Africa-Press – Liberia. FC Fassell’s recent spending spree, reportedly totaling US$511,000 in just two months, has generated both excitement and concern within Liberian football circles.
While the club has invested in international travel, marquee player signings, and high-level friendlies, critics are asking a simple question: Where is the transparency?
Club CEO Anthony Cassell Kouh confirmed the expenditure, breaking it down as $160,000 for accommodations and meals in Egypt, $78,000 for airfare and travel, and $273,000 for the signing of 10 players and two coaches.
On paper, these figures suggest ambition, but observers say the lack of detailed disclosure raises serious accountability concerns.
Kouh also addressed reports surrounding his political ambitions within football administration.
While he did not directly address allegations of promising US$50,000 to each of the 42 voting clubs ahead of the 2026 LFA elections, he previously stated: “$50k will be the least amount we will make available from our connections as sponsorship money if we are elected to lead Liberian football to a new and progressive future.”
He further responded to criticism about payments made to clubs in May 2024 during the budget controversy.
“You know we influence no one, My company gave $5,000 to 13 clubs that requested increments and were denied. Others thought what the LFA offer was enough,” Kouh said.
However, Kouh’s background also casts a long shadow. He is a former convicted felon in the United States, where he served seven years in prison before returning to Liberia.
For critics, this history makes the need for full transparency in his current financial dealings even more urgent.
Webster Cassell, a former officer of the Sports Writers Association of Liberia (SWAL), stressed that openness is essential.
“Football supporters deserve ambition, but they also deserve honesty,” Cassell noted. “When a club spends over half a million dollars in two months without publishing contracts, salaries, or the sources of funding, it leaves too much room for speculation. Given Liberia’s history of political interference in football, these kinds of financial moves always attract scrutiny. Transparency is the only way to assure the public this is about football, not politics.”
Cassell challenged FC Fassell to publish a full breakdown of expenditures, disclose player and coach contracts including salaries and bonuses, reveal the sources of funding, and host a press conference to answer questions.
“Anything less will keep doubt alive and overshadow the investment,” he stressed.
While some view the spending as a bold push to elevate Liberian football, others remain skeptical. Without clear accountability, what could have been a historic investment risks being remembered as a mirage of progress, rather than a genuine turning point.
A Pattern of Secrecy: Liberian Clubs and a Lack of Public Funding Disclosure
The controversy surrounding FC Fassell is not an isolated incident but rather a symptom of a larger, systemic issue in Liberian football.
The reality is that no football club in Liberia has a transparent public record of its funding sources.
While some clubs receive support from organizations like Doxxbet or FIFA, this information is not typically disclosed in a consistent or detailed manner to the public.
The Liberia Football Association (LFA) is currently working to address this issue by enforcing stricter Club Licensing Regulations, which require clubs to operate with greater financial discipline and organizational credibility.
However, this is a recent development, and the culture of financial secrecy remains prevalent.
The LFA itself has also faced scrutiny over its own financial transparency, with allegations of mismanagement of funds from government and international bodies.
This lack of accountability at the top further reinforces the idea that financial opacity is the norm, not the exception. The call for FC Fassell to be transparent is, therefore, a challenge to the entire football establishment to set a new standard of integrity and openness.
For More News And Analysis About Liberia Follow Africa-Press
