George Afriyie, former Vice-President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has vehemently refuted claims that the proposed GH¢1 million payment to each Premier League club represents the highest financial support ever provided to the competition. The GFA recently introduced a new financial and incentive package for the 2026/27 season, with each club set to receive GH¢1 million before the campaign commences. However, Afriyie argues that this figure should not be considered the highest-ever financial commitment received by a Premier League club.
Afriyie directly challenged the assertion, stating, ‘It is a blatant lie to say the GH¢1 million is the highest a GPL side has ever received.’ He attributed this discrepancy to a historical context involving former Glo sponsorship, which offered clubs more financial assistance during the early years of the league’s partnership with Glo. Glo, in its initial period, provided sponsorship and television rights, totaling approximately $120,000 per club, representing a significant commercial investment during that era.
Afriyie meticulously details this previous arrangement, explaining that the agreed-upon amount was later reduced due to Glo’s operational challenges in Ghana. He contends that the current GH¢1 million allocation, according to his estimate, is significantly lower, amounting to approximately $90,000. He further questioned the basis for this assessment, emphasizing that the figure is a recent development compared to the earlier, more substantial sponsorship and broadcast revenue streams.
Furthermore, Afriyie highlighted a critical difference between the previous payments and the current proposal. He stressed that these payments were derived from commercial sponsorship rather than public funds, a distinction that underscores the fundamental difference in the nature of the agreements.
He concluded by asserting that ‘That was only sponsorship money and not state money,’ emphasizing the importance of this distinction in justifying the proposed payment amount.
The 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season is slated to begin on September 5th. The GFA’s introduction of this new financial framework has sparked considerable debate and scrutiny, with many analysts questioning the justification for such a substantial allocation relative to the existing levels of financial support provided to the league.
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Source: Adom Sports
