football in this country. It’s collective efforts that bring progress — from the LFA and everyone involved.”
FC Fassell, under Kuoh’s leadership, recently clinched the First Division League title for the first time. The club has seen significant investments, including the hiring of Belgian coach Ivan Minnaert, signing of a Moroccan midfielder, a Gambian goalkeeper, and former Lone Star players Solomon Grimes and Zah Krangar. The team also held a monthlong training camp in Egypt — the first of its kind for a Liberian club — which added to Kuoh’s growing popularity in local football.
Kuoh declared his intention to contest the LFA presidency at the April 2026 elective congress. Since then, tensions between him and Raji have escalated. In 2024, the LFA rejected a $5,000 donation from Kuoh intended for the women’s national team, citing concerns about the source of the funds.
Raji, in a radio interview with Smile FM in Grand Gedeh County, described Kuoh as a felon and said the LFA could not accept money from him in order to preserve the association’s integrity.
In response, Kuoh expressed outrage at the decision and questioned Raji’s own background. “It’s unfortunate that Mustapha would ask for the source of my money,” he said. “Mustapha is a Nigerian — they are the number one 419 (scammers) people in the world.”
Despite their public feud, the two men were seen together over the weekend at the SKD Stadium during the medal presentation to Determine Girls, sparking speculation among football observers about the current state of their relationship.
Kuoh’s recent remarks praising the league came just days after fellow presidential aspirant Christian G. Weah expressed his willingness to work with Raji if elected. Weah was also photographed with Raji during an inspection of the ongoing renovation works at Gompa Stadium in Ganta, Nimba County.
Raji, who came to power in 2018, is seeking a third term. He won his previous two elections unopposed and could potentially face no challenger in 2026. He was also recently elected unopposed to the CAF Executive Committee — one of the highest decision-making bodies in African football governance.
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