The Ghana Football Association has highlighted the contribution of Colts clubs across the country to the development of some of Ghana’s most prominent footballers.

At the launch of the 2026/27 Colts Football Season, GFA President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku named several community clubs that played important roles in the early development of former Black Stars players.

Great Farcos produced Ghana legend Abedi Pele, while Great Cedabs nurtured former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan.

Mighty Victory was the Colts club of Stephen Appiah, while Michael Essien began his grassroots journey with Paa Badu/Liberty Babes.

Okraku also mentioned Fantomas FC, which produced Sammy Kuffour, Emmanuel Duah, Jerry Akaminko, Ransford Osei and Mark Edusei.

Other clubs cited included Anokye Stars, which produced Anthony Yeboah; Karen Stars, which nurtured Nii Odartey Lamptey; Kotobabi Powerlines, which produced Yaw Preko; and Cowlane Babies, which provided an early platform for Laryea Kingston, Aziz Ansah, Godwin Attram and Dan Quaye.

BT International produced Derrick Boateng, while Owareman FC was the Colts home of Sulley Muntari.

Real Republicans also produced Shilla Illiasu and Mohammed Gargo, while Tema Young Schweppes nurtured John Boye.

The list continued with Arsenal Babies Colts FC, which produced Joe Ansah; Tema Hearts Babies, the starting point for Ishmael Addo; Kumasi Corners Babies, which developed Yusif Chibsah; and Ashaiman Young Revelations, which produced Thomas Teye Partey.

Okraku said the history of these players provides evidence of the importance of grassroots football and the need to maintain a strong Colts development pathway.

The GFA revived and restructured the Colts system in 2020 as part of efforts to identify and develop young talent across Ghana.

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Ghana Black Maidens head coach Joe Nana Adarkwa believes the team has the quality to continue scoring goals at the WAFU B U17 Girls Cup.

The Black Maidens made an impressive start to the tournament with a 4-0 victory over Burkina Faso on Tuesday.

Speaking in his post-match interview, the Black Maidens coach promised Ghanaians that his team will score more goals in their upcoming games.

“We can score goals at any time, but we want to continue here, so that when we get there, we can do the same. We used to score more goals when we were playing the qualifiers, and we have about three or four players in U20 that went to Poland, and they are back. They are not in the team, so we have quality all the time, and we are happy to have them all the time. So we are going to continue and score more goals, but at the same time, we can defend. You can see from the field that we can defend at any given time. So, we are happy with our play,” he told the GFA Media team.

The Black Maidens are defending champions of the WAFU B U17 Girls Cup. With a bright start to the tournament, Joe Nana Adarkwa and his players look determined to retain the title.

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Ghanaian forward James Ampofo came off the bench to score for Esbjerg as they cruised to a 5-0 victory over Hellerup in the Danish Cup on Tuesday.

On the matchday, Esbjerg took control of the Betano Pokalen round of 32 tie through John Kolawole, who scored twice to put the visitors firmly in command.

Kolawole opened the scoring in the 24th minute before doubling Esbjerg’s advantage eight minutes into the second half.

Ghana's James Ampofo missed out on a starting role but was introduced in the 59th minute, replacing Nicolai Blicher as Esbjerg continued to dominate the contest.

The Ghanaian forward needed only nine minutes to make his mark, finding the net in the 68th minute to put Esbjerg 4-0 ahead.

Mikail Maden extended the visitors’ lead in the 63rd minute before Ampofo added another to underline Esbjerg’s dominance.

Nicklas Strunck completed the scoring in the 79th minute as Esbjerg sealed a comprehensive 5-0 victory.

Vi er sikkert videre i Betano Pokalen. pic.twitter.com/ahSdnfP3Gm

— Esbjerg fB (@EsbjergfB) September 15, 2026

The win has propelled Ampofo and his teammates into the Round of 16 stage of the Danish Cup.

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The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, 2026, is expected to provide the Minister an opportunity to brief the committee on the evacuation exercise, which followed xenophobic attacks that threatened the safety of Ghanaian nationals in South Africa.

However, the Minority says it will not participate in the meeting unless the Ministry provides an itemised account and supporting documents covering the expenditure.

In a statement signed by the Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Member of Parliament for Damongo, Samuel A. Jinapor, the Minority said it had supported the government’s decision to evacuate Ghanaian nationals whose safety and welfare had been threatened.

It said its support for the evacuation did not, however, absolve the government of its obligation to account for the use of public funds.

The Minority said it submitted a formal request under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), on August 17, 2026, seeking comprehensive information and supporting records on the cost and financing of the exercise.

According to the statement, the request, referenced MP/BF/RTI/2026/007, was received by the Ministry on August 25, 2026.

The information requested included details of expenditure on flights and other transportation, accommodation, feeding, medical services, reintegration payments, procurement and payment records, as well as the sources of funding and the identities and contributions of private partners.

The Minority’s demand follows an announcement by Mr Ablakwa on September 7 that almost GH¢50 million had been spent on the evacuation and reintegration of 1,964 Ghanaians.

The Caucus said that despite the announcement, the Ministry had yet to provide the itemised account and supporting documentation it had requested.

It argued that the disclosure was necessary to enable Parliament and the public to ascertain how the funds were expended.

“The expenditure of public funds carries with it a corresponding duty of accountability,” the Minority said, adding that the government must account not only for the total amount spent but also for how the expenditure was incurred and the basis on which public funds were applied.

The Caucus consequently said it did not consider it appropriate to participate in a closed-door meeting on the matter while its request for the underlying expenditure records remained outstanding.

It said it would therefore not participate in Wednesday’s meeting unless the Ministry provided the requested documents.

The Minority reiterated its call for full disclosure of expenditure relating to the evacuation, saying it would continue to demand transparency and accountability in the use of taxpayers’ funds.

The statement was signed by Mr Jinapor in his capacity as Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.

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Kudus was handed a starting role after De Zerbi had hinted before the game that the Ghana international was ready to feature from the beginning.

It was Kudus’ first start for Tottenham since January, with the forward completing 75 minutes before being replaced by Sávio.

However, it was an underwhelming outing by Kudus’ usual standards as Tottenham struggled against Liverpool.

The 26-year-old managed three shots, with one on target, while recording four touches in the opposition box. He also completed one of four attempted dribbles and lost possession eight times.

Kudus registered a 75% passing accuracy, completing 15 of his 20 passes, while winning just two of seven duels.

His performance earned him a 5.7 rating, according to the match statistics provided by Flashscore.com.

Kudus also missed a big chance, with his expected goals (xG) figure standing at 0.58 despite failing to find the net.

Tottenham will now turn their attention to their next fixture against Aston Villa, with Kudus hoping to retain his place in De Zerbi’s starting XI and produce a stronger performance.

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English-Ghanaian defender Caleb Kporha scored as Crystal Palace Under-21s defeated Swindon Town 2-1 in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.

The young Eagles showed resilience at the County Ground, recovering from an early setback to claim an important away victory.

Swindon made the brighter start and took the lead in the 23rd minute through Antwoine Hackford. Palace responded before the interval, with Kporha finding the equaliser in first-half stoppage time. His goal restored belief and ensured the visitors went into the break level at 1-1.

Crystal Palace U21s completed the turnaround ten minutes after halftime when Sebastian Williams scored in the 55th minute. Swindon pushed for another equaliser, but Palace defended their advantage effectively during a tense final period.

Kporha started the match and was substituted at halftime as Palace adjusted their approach. Despite playing only the opening 45 minutes, his goal proved decisive in changing the momentum of the contest. Sofascore also named him the match’s highest-rated player, giving him a score of 8.0.

The victory lifted Crystal Palace U21s to the top position in their group, while Swindon remained fourth. Palace will now prepare for their Premier League 2 fixture against Blackburn U21 on September 19.

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The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has introduced several measures aimed at reducing the financial burden on Colts clubs and making grassroots football more accessible.

GFA President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku made this known during the launch of the 2026/27 Colts Football season on Tuesday, September 15, in Pampram.

According to Okraku, the association has removed some of the costs associated with player registration and officiating to support clubs participating in the Colts system.

“We have introduced several interventions to reduce the financial burden on Colts clubs and make participation more accessible,” Okraku said.

“These include free player registration and digital licences for up to 90 players per club, 30 players each in the U-13, U-15 and U-17 boys' categories. We have also removed referee fees for Colts clubs.”

The GFA President also highlighted the association’s investment in girls’ football, with a focus on creating more opportunities for young female players at the grassroots level.

“We have invested GH¢800,000 through the Regional Football Associations to organise Elite U-15 Girls Regional Colts Leagues,” he said.

“We have also created U-15 and U-17 girls' competitions as part of our Colts structure.”

Okraku said the initiatives form part of the GFA’s broader efforts to strengthen the Colts system and provide young footballers with a pathway to develop their talents.

The 2026/27 season marks the sixth consecutive season since the Colts system was revived and restructured in 2020. The GFA says there are currently 859 active Colts clubs across Ghana’s ten football regions.

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Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku has reaffirmed the association’s commitment to strengthening Colts football and creating opportunities for young talents across the country.

Speaking at the launch of the 2026/27 Colts Football season, Okraku said the system has remained active since its revival and restructuring in 2020, but stressed that more work needs to be done.

“Six years ago, we set out to revive Colts football. Today, we can confidently say that the system is alive. But we are not satisfied,” he said.

Okraku said the GFA’s long-term ambition is to build a sustainable grassroots football structure that provides quality coaching, credible competitions and a clear pathway to elite football and the national teams.

“We are determined to create a system that ensures that no Ghanaian football talent is left behind,” he added.

The GFA president also called on former football legends who came through the Colts system to play an active role in developing the next generation.

“To the legends who started their journeys through this system, your stories are the inspiration behind what we are building today,” Okraku said, urging them to mentor young players and share their experiences.

He also appealed to the media to highlight the positive work being done by young players, coaches and communities involved in grassroots football.

“Let us tell positive stories about the young players who are working hard, the coaches who are sacrificing and the communities that are keeping football alive,” he said.

The 2026/27 season marks the sixth consecutive season since the GFA revived the Colts system. The association says there are currently 859 active Colts clubs across Ghana’s ten football regions.

The GFA is also expanding opportunities for girls, referees, coaches and young players through various competitions, training programmes and talent identification initiatives.

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Ghana’s Black Maidens launched their WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, defeating Burkina Faso 4-0 in an impressive opening performance.

Ghana made the perfect start when skipper Seidatu Wahab converted from the penalty spot in the sixth minute. The early breakthrough settled the team and allowed the young players to play with greater confidence as they controlled the match.

The Black Maidens added a second goal just before halftime. Gloria Ameaa found the net in the third minute of stoppage time, sending Ghana into the interval with a commanding 2-0 advantage.

Burkina Faso struggled to contain Ghana after the restart, as the West African side continued to press and create opportunities. Ghana eventually added two more goals through Benedicta Danso in the 73rd minute and Hajara Adams in the 84th minute to complete a convincing 4-0 triumph and underline their ambitions in the competition.

The result gives the Black Maidens valuable momentum at the start of their campaign. Their attacking efficiency, quick response after winning the penalty and disciplined performance across the match provided plenty of encouragement for the games ahead.

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