Lone Star Host Mali in Monrovia Tuesday, But Stadium Certification Still Pending
The Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Monrovia (file photo, 2015). Photo: Bangabandhu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Liberia's Lone Star face Mali at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex on September 29 in their second AFCON 2027 qualifier, but CAF has yet to certify the venue after a US$28 million renovation, with LFA officials exploring Morocco as a contingency.
Liberia's Lone Star return home to face Mali on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 19:00 GMT in their second Group K qualifier for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, three days after opening the campaign with a 3-1 defeat to Rwanda in Kigali. The match is scheduled for the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) Sports Complex in Paynesville, but the venue's readiness to host the fixture remains uncertain.
The SKD Sports Complex has undergone more than US$28 million in renovations, including a US$500,000 LED floodlight installation and new dugout seating, but still awaits final certification from the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Inspectors are expected to evaluate pitch quality, dressing rooms, lighting, media facilities, spectator safety and matchday logistics before signing off on the stadium.
Liberia Football Association President Mustapha Raji has acknowledged exploring "contingency options in Morocco" should CAF reject the venue, citing Moroccan media reports that the Lone Star could be forced to play home qualifiers abroad. Liberia has few viable domestic alternatives: the Ganta Sports Pitch in Nimba County sits more than 200 kilometers from Monrovia with no domestic air link, prompting Raji to note that "a team cannot ride two to five hours away to a venue for a game."
On the pitch, Liberia will lean on forward Sylvanus Nimely, who scored the Lone Star's goal against Rwanda, while Mali arrives with stronger recent form and forward N. Dorgeles as their leading scorer this season with two goals. Liberia will also need to adjust after playing the final half hour against Rwanda a man down following Kpah Sherman's red card.
CAF's final decision on the venue was still pending as of this writing. Liberia Today will confirm the match venue and report on the result once the fixture is played.