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Football in Sierra Leone

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Football is by far the most popular sport in Sierra Leone.[1] The Sierra Leone national football team, governed by the Sierra Leone Football Association, is popularly known as the Leone Stars and represents the country in international football competitions. Though the team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, they did participate in the 1994 and 1996 African Cup of Nations.

The Sierra Leone National Premier League is the top football league in Sierra Leone. East End Lions and Mighty Blackpool are the two biggest and most successful football clubs in the country, but Kallon F.C. is also improving. Kallon F.C. won the Premier League in 2006, and eliminated 2006 Nigerian Premier League Champions Ocean Boys FC in the 2007 CAF Champions League first qualifying round, but later lost to ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast in the second qualifying round for the group stage.

The Sierra Leone U-17 football team, nicknamed the Sierra Stars, finished as runner-up at the 2003 African U-17 Championship in Swaziland, but came in last place in their group at the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland.

Sierra Leone is home to the largest Manchester City supporters club outside of the UK.[2] In 2009 and 2010 the fans and supporters of Manchester City raised funds to send a second hand bus to Sierra Leone to provide transport for away games.[3]

References

  1. ^ Chelsea Janes. "Memuna McShane: From civil war in Sierra Leone to soccer fields of Washington". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2013-11-16.
  2. ^ "Manchester City Fans Furious as Sierra Leone Donations 'Hijacked by Corrupt Local Officials' [VIDEO] - International Business Times UK". Ibtimes.co.uk. 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2013-11-16.
  3. ^ "BBC - Sierra Leone City fan in 'thank you' trip to Manchester". BBC News. 2010-12-01. Retrieved 2013-11-16.


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