The President of the Gambia Football Federation (GFF), Mr. Lamin Kaba Bajo, has described his appointment and recent inauguration as Chairperson of the FIFA Grassroots & Amateur Football Committee as a victory for Gambia’s football Diplomacy. Mr. Bajo, who is also a Judge at the FIFA Players Status Chamber since 2021, was appointed to this top job by the football world governing body in October 2025 for the next four years, becoming the first Gambian to chair a FIFA Standing Committee.
The FIFA Grassroots & Amateur Football Committee serves as the foundational architect of the global game, mandated to democratize access to football by overseeing development programs, formulating policies that lower barriers to entry, and ensuring the sport functions as a tool for social integration and health across all 211 Member Associations.
“This year [2025], my commitment to the base of the football pyramid was recognised as I was appointed as the Chairperson of the FIFA Grassroots & Amateur Football Committee. This is a victory for Gambian football diplomacy, as it is the first time a Gambian has been appointed to chair a FIFA Standing Committee,” Mr. Bajo, speaking at the 2025 GFF-AGM at the back of December, told stakeholders, amidst a chorus of claps and a standing ovation.
“We –in a direct address to the Members of the GFF- have walked this path together, faithfully convening, every single year, without fail, to account for our stewardship. This consistency is not merely procedural; it is a testament to the stability and respect for governance that we have instilled in our Federation.”
The Golden Era
“Our senior national team, the gallant Scorpions, achieved what was once thought impossible: historic back-to-back qualifications for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon and the Ivory Coast. We captivated the nation, united our people, and firmly established The Gambia’s presence on the continental stage. The world now knows who we are,” he added.
“The year 2025 has been particularly momentous, etching new records into our history books. It was the year The Gambia registered its biggest win in international football, delivering a 7-0 win over Seychelles in the final game of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. We shattered a record that stood for 23 years and one day, dating back to our 6-0 win over Lesotho in October 2002.”
The WAFU-A President also hailed the individual brilliance shown by the Scorpions during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, citing Abdoulie Manneh, who scored Gambian football’s first-ever hat-trick in either a World Cup or AFCON match, achieving the feat on his competitive debut against Seychelles. He made special mention of prolific forward Musa Barrow, whose seven goals were the highest during the qualifiers, doubling his entire tally for The Gambia to reach 14 goals, and in the process, overtaking Assan Ceesay as The Gambia’s highest goal scorer.
Speaking further, he observed that despite the failure to secure a World Cup ticket, this was The Gambia’s best World Cup qualification campaign, having also finished as the highest scoring team in the entire African World Cup qualifiers.