GFA President Kurt Okraku Appeals to Parliament: Lift Alcohol Sponsorship Ban, Fix Broken Team Bus, Exempt Kits from Tax

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has made a passionate appeal to Parliament to remove regulatory restrictions on alcohol sponsorship, exempt national team equipment from import duties, and address crippling logistical constraints — including a single broken bus shared by all 20 national teams — as it battles to revive the domestic game.

GFA President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku and members of the Association's Executive Council appeared before Parliament's Select Committee on Youth and Sports on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, to discuss the state of football in Ghana and measures needed to strengthen the domestic game . The wide-ranging discussions covered the Black Stars' prolonged Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy drought, challenges confronting the national teams, inadequate logistics, sponsorship restrictions, taxation, infrastructure, refereeing and investment in football development.

1. FDA Blocks US$5 Million Guinness Deal

One of the most striking revelations was the collapse of a potential sponsorship agreement worth more than US$5 million annually with Guinness Ghana Limited after the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) declined to approve the proposed partnership. Okraku disclosed that the beverage company had approached the GFA with plans to invest substantially in the Ghana Premier League, but the deal fell through despite several engagements.

"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. He appealed to Parliament to lead efforts to remove the regulatory provision allowing the FDA to approve or reject sponsorship agreements involving alcoholic beverage companies: "If there's one thing that you can do to help sports and football, that would be for you to lead the charge to completely take out that provision" .

The FDA's regulatory framework on alcohol advertising has long been a point of contention between sports administrators and health regulators in Ghana, with the GFA arguing that restrictions deny football crucial commercial revenue. The disclosure comes as the Ghana Premier League continues to struggle for sponsorship, with the GFA having previously announced a $8.5 million annual television rights deal with StarTimes and a $150,000 annual deal with Chinese sports equipment firm Forward Sports, which replaced Puma as the league's official match ball sponsor in 2023.

2. Twenty National Teams, One Broken Bus

Okraku painted a stark picture of the logistical difficulties facing the country's national teams, revealing that all 20 national football teams had been relying on a single bus purchased by the GFA in 2008. The vehicle, which served the Black Stars, Black Queens and 18 other national teams, had broken down, forcing the Association to hire buses during the most recent international window.

"Your Black Stars, your Black Queens, and 18 other national teams that we do have, have access to one bus that was purchased by the FA in the year 2008. Twenty national teams using one bus. Now the bus is broken, so during the last international window, the FA had to rent a bus," he said . He stressed that adequate logistical support was essential to the consistent preparation and performance of the national teams.

3. Import Duties on Puma Kits a Financial Drain

The GFA President appealed for tax exemptions on equipment and playing kits imported for the national teams, explaining that the Association occasionally struggled to clear playing kits supplied through its technical partnership with Puma because of import charges. He recalled an incident before Ghana's match against South Africa in Cape Coast when the Association had to arrange the clearance of 30 pieces of playing equipment to enable the Black Stars to use their uniforms.

"On every given occasion, we have to go to the port, import duties. Sometimes, the FA is handicapped. We don't have the finances," he said . He also questioned the 17.5 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) charged on football match tickets, arguing that the tax burden on football should be reviewed in comparison with other entertainment activities. "We are charged 17.5 VAT at the gate on every game that we play. And yet, other entertainment providers are charged less."

4. AFCON Drought: "Certain Truths" Kept Behind Closed Doors

Okraku acknowledged Ghana's prolonged inability to win the Africa Cup of Nations since 1982, despite having produced several generations of talented footballers. The Black Stars have reached three AFCON finals during the 44-year period — in 1992, 2010 and 2015 — but failed to secure another continental title, with the 1992 loss to Ivory Coast on penalties and the 2015 defeat to Ivory Coast in a shootout remaining particularly painful memories for Ghanaian fans. The drought has also seen the Black Stars fail to progress beyond the group stage in recent tournaments, including a disappointing 2023 AFCON campaign in Ivory Coast where Ghana exited without a win.

However, Okraku indicated that there were underlying issues contributing to the drought which he was unwilling to discuss in an open parliamentary sitting. He therefore requested an in-camera engagement with the Committee: "There are certain reasons that I will not want to talk about here because I see cameras and whatever we say here is public. Sometimes certain truths said at the wrong time could be very damaging" .

5. Grassroots Investment, Not Just National Team Glory

The GFA President stressed that sustained success in football required more than the performance of national teams at international competitions. He called for continuous investment in grassroots and youth football, coach education, scouting systems, quality playing pitches and modern stadium facilities, and advocated greater exposure for Ghanaian coaches to international football environments.

"This includes but not limited to continuous investment in grassroots football, Colts football, coach education, exposing your coaches to the international market, good scouting, good facilities, i.e. football pitches for the kids to play, for the senior team players to play, and good stadium facilities," he stressed . He maintained that football development required collective responsibility and sustained investment beyond the mandate and resources of the GFA.

His call comes amid ongoing debates about the state of Ghana's football infrastructure, with the GFA having previously invested in renovating the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence at Prampram and constructing a 40-bed accommodation facility and 10 new changing rooms at the technical centre.

6. GFA to Parliament: We Are a Private Entity

Okraku reminded the Committee that the GFA was an independent private entity rather than a government institution, although it works closely with the government on football development. He expressed surprise at Parliament's invitation for the Association to explain its business relationship with a private entity promoting the Ghana Premier League, maintaining that the GFA had the responsibility to establish commercial partnerships to support football development.

"The GFA is a private entity. It is not a government organisation. The GFA works closely with government and that has been the practice throughout," he stated . He nevertheless indicated the Association's willingness to engage Parliament on issues affecting the development of the sport.

The invitation followed a parliamentary probe into the GFA's $8.5 million TV rights deal with StarTimes, which some MPs questioned, and a directive from the Speaker of Parliament for the GFA to appear before the Sports Committee to explain the contract. Okraku defended the deal at the time, stating that the GFA "did not run away from accountability" and that the deal was "structured to help our clubs stay viable in the short to medium term."

7. Performance, Premier League, Refereeing and Finances Also Raised

The wider engagement also covered the Black Stars' performance and the challenges affecting Ghanaian football, the development and commercial sustainability of the Ghana Premier League, issues concerning officiating and the general administration of football, financial constraints associated with funding national teams and running football development programmes, and the need for improved playing pitches, training facilities and stadiums .

Background: A Federation Under Pressure

The GFA's appearance before Parliament comes at a critical juncture for Ghanaian football. The Black Stars' recent performances have drawn intense public scrutiny, while the domestic league continues to grapple with sponsorship uncertainty, club financing challenges and infrastructure deficits. Okraku, who was re-elected GFA President in 2023 after first taking office in 2019, has faced criticism over the federation's financial management and its handling of national team logistics.

The GFA's appeal to Parliament on alcohol sponsorship is particularly significant given Ghana's regulatory landscape. The FDA's guidelines on alcohol advertising have previously restricted sports sponsorship, and the GFA has argued that this puts Ghanaian football at a disadvantage compared to other African countries where alcohol brands are prominent sponsors of league and national team competitions.

The Association's call for tax exemptions on equipment and reduced VAT on match tickets also reflects broader concerns about the financial viability of football in Ghana, where clubs struggle to generate revenue and the GFA relies heavily on sponsorship and government support to fund national team activities.