The fourth edition of the McDan Ga-Adangbe Peace and Unity Cup football tournament has been officially launched in Accra, featuring significant expansions in team participation and appearance fees.
The tournament, commencing on July 13, 2024, will take place across three venues in the Greater Accra region and will now include 24 community teams, an increase from the 16 teams in the 2020 edition.
The champion of this year's tournament will receive a GH₵10,000 cash prize, a trophy, and medals. The first runner-up will be awarded GH₵5,000 and medals, while the third-place team will get GH₵3,000 and medals.
The event's draw took place on June 29, 2024, at the La McDan Town Park. Eight teams, including defending champions Osu Town XI, were seeded and excluded from the opening round. Other seeded teams are Dansoman Town XI, Ada, Sege, Tema, Teshie, Nungua, and La. Exciting matchups were drawn, including Prampram versus Ashaiman and Kpone against La Nkwantanang at the McDan Sege Sports Complex. Matches at the McDan Teshie Sports Complex will feature Dodowa playing Madina and East Legon clashing with Adenta. The opening round will conclude with four matches at the McDan La Town Park.
During the launch, all teams received sets of jerseys, hoses, and balls for the tournament. Mr. Jonathan Akrong, Chairman of the Organising Committee, expressed gratitude to Mr. Daniel McKorley, Chairman of the McDan Group of Companies, for expanding the tournament and improving the match venues, transforming grassless pitches into astroturf stadiums. He highlighted the tournament's growth from four teams in its first edition to 24 teams this year.
Mr. Akrong assured that future editions would include Zongo communities like Fadama to capture all areas in the Greater Accra Region. He also announced that all teams would receive GHS1,200 each as appearance fees.
Mr. Bernard Korley, representing the McDan Group, emphasized Mr. McKorley's commitment to promoting community football and Ga heritage. He urged all stakeholders to prioritize unity and development during the competition.
Endorsements came from Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, MP for La Dade Kotopon, and Joseph Addo, NPP Parliamentary candidate, both recognizing the tournament's role in promoting peace and national development. They commended Mr. McKorley for making the McDan La Town Park available for community events and stressed the importance of unity and peace for development, especially in sports.