The National Sports Authority (NSA) has engaged Scottish football giants Celtic Football Club to explore a partnership aimed at strengthening football development in Sierra Leone, with a focus on youth player development, coaching education, and elite training programmes.

The engagement, held on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Games activities, discussed possible collaboration between the two institutions through Celtic FC’s International Partner Club Programme, which supports football development initiatives across different continents through player development, team training, and coach mentorship.

Under the proposed partnership, Celtic FC would support Sierra Leone through specialised coaching methodologies and curriculum development programmes delivered through the NSA. The collaboration would also include advanced player development programmes, featuring intensive training camps, tactical and technical sessions, classroom lessons, and video analysis.

The partnership would provide opportunities for outstanding young Sierra Leonean players to travel to Scotland for training experiences at the Celtic FC Academy, while also creating avenues for youth teams to visit Glasgow for club tours, friendly matches, and exposure to Celtic’s facilities.

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Discussions also focused on coach education, with both institutions expected to share technical knowledge and operational expertise to strengthen grassroots football development in Sierra Leone.

NSA Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Alphaka Conteh said the authority, as the regulator supervised by the Ministry of Sports, would present the outcome of the engagement to the Minister of Sports for further discussions with the leadership of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), which would serve as an implementing partner if the agreement is finalised.

Conteh described the engagement as a significant step towards creating international opportunities for Sierra Leone’s young footballers and technical personnel.

“This agreement, when finalised, will be a good international partnership for sports development in the history of the country’s football economy,” Conteh said.

Meanwhile, Celtic FC International Soccer Academy Manager Jose Romero expressed the club’s readiness to work with the NSA to support sports development in Sierra Leone.

“We are ready to fully work with the National Sports Authority in Sierra Leone for the development of sports in the West African nation,” Romero stated.

The proposed partnership is expected to provide a major boost to Sierra Leone’s football development structure by enhancing youth pathways, improving coaching standards, and creating international exposure opportunities for emerging talents.