Martin K. N. Kollie, the Unity Party Campaign Chairman on Research and Rapid Respond, on Saturday October 28, 2023, claimed in a Facebook post, that when Joseph Boakai was vice president of the Liberia, the country’s national football team, the Lone Star was ranked 134 out of 205 countries as of December 21, 2027 but the Lone Star is now ranked 151st (One-hundred-fifty-first) by FIFA as of October 26, 2023.
Kollie wrote to his Facebook timeline: “Under non-footballer JNB, Liberia ranked 134 out of 205 countries as of Dec. 21, 2017. As of October 26, 2023. FIFA, Lib ranks 151 under footballer GMW. Liberian football is down by 17. If this man couldn’t improve football, what can he improve?”
In short, Martin is claiming that the Lone Star was better under the past government of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Joseph Nyumah Boakai than it is now under President George Weah and Jewel Howard Taylor.
The FIFA Men’s World Ranking is a ranking system for men’s national teams in the world of football, the teams are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked highest.
A point system is used, with points being awarded based on the results of all FIFA-recognized full international matches.
To fact check this claim by Martin, we reviewed the December 21, 2017, ranking by FIFA and found that Liberia was ranked 134 out of 207 footballing countries.
We also obtained the October 26, 2023, FIFA ranking and reviewed the list. We found that FIFA has ranked Liberia 151 out of 205 countries.
Conclusion
Based on these facts, we conclude that the claim made by Martin K. N. Kollie that as of December 2017, Liberia was ranked 134 out of 205 countries and now ranks 151 out of 205 countries is correct.
The FIFA, as of December 21, 2017, ranked Liberia 134 out of 205 countries and 151 out of 207 countries as of October 26, 2023.
This report was developed with the support of Internews through the USAID Media Activity project. The funder has no say in the editorial decision leading to the production of this content