MONROVIA — Shaita Angels FC have been declared champions of the 2026–2027 Liberia Football Association (LFA) Women’s Super Cup after Determine Girls FC failed to honor Saturday’s scheduled fixture, turning a highly anticipated contest between two of Liberia’s leading women’s football clubs into a forfeiture.
By Christopher C. Walker, christopherc.walker@frontpageafricaonline.com
The LFA confirmed Shaita Angels as champions after the match-day registration deadline expired, establishing that the club had completed its player registration on the Competition Management System (CMS) within the stipulated period.
Determine Girls, the reigning LFA Women’s First Division champions, had requested a postponement, citing unresolved internal administrative issues that left the club unable to prepare for the fixture. However, the association rejected the request and notified both clubs on Friday evening that the match would proceed as scheduled.
With Determine Girls subsequently failing to appear, the LFA treated the fixture as a forfeiture and awarded Shaita Angels the season’s first major silverware in women’s football.
The association said the champions would be formally presented with the trophy on their first match day of the 2026–2027 season.
Administrative Crisis Overshadows Determine Girls
The forfeiture comes amid mounting uncertainty over the administration and ownership of Determine Girls, one of Liberia’s most prominent women’s football clubs.
In a statement issued Friday, the club announced that it had formally appealed to the LFA to postpone the Super Cup, which was scheduled for Saturday, October 10, 2026.
The club attributed its inability to honor the fixture to unresolved internal administrative matters, saying the situation had left it unprepared to participate.
“Given the current unresolved administrative matters within the club, we regret to inform the public that we are not in a position to honor the scheduled fixture at this time,” the statement said.
The statement, signed by Secretary General Gustufus Karpeh, reaffirmed the club’s commitment to fair play, professionalism and the rules governing Liberian football.
The LFA, however, maintained that the fixture would proceed as planned. The association warned that failure to honor the match would result in a forfeiture, provided Shaita Angels had properly registered its players on the CMS.
After confirming that Shaita Angels had met the registration requirement, the association declared the Orange Cup holders champions.
CEO Cassell Kuoh Exits, Relinquishes 75 Percent Stake
The controversy follows a significant ownership and leadership shake-up at Determine Girls.
Cassell A. Kuoh stepped down as the club’s chief executive officer and relinquished his 75 percent ownership stake, marking a major change at the reigning league champions just days before the Super Cup.
Kuoh reportedly relinquished his shares on Thursday, transferring 50 percent to club official Varsay Kollie and the remaining 25 percent to Secretary General Gustufus Karpeh.
Contacted Saturday morning, Kuoh confirmed his departure but declined to discuss the reasons behind his decision.
The timing of the transition has raised questions about its implications for the club’s administration and preparations for the new season. However, the precise nature of the internal issues cited by Determine Girls, and whether they were directly linked to the ownership changes, remains unclear.
The forfeiture now leaves the club facing questions about its internal management as it prepares to defend its First Division title.
Rematch Ends Before Kickoff
Saturday’s fixture had been anticipated as a rematch of the 2024 Women’s Super Cup, when Shaita Angels defeated Determine Girls 4–3 on penalties following a 1–1 draw.
The encounter was expected to offer an early measure of both clubs’ ambitions for the new campaign, with Determine Girls entering as league champions and Shaita Angels representing the Orange Cup holders.
Instead, the showdown ended without a ball being kicked.
For Shaita Angels, the forfeiture delivers another milestone and secures the club the 2026–2027 Women’s Super Cup title without an on-field contest.
For Determine Girls, the outcome represents a setback before the start of its league-title defense, with administrative uncertainty overshadowing preparations and denying the club an opportunity to compete for another trophy.
With the LFA having settled the immediate Super Cup dispute, attention now shifts to whether Determine Girls can resolve its internal difficulties and stabilize its leadership ahead of the new season.