Freetown – Leone Stars Head Coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa has outlined his immediate priorities as the national team intensifies preparations for the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers.
In his latest statement, the French tactician highlighted key focus areas: player identification and selection, detailed opponent analysis, tactical preparation, and the organisation of a training camp for local-based players.
With the qualifiers set to begin in the September–October 2026 international window, Coach Gomes Da Rosa said the technical team is working to a clear, structured plan aimed at building a competitive squad that can represent Sierra Leone with determination and pride.
Sierra Leone have been drawn in Group E alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe. The top two teams from each group will advance to the finals, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from June to July 2027. Sierra Leone’s fixtures begin with a home match against Zimbabwe, followed by an away trip to Equatorial Guinea in the first window, with further matches against DR Congo in November and the remaining games in March 2027.
Gomes Da Rosa, who was appointed by the Sierra Leone Football Association in early June 2026, brings extensive experience across African football. He has previously managed clubs including Simba SC of Tanzania, Horoya AC of Guinea, Coton Sport of Cameroon and Al Merrikh of Sudan, among others. He also guided Botswana to qualification for the 2025 AFCON, ending a long absence for the Zebras, and has coached at national team level with Mauritania.
The coach’s emphasis on identifying and integrating local-based players into a training camp reflects efforts to strengthen the domestic core of the squad while blending it with players based abroad. Tactical preparation and thorough analysis of opponents in what is regarded as a competitive group will form the backbone of the build-up.
Sierra Leone last appeared at the AFCON finals in 2021 (held in 2022). Fans and stakeholders will be looking to the new technical setup to improve the team’s consistency and push for a return to the continental stage.
The technical team continues its work with the qualifiers now only weeks away.
