The University for Development Studies (UDS) etched its name in history by defeating Paulista University of Brazil to win the 2025 World University Games Football Championship in Dalian, China.
The victory not only secured Ghana a global university football crown but also ended Paulista’s reign as defending champions.
Reacting to the achievement, Director of Public Affairs at UDS, Abdul-Hayi Moomen, hailed the ambitions of the student-athletes, who dream of breaking into the national setup.
But he also used the moment to highlight the glaring contrast between football infrastructure in China and Ghana.
“There is a world of difference between where we trained…even the training facilities here [in China] are far beyond what we have at Baba Yara Sports Stadium and Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Accra,” Moomen said in an interview with Channel One TV.
He went further to stress how even academy setups in China surpass what is available back home.
“Even the training grounds at academies are far beyond what we have in Ghana to the extent that there were times that we were given indoor facilities.”
For UDS, the victory is a milestone, but for Ghanaian football, it is also a wake-up call about the urgent need to invest in modern sports infrastructure.
