Ghana Football Association (GFA) Club Licensing Committee chairman Dr Kwame Baah-Nuakoh has revealed that Ghana Premier League clubs were allowed to compete two seasons ago despite none of them completing the mandatory club licensing process.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show, Baah-Nuakoh explained that the licensing process had not been completed at the time, yet the clubs were still permitted to participate in the league.
“Two years ago, none of the GPL clubs were approved under the club licensing regulations because we didn’t even complete the process, yet they were still allowed to play.”
Baah-Nuakoh clarified that the Club Licensing Committee does not have the final authority to determine whether a club can participate in the league. According to him, that responsibility falls under the GFA Competition Department, which determines whether clubs included in the fixtures have the necessary licence.
He further explained that once his committee has taken a decision and submitted it to the relevant authorities, its role ends. If the Competition Department subsequently schedules a club without a licence, the licensing committee cannot independently prevent that team from playing.
“If the competition department schedules fixtures and includes clubs without a license, there is nothing in the clause system that allows me to do something about it. It is beyond my jurisdiction.”
The revelation comes as the GFA continues preparations for the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season, which is scheduled to begin on September 5. So far, 14 of the 18 proposed match venues have received approval ahead of the new campaign, putting renewed focus on the enforcement of club licensing requirements.