Youth and Sports Ministry has Introduced a New Format for the Draw of the County Meet's Quarterfinals

MONROVIA, LIBERIA: The Ministry of Youth and Sports has announced a change to the quarter-finals draw of the National County Sports Meet. Starting with the 2025/2026 edition of the tournament, the format will shift from the traditional knockout system to a round-robin format.

The National County Sports Meet, Liberia's largest football and kickball festival, is returning for the 2025/2026 season with this new structure. In the quarter-finals, counties will play multiple matches to determine their advancement to the next stage of the competition.

According to the Ministry, the eight teams that qualify from the preliminary rounds for the quarter-finals will be divided into two groups of four. The winners and runners-up from each group will secure spots in the semi-finals.

The Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports, Murvee Gray, explained that the round-robin format will allow each quarter-finalist to compete in three matches. The winners and runners-up will be determined based on points and goal differentials.

Assistant Minister Gray also noted that, unlike the knockout system, counties that lose in their first match of the quarter-finals will still have a chance to qualify. Their prospects will depend on their performance in subsequent matches during the round-robin playoffs.

The knockout system in the National County Sports Meet quarter-finals was an elimination phase where teams defeated in the one-leg encounter were knocked out of the competition.

The knockout system in the National County Sports Meet quarter-finals was previously an elimination phase where teams that lost in a single match were knocked out of the competition.

However, according to the Ministry, the traditional knockout format will now only be used for the semi-finals and the grand finals.

"In phase two of the National County Sports Meet, eight teams will qualify for the quarter-finals and will be divided into two groups of four. They will compete in a round-robin format. One game is not enough to fairly determine a team's abilities, so we are allowing each team to play at least three games," stated Assistant Minister Gray.

He added, "The winners and runners-up from each group will qualify for the semi-finals." The introduction of the round-robin format aims to enhance the tournament experience for fans.

"People have always longed for the county meet, and we want to provide the players and counties with more playing time. They cherish the tournament deeply, so we need to design it in a way that allows it to last a bit longer," he stated.

This year's edition of the National County Sports Meet is themed "Inclusive Development through Sports." The tournament began on Saturday, December 13, 2025, in Harper City, Maryland County.

The National County Sports Meet brings together the fifteen political subdivisions of Liberia, known as counties, to compete in football, kickball, and various other sports disciplines.

This year's preliminary round fixtures are as follows:

Group A: Hosts Maryland, Rivercess, Grand Kru, and River Gee Counties. Group B: Nimba, Bomi, Sinoe County, and Margibi Counties. Group C: Grand Bassa, Lofa, Grand Gedeh, and Grand Cape Mount Counties. Group D: Gbarpolu, Bong, and Montserrado Counties.