President John Mahama has received Ghana’s three reigning domestic champions at the Jubilee House, where Medeama Sporting Club, Nations Football Club and Ampem Darkoa Ladies presented their respective trophies following their successful campaigns in the 2025/26 football season.
The courtesy visit brought together the winners of Ghana’s Premier League, the MTN FA Cup and the Women’s Premier League as the three clubs prepare to represent the country in continental competitions.
Medeama presented the Ghana Premier League trophy after securing the domestic championship, while Nations FC showcased the MTN FA Cup trophy following their historic triumph in the country’s premier knockout competition. Ampem Darkoa Ladies, meanwhile, presented the Women’s Premier League trophy after another successful campaign in the women’s top flight.
The visit offered the clubs an opportunity to engage the President on the state of Ghanaian club football, particularly the financial and structural difficulties confronting teams as they attempt to compete beyond the domestic scene.
President Mahama used the occasion to acknowledge the commitment of individuals and organisations that continue to invest their resources in football, while stressing the need for Ghana to rebuild the strength it once possessed at the continental club level.
He said the country’s declining fortunes in African club competitions required urgent attention and called for a deliberate effort to develop clubs capable of competing for major honours on the continent.
“Our fortunes at the club level have dwindled and we need to find out why our club level soccer is not as strong as it used to be. We should be able to build more giants and winners on the continent,” the President said.
Mahama also assured the visiting clubs that government would provide assistance through the newly established Sports Development Fund, while urging the private sector to increase its contribution towards the development of Ghanaian sport.
“I can assure you that help is at hand. We have set up the sports development fund and government will commit some money to it. But we are also looking to the private sector to put in additional money,” he added.
As part of the immediate assistance, Medeama was allocated GH¢342,000, equivalent to US$30,000, to support its CAF Champions League campaign. Nations FC received GH¢228,000, equivalent to US$20,000, while Ampem Darkoa Ladies was allocated GH¢114,000, equivalent to US$10,000.
The financial packages are expected to provide some relief to the clubs as they undertake their respective continental assignments, where the demands of travel, logistics, player preparation and competition place significant financial pressure on Ghanaian teams.
Medeama are representing Ghana in the CAF Champions League, while Nations FC are competing in the CAF Confederation Cup. Medeama recently suffered a narrow first leg defeat against TP Mazembe and will now have to overturn the deficit in the return encounter in the Democratic Republic of Congo to remain in contention.
Nations FC are also pursuing continental success in the Confederation Cup after their FA Cup triumph, while Ampem Darkoa Ladies continue to carry Ghana’s hopes in women’s club football following their strong performance in the WAFU B Women’s Champions League qualifying competition.
Beyond the immediate financial assistance, President Mahama placed particular emphasis on the need to strengthen women’s football, arguing that Ghana’s women have delivered significant success for the country despite receiving considerably less financial support than the men’s game.
“Indeed, we have done much better in women’s football than in men’s football. Our women have won more trophies for us than the men, and yet we put all the money into men’s football,” he said.
The President further called for deliberate measures to address the disparity and improve the resources available to women’s clubs. He said the country must consciously invest in women’s football if Ghana is to build on the achievements already recorded by its female teams.
“In the spirit of affirmative action, we must deliberately support women’s football and help bring the women’s teams up,” Mahama stated.
Mahama also disclosed that allocations had been made in the 2026 budget for the construction of ten new stadia, while indicating that other sporting disciplines, including athletics and boxing, would benefit from government support once the Sports Development Fund becomes fully operational.
The Jubilee House gathering therefore served not only as a celebration of domestic success but also as a renewed call for stronger investment in Ghanaian club football. With Medeama, Nations FC and Ampem Darkoa Ladies now carrying the country’s hopes in continental competition, attention will turn to whether the combination of government assistance, private sector investment and improved club administration can help Ghana regain a stronger presence in African football.
