The High Court of The Gambia has concluded the dispute involving four Upper River Region football clubs following a successful Alternative Dispute Resolution mediation held on 12 December 2025.

The clubs involved are Kuteh Jombulu FC, Briffu FC, Niomuta United and Tabanding FC, while the Respondent in the matter is the Upper River Region Football Association.

The parties unanimously agreed to resolve all issues, with the consent terms filed before the court forming a full and final settlement.

Under the agreement, the Upper River Region Football Association is required to ensure that the four clubs regain and retain their respective positions in the competition and that none of them is relegated as a result of the dispute.

The clubs are also to be reinstated on all official communication platforms and media related to the competition from which they were previously removed.

In addition, the Association agreed to waive the annual subscription fee of D7,500 for all teams for a period of one year.

A further special waiver was granted exclusively to the four applicant clubs, exempting them from paying any subscription fees to register for competitions for a period of three years, up to and including the 2029 season.

The consent terms also require the Association to issue a press release confirming the return and restoration of the clubs to their status prior to the commencement of the suit, with assurances that they will be treated equally going forward.

The dispute arose after the Upper River Region Football Association expelled the clubs for participating in a training session organised by Team Restore Confidence under the tutelage of Sadibou Kamaso.

The Association had earlier warned that any of its affiliate clubs that attended the training would face severe consequences, a decision that ultimately led to the expulsion of the four clubs and the subsequent legal action.

The court noted that the agreed terms constitute the full and final settlement of the dispute and are binding on all parties.

By Ebrima KB Sonko