Amidu Karim Eyes Historic World Cup Qualification for Sierra Leone

Amidu Karim, the main coach of Sierra Leone's national soccer team, has said he wants to help his country make it to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 2026.

In a talk with FIFA's official website, Karim said, “We really believe we can do it. If we didn't think that, reaching our goal would be very hard.”

Right now, Sierra Leone is in fourth place in Group A of the World Cup qualifiers, just one point behind second place. Egypt is leading the group with 10 points, followed by Guinea-Bissau (6), Burkina Faso (5), and Sierra Leone (5).

"The second spot is within reach, but it requires unwavering focus," Karim says, maintaining his optimism. March is coming up soon, and we need to be prepared. We are focusing on the African Cup of Nations qualifiers at the same time.

When Karim thought back on his playing days, he recalled Sierra Leone's 1994 debut in the AFCON, where they lost 4-0 against the reigning champions, Ivory Coast. "We showed how far our football has come by playing them again recently in the qualifiers and winning 1-0," he continued.

Karim's simultaneous aspirations to qualify for the World Cup and win the AFCON highlight Sierra Leone's will to excel in football.