The development of this Gambia U20 side has caught even the most ardent Gambian football fan by surprise. How the team has evolved from the WAFU Zone-A Championship in Mauritania to the AFCON in Egypt, finishing as runners-up on both occasions and now a dominant showing in the FIFA World Cup in Argentina, has left many wowed.
Is it down to tactical maturity, technical genius, or sheer hunger to break into global football powerhouses? Those are questions for another day. In this one, we focus entirely on the race for the unthinkable, but not a race for the impossible – the Gambia’s attempt to clinch the U20 World Cup trophy.
The Gambia once again shocked the world with their football prowess, as they finished as Group F winners ahead of current runners-up – Korea Republic and 2013 champions France, to reach the round of 16. The young scorpions matched their best-ever performance at this level when the Gambia made their first and only appearance in a U20 world cup tournament in 2007.
The Gambia will take on Uruguay on June 1st, 2023 in the round of 16.
THE CONTINENT’S PRIDE!
This unbeaten run of the Gambia U20 side in the 2023 FIFA World Cup is already a continental victory, as they became the only African side to gain an automatic qualification with two wins and a draw in the group stages.
Nigeria with 6 points and Tunisia with 3, negotiated their way via the best third-placed team slots, while continental champions Senegal crashed out on a huff, disappointingly finishing bottom of Group C with two points.
This is already a big disappointment for Senegal and will no doubt cut short the euphoria around their AFCON success. And so too the continent lost some pride as its champions failed to prove their worth where it mattered the most.
As it appears, coach Abdoulie Bojang and his charges are the only continental representatives that have shown a performance far convincing that one can trust, and is quite capable of driving home some pride for the continent.
And, Nigeria with their pedigree and history which saw them accumulate 6 out of the possible 9 points in the opening group stage, can’t be ruled out of anything. They are continental architects in playing this tournament. They appeared 12 times, and in the process, finished as runners-up in 1989 and 2005.
Tunisia’s performance is far from convincing. With a mere 3 points in the group stage, should they go beyond the round of 16, will surely be one of football’s biggest bonuses.
This Gambia side has already set the bar high and they did not look like they are willing to lower it against any opposition. Given their recent form and performances at the group stage, they look potentially ready for any side.
“We don’t look at names, what is crucial for us is we believe in what we can do,” Coach Bojang said. That statement is justified by the performance they showed at the group stages against France, Honduras, and the Korean Republic.
Their performance at the group stages which they combined with verve, precision, and tactical discipline without an iota of panic, clearly sends a strong intent about their ambitions.
This team is clearly up for the unthinkable, but not impossible mission. They are poised to make global history with the way they are realistically chasing the FIFA youth accolade at the same pace as some serial champions.
TASK AHEAD
Now that the Gambia has moved from a side tipped to be ‘heading home’ early, to potential title contenders, means, the task ahead can be a tough one. “The most important thing is our tactics and trying to be better than our opponents during the 90 minutes.” Lie Bojang said.
And the task is, to apply that statement on the pitch when they face Uruguay, a side that is playing this tournament for the 15th time but has yet to clinch any title as they reached and lost the finals in 1997 and 2013.
This could be considered a big achievement for a side like the Gambia who are only appearing for the second time. But, this crop of young dynamic players, seem to care less about reputation, and, the flair and depth of the Gambia’s squad are quite capable of causing an upset against any opposition.
The return of Muhammed Jobe to the already-established Gambia U20 has taken the team to another level and the firepower of the unstoppable Adama Bojang could be a cause for concern for any defensive line.
Adama who scored two goals, is a candidate for the golden boot as he is two goals behind Italy’s Cesare Casadei who tops the chart with four goals.
Can the Gambia set a new record by surpassing the round of 16 or even cause a global tsunami by reaching the finals?
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The President Barrow-sponsored Ramadan Football Championship came to an end on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at the Serrekunda West Mini Stadium. The final match featured an exciting showdown between Star Boys F.C. and Babun Fatty.After the match ended in a goalless draw, Star Boys F.C. triumphed in the penalty shootout, earning a cash prize of D75,000. Babun Fatty, as the runner-up, received D50,000, while the Tigers of Kotu secured third place and were awarded D15,000. President Barrow attended the final, underscoring the significance of youth empowerment through sports. The tournament showcased 40 participating teams and highlighted the government's commitment to grassroots development and community engagement.The colourful final attracted a large audience of football enthusiasts and high-ranking government officials.
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The Gambia's beach volleyball duo, Abdallah Bah and Omar Bojang, fell short of the gold medal at the U18 African Youth Games in Angola, losing 2-0 (22-20, 21-14) to Sierra Leone in the final. Despite being unbeaten prior to the final, the Gambian team faced a tough challenge from their Sierra Leonean opponents, who proved too strong in the end.
The Gambian beach volleyball duo of Abdalllah Bah and Ndoti Dampha have made history by reaching the final of the 2025 African Youth Games Beach Volleyball Championship in Angola. The pair defeated Kenya 2-1 to book their spot in the championship match, where they will face Sierra Leone.Under the expert guidance of coach Amadou Jarju, the team has been in scintillating form throughout the U18 competition, outplaying their opponents with ease. This latest victory has set the stage for a thrilling final, with Bah and Dampha looking to add another gold medal to Gambia’s impressive collection.The Gambian team's recent dominance in beach volleyball has been nothing short of remarkable. In 2025 alone, they have won several international medals, including silver at the African School Games in Algeria and gold medals in Nigeria and Banjul. They have also had a stellar performance in the U18 Doha World Championship Beach Volleyball competition, where they defeated the USA 2-1 in their opening pool match.With their sights set on the final, coach Amadou Jarju and his team will be confident of bringing home the gold medal and continuing their winning streak. Abdalllah Bah (2), who now represents the Gambia in five international competitions in including Algeria, Nigeria, Banjul and Doha, is pairing with Ndoti Dampha (1) for the first time. This is Ndoti's first international beach volleyball competition.
In what was a nail-biting encounter, Berewuleng F.C. staged a stunning comeback to defeat the highly experienced Red Scorpions 2-1 in the Gambia Football Federation's Women's Super Cup. Red Scorpions had set their sights on spoiling Berewuleng's party, taking an early lead through Vilma Nhaga Badjeta's clinical finish. The Scorpions were buoyant, hoping to cap off Berewuleng's recent dominance in Gambian women's football.Berewuleng's starting XI against Red Scorpions. However, the reigning league and FF Cup champions, Berewuleng F.C., were not about to let their title reign end without a fight. Midway through the game, Mafanta Drammeh equalised for the Brikama-based team, sparking a frenzy of excitement among their fans. The momentum had shifted, and Berewuleng were back in the game.Red Scorpion’s starting XI against Berewuleng In the 84th minute, Kaddijatou Drammeh sealed the win for Berewuleng with a dramatic winner, sending the Brikama-based team into jubilation. Berewuleng F.C., who were crowned champions of the Gambia Football Federation's Women's League and FF Cups, now added a Super Cup to make it a hat-trick of trophies. The victorious Berewuleng F.C. team were handed a giant trophy, gold medals, and a cheque for 75,000 Dalasis, while the runners-up Red Scorpions received 50,000 Dalasis and silver medals.
The Gambia's duo Abdalllah Bah and Ndoti Dampha registered another win to reach the quarter finals of the 2025 African Youth Games beach volleyball competition in Angola. They defeated Tunisia 2 -0 (21-19, 23-21) in the Round of Sixteen. The Gambia will now take on Sao Tome and Principe on Saturday 13 December.
Abdalllah Bah and Ndoti Dampha, The Gambia's promising U18 beach volleyball duo, have made waves at the 2025 African Youth Games in Angola with their impressive wins. They secured their spot in the round of 16 by defeating Kenya 2-0, with scores of 21-19 and 21-19. This victory marks a continuation of their strong performance, following their 2-0 win against Mauritius in their previous match.The Gambian team's success in the tournament showcases the country's growing talent in beach volleyball. With young athletes like Bah and Dampha leading the charge, The Gambia is poised to make a lasting impact in African beach volleyball.
Minister of Youth and Sport, Bakary Y. Badjie, has handed over the Gambia National Flag to Team Gambia, marking a significant milestone as the country prepares to participate in the ANOCA African Youth Games in Angola. The ceremony, held at the Olympic House, was attended by officials from the Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) and other stakeholders.Minister Badjie reiterated his Ministry's commitment to supporting the development of sports in The Gambia, urging the athletes to be good ambassadors of the country and bring home medals. He expressed pride in the phenomenal successes achieved in Gambian sports, attributing it to the willingness of athletes and the commitment of the NOC.GNOC President, Bai Dodou Jallow, highlighted the readiness of the athletes, citing the efforts and support made by the committee to prepare them for the event. The team will depart for Angola in two phases, with the first delegation travelling on Sunday and the rest on Monday.The ANOCA African Youth Games will take place from December 10 to December 20, providing a platform for young Gambian athletes to showcase their talents and compete against their peers from across the continent.
The Gambia's boys and girls who narrowly missed out in the chase for a gold medal, have settled for bronze medals in both categories of the WAFU A U-15 African School Football Championship.The boys defeated Mauritania 4-2 on penalties following a goalless draw, while the girls finished third in the standings to settle for bronze.Both teams were handed bronze medals and will each receive 50,000 US dollars worth of support for school sports and talent development from the Confederation of African Football.
The Gambia's boys and girls who narrowly missed out in the chase for a gold medal, have settled for bronze medals in both categories of the WAFU A U-15 African School Football Championship.The boys defeated Mauritania 4-2 on penalties following a goalless draw, while the girls finished third in the standings to settle for bronze.Both teams were handed bronze medals and will each receive 50,000 US dollars worth of support for school sports and talent development from the Confederation of African Football.
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