The Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) bid to expand its Executive Council from 12 to 22 members has been temporarily rejected by FIFA.
The proposed amendment was part of a broader review of the GFA Statutes, aimed at enhancing representation across various stakeholders in Ghanaian football.
The proposal sought to introduce additional seats for One woman elected by the Women’s Premier League clubs, Eight remaining Regional Football Association (RFA) chairpersons and One representative from constituent bodies, such as referees, schools football and other affiliated bodies.
However, FIFA has advised against implementing the expansion at this stage, citing the need for further assessment and a more structured approach to such significant structural changes in the future. The global governing body emphasized that while the goal of inclusivity is important, the timing and procedural alignment must be thoroughly evaluated.
Out of the several proposals submitted by the GFA as part of its statutory reform agenda, only two were approved by FIFA. The term limit for the GFA President is to be extended from two terms to three, aligning with governance frameworks at CAF and FIFA levels. This also corrects an inconsistency in the existing statutes, where Executive Council members could serve three terms while the President was restricted to two.
The elected Women’s Representative on the Executive Council will now serve as the 2nd Vice President of the GFA. This aligns with FIFA’s mandate for meaningful female representation and reinforces the GFA’s commitment to gender equity and the strategic advancement of women’s football.
These developments are the result of a three-year-long review process, initiated when the GFA received a wide array of proposed statutory amendments from its membership. In response, the Executive Council formed a Statutes Review Committee, chaired by Dr. Randy Abbey, to oversee the review and harmonization of the proposals.
The committee ensured a broad-based stakeholder consultation, engaging clubs from the Premier League, Division One League, Women’s Premier League and the Regional Football Associations to contribute to the reform dialogue. The consolidated proposals were then submitted to FIFA Governance in collaboration with CAF Governance for evaluation.
Now that FIFA has endorsed two key proposals, the GFA is set to present them for ratification at its upcoming Congress on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.
Source: Ghanasoccernet.
