Nyantakyi urges fairer Ghana Premier League sponsorship model

Former Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi has called for a clearer and fairer system for sponsorship and commercial revenue in the Ghana Premier League. His intervention comes after the GFA announced that each of the league’s 18 clubs will receive GH¢1 million before the 2026/27 season.

Nyantakyi set out his position in a lengthy Facebook post titled “Principles for Sponsorship of Professional Football in Ghana”. He argued that corporate funding is central to the survival of clubs and to the league’s ability to improve over time.

He pointed to the sponsorship arrangements involving Glo and SuperSport between 2008 and 2013 as an example of how commercial income could support the wider football system. The Glo agreement was valued at US$15 million, while the SuperSport deal was worth US$2.1 million.

Under that model, every club received US$120,000 from the Glo sponsorship and US$40,000 from SuperSport. Ten per cent of the Glo money was also used to cover officiating costs, linking sponsorship income to an important operating expense within the competition.

Nyantakyi said future distribution rules should combine solidarity, sporting achievement and commercial value. In his view, giving every club the same amount should not be the only principle used when central revenues are shared.

He is seeking a system that is open, predictable and capable of protecting smaller clubs while also recognising teams that perform well or generate stronger commercial interest. The proposal places the current GH¢1 million allocation in a wider debate about how Ghana Premier League clubs can receive stable funding while maintaining incentives for sporting and commercial growth.