The 2021/22 Ghana Premier League season start today with Accra Lions hosting Elmina Sharks at the Accra Sports Stadium tonight. The game kick-off at 18:00GMT.
The season is expected to be exciting as promised by Kurt Okraku, who is the President of the Ghana Football Association.
However, the major headache for the clubs and stakeholders ahead of the new season is the lack of a major headline sponsor for the topflight.
The Ghana Premier League, Division One League and Womens Football have struggled to attract sponsorships following the premiering of the ‘Number 12’ video documentary by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas in June 2018.
The documentary saw referees and football officials caught on tapes engaging in fixed matches and bribery.
The video forced Kwesi Nyantakyi to leave office as the president of the Ghana FA and also lost his position as WAFA Zone B President, Caf 1st vice president and Fifa Executive Council Member with some referees also banned from officiating matches.
However, Mr Okraku in September this year vowed that the country’s football governing body is working tirelessly to ensure they secure a headline sponsor before the start of the season.
"We are working tirelessly to secure a headline sponsor for the Premier League and the Division One League," Mr Okraku said.
"We tried last season but I am hopeful it will work this time around.
"I am only pleading that we all play our role well because the FA is doing their best and the media must also do the same but if we continue to do the wrong things, it means we will struggle to get what we want," he added.
The 2020/21 season kicked off and ended without a major headline sponsor. The last headline sponsor for the Ghana Premier League was Zylofon Cash. A deal that abruptly ended following the premiering of the ‘Number 12’ video at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Zylofon Cash signed a 5 year deal with the Ghana Football Association in a deal that was worth $10m.
Three years have passed and stakeholders have not seen the league acquire a headline sponsor, a worrying state of events.
Ghana FA, however, made great efforts to secure TV rights sponsors and other sponsors last season.
They also went ahead to secure some interesting category sponsors like Melcom Ghana, InterCity STC, Macron Ghana, StarTimes and Nasco.
With the season set to kick-off, football fans only hope to see a major headline sponsor for the country’s topflight.
Meanwhile, the League winner will take home a trophy and cash prize of GHC 250,000 and 40 gold medals whiles the 1st and 2nd runner up receive GHC 150,000, 40 silver medals and GHC 80,000, 40 bronze medals respectively.
Below is the full fixtures of Matchday 1
- Accra Lions v Elmina Sharks
- Dreams FC v Asante Kotoko
- Bibiani Gold Stars v Berekum Chelsea
- Hearts of Oak v Legon Cities
- Bechem United v Medeama SC
- Karela United v Aduana Stars
- Real Tamale United v Great Olympics
- King Faisal v WAFA
- Eleven Wonders v Ashanti Gold