The GFA president, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has revealed the loss of a sponsorship deal worth more than $5 million a year with Guinness Ghana Limited, turned down by the Food and Drugs Authority. He also raised the logistical difficulties facing the national teams.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) and its executive committee met the parliamentary sports committee on Wednesday 4 November 2026, according to GhanaFA.org. Before the MPs, the federation president discussed the finances of Ghanaian football and the resources available to its national teams.
He notably recounted the talks with Guinness Ghana Limited, which wanted to invest heavily in the Ghana Premier League. After several meetings, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) said no.
A contract worth more than 5 million lost
“We were approached by Guinness Ghana Limited wanting to invest heavily in the Ghana Premier League. We did whatever we had to do. We had a series of meetings. At the end, FDA said no. The deal was, if I’m not mistaken, over $5 million a year. We lost it,” he said, according to Graphic Online.
Kurt Okraku specifies, subject to error, that the contract was worth more than $5 million a year. He does not detail the reasons for the FDA’s refusal beyond his remarks.
One bus for 20 national teams
Logistical conditions were also raised. According to Graphic Online, Ghana’s 20 national teams share a single bus, bought by the GFA in 2008 and now broken down.
The president also recalled the Black Stars’ drought on the continental stage: “The Black Stars in 44 years have not won the AFCON. This is a statement of fact. In 44 years, we’ve had different generations of super talents, and in 44 years, we’ve been to the grand finale on three occasions,” he stressed, quoted by GhanaFA.org. In other words, Ghana have not won the AFCON for 44 years, despite three finals played over the period.
Two matches in Ghana against Somalia
On the sporting side, the Black Stars face Somalia on Thursday 12 November 2026 at the Essipong stadium in Sekondi, in qualifying for AFCON 2027. The GFA obtained temporary CAF approval to play this match at that venue, according to 3news.
Somalia, lacking an approved stadium, will play their home match in Ghana on 16 November 2026. The Black Stars will therefore play both matches without leaving the country.
Yet Ghana sit bottom of Group C with zero points, after two defeats against Ivory Coast and Gambia, 3news reports. AFCON 2027 will be held in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, from 19 June to 17 July 2027.