Normalisation Committee, Clubs Brainstorm On New Competition

By Raymond Ackumey

The Normalization Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has announced a GH¢200,000.00 package for the winner of the special football competition scheduled to start January 26 to April 21, 2019.

The competition will mark the return of local competitive football for the first time since June 2018, after an investigative documentary exposed corrupt activities in Ghana football.

Expected to keep clubs active until the start of a new season in August, the competition will feature all 16 Premier League clubs and 48 Division One League (DOC) clubs in two tiers.

Information gathered by the Times Sports indicate that he ultimate winner will receive GH¢200.000.00.

However, organizers will keep half of that amount and pay directly into the accounts of the players.

At a meeting held between the clubs' representatives and the Normalisation Committee yesterday, Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Kofi Amoah, revealed that runners up of the Tier 1 league will receive Gh¢100,000.00 with the same format to be applied in terms of disbursement.

The winners of the Tier 2 league will receive GH¢75,000.00 with the same amount to be paid into the players accounts by the organizers, just as the runners-up who will take home going GH¢40,000.00.

Explaining the format, the Committee said all 64 teams comprising Premier and DOL clubs will be paired against each other with the winners forming Tier 1 and losers forming Tier 2.

Each team will receive a participation fee of GH¢20,000.

Quarter finalists in Tier 1 will then receive additional GH¢5,000.00 with their counterparts in Tier 2 receiving GH¢4,000.00.

At the semi final stage, Tier 1 clubs will receive GH¢100,000 with Tier 2 taking GH¢50,000.00 each.

The organisers noted that they would consider proximity in pairing the clubs as well as regions.

Teams in both tiers would be put in eight groups of four to play on a home and away league format with the winners of the groups qualifying for the quarter finals to be grouped again to play each other.

The four teams in the semi finals would be paired to play over two legs with the winners facing off in a one off final to determine the eventual winner just like the Tier 2.

Winners of the Tier 1 competition will represent Ghana in the CAF Champions League competition with the Tier 2 winner representing the country in the CAF Confederations Cup tournament.

The Committee is expected to officially announce and launch the event on Friday.

Read Full Story