The Ghana Football Association (GFA) will expand its investment in grassroots football, with new funding for coach education, youth competitions, equipment and player registration as part of its plan to create clearer pathways for the next generation of Ghanaian players.
GFA President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku outlined the package while addressing the Association’s 32nd Congress on Thursday, 20 August 2026, at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence (GSCE) in Prampram.
He also confirmed that the 2026 Colts Football Season will be officially launched in Accra on 8 September 2026.
The measures form part of the GFA’s wider “Power to the Youth” strategy, which places particular emphasis on developing coaches, supporting grassroots clubs and increasing opportunities for young footballers across Ghana.
Over the past two seasons, the GFA has invested GHS 1.8 million in training 600 Colts coaches through the GFA-funded CAF Licence D Coaching Programme.
The Association has also continued to provide development opportunities for scouts, referees, administrators and other stakeholders involved in the country’s youth football system.
The coaching investment is intended to improve standards at grassroots level and give young players better technical support during the early stages of their development.
To reduce the financial pressure on grassroots clubs, the GFA will continue to provide free player registration and digital licences for up to 90 players per Colts club.
A new competition, the KIVO/JLAB U-17 Inter-Clubs Champions League, will also be introduced during the 2026/27 season. The tournament is designed to offer another competitive opportunity for emerging players and strengthen the organisation of inter-club youth football in Ghana.
The GFA will repeat its US$100,000 investment in footballs for clubs competing in the second-tier, third-tier and Women’s Division One League.
That support is aimed at improving access to essential training equipment and helping clubs create more consistent conditions for player development.
Working with the Regional Football Associations (RFAs), the GFA will continue to support youth competitions and festivals for boys and girls at Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 levels.
The programme will feature inter-district, inter-regional and inter-club championships, allowing young players from across the country to compete and demonstrate their ability.
Support for girls’ football
The Association has committed a further GHS 800,000 to help Regional Football Associations organise the Elite Under-15 Girls Regional Colts League.
The funding is intended to provide young female players with opportunities comparable to those available to boys, while widening the grassroots talent pool for women’s football.
The GFA will also maintain its backing for the Regional Colts U-17, U-15 and U-13 Championships.
Each participating region will receive one set of jerseys, 10 footballs and GHS 10,000 to support the organisation and delivery of those competitions.
President Simeon-Okraku said the scale of the planned investment demonstrated the GFA’s determination to make youth development a central part of the future of Ghana football.
“Our commitment is unwavering: we will continue to invest in our children today, because they are the champions who will carry the hopes of our nation tomorrow,” he said.
The initiatives announced at Congress bring together coach education, equipment provision, financial support, competitions and more structured development routes within Ghana’s grassroots football system.
