Football in the Gambia
Football is the most popular sport in The Gambia and still growing in popularity.
National football team
The Gambia national football team, nicknamed The Scorpions, is the national team of the Gambia and is administered by the Football Association. They have never qualified for the World Cup. In the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations Gambia reached the second round of the competition for the first time.Men's league system
GFA League First Division
The GFA League First Division currently has twelve clubs competing in it. The most successful club is Wallidan.GFA League Second Division
The GFA League First Division currently has ten clubs competing in it.Gambia Football Federation Second Division
During both the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons, the GFF Second Division featured 18 clubs competing in a double round-robin format. The top two teams earned automatic promotion to the GFF First Division, while the 3rd–5th placed teams participated in promotion play-offs alongside the 14th-placed First Division side to determine an additional promotion place. The bottom three teams were relegated to the regional third tier, with the 15th-placed side contesting a relegation play-off.
2023–24 Season
- Champions: Hawks
- Runners-up: Hart Academy
- Promotion play-offs: Gambian Dutch Lions defeated Gambia Ports Authority in the final to earn promotion; First Division side Wallidan were relegated.
- Relegated: Jam City, Immigration, Jarra West.
- Name changes: Medical renamed Gambian Dutch Lions; Tallinding United renamed RS Tallinding; GAMTEL renamed Serrekunda FC; PSV Wellingara renamed Unique Global.
- Champions: Gambia Ports Authority
- Runners-up: Medina United
- Promotion play-offs: Samger defeated RS Tallinding on penalties in the final; Samger promoted, Gambia Armed Forces relegated.
- Relegated: Latrikunda United, Waa Banjul, Essau United.
- Relegation play-off: Kanifing East beat ASM Athletic 2–0 to retain their Second Division status.
- Newly promoted into division for 2025–26: Sibanor United, AJ Soccer, North Star.
- Name change: Bakau Katchikally Milan renamed Colley Stars.
Complete official records of Second Division top scorers are not publicly available for both seasons; however, some notable performances have been reported by local media:
2024–25 Season
- Omar Johm — 18 goals and 7 assists in 29 appearances.
- Date of Birth: 28 February 2007
- Position: Forward player, two footed for Gambia Ports Authority in the GFF Second Division.
- Scored 13 league goals.
- Named Player of the Season in the division.
- Burst forward with 18 goals and 7 assists in 29 matches—that’s 25 goal contributions, making him the Second Division’s top scorer that season.
- Broke his own previous season record by increasing from 13 to 18 league goals.
- In the process, he also became GPA’s all-time top goal scorer, surpassing a long-standing club record previously held by a club legend.
- Known for his two-footed play, tactical versatility across forward positions, and standout flair—earning the nickname “conductor of the orchestra”.
- His accolades include being a key driver behind GPA’s promotion to the First Division after a three-year absence.
3rd Division Triangular Tournament
promotion tournament to second division, top-2 qualify for second division.National Third Division League
Locally known as “Nawettan”. It is the third-highest competition in the country's national football rankings and is divided into eight mini-leagues of twenty teams each in different zones, of which all league champions from the different Local Governing Bodies are contested in the Second Division, qualifiers and only the best three of the eight teams will proceed to battle it out in the Triangular play-offs. The emerging two best of the three teams are finally promoted to the National Second Division League.Women's football
National Football League Division One
The National First Division currently has six clubs competing in it.National Football League Division Two
The National First Division currently has five clubs competing in it.Football stadiums
The Independence Stadium is currently the largest stadium by capacity in Gambia. The Gambia national football team use the venue for home games.| Stadium | Capacity | City | Tenants | Image |
| Independence Stadium | 20,000 | Bakau | Gambia national football team |