Stories and facts

The Ghana Football Awards is an annual event dedicated to honoring the best Ghanaian football players, both domestically and internationally, as well as key stakeholders who significantly contribute to the sport. Held every July in Accra, the awards ceremony is a grand gala that celebrates the outstanding performers of the football season.

The Ghana Football Awards were conceived in 2018 by AE Mediacom in collaboration with a team of creative content producers and sports journalists. The initiative aimed to establish a prestigious platform to recognize and celebrate the achievements of Ghanaian footballers. The first awards ceremony took place in July 2018, strategically timed during the pre-season period when many Ghanaian footballers playing abroad are home for holidays.

The award scheme is overseen by a governing board comprising notable figures in Ghanaian football, including former players Augustine Ahinful, Abukari Damba, John Paintsil, referee Alex Kotey, and sports journalist Karl Tufuoh, who serves as the board's chairman.

The Ghana Football Awards feature nine major competitive categories and three special awards determined solely by the board. The selection process involves a combination of decisions made by the board, an electoral college, and public voting. The board shortlists the nominations for each category, and the winners are determined through a voting process that allocates 80% of the decision-making power to the electoral college (comprising journalists, coaches, and captains of national teams and top-flight Ghanaian clubs) and 20% to the public. The voting process is audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to ensure transparency and fairness.

The awards presented at the Ghana Football Awards include:

- Team of the Year

- Goal of the Year

- Goalkeeper of the Year

- Coach of the Year

- Future Star of the Year

- Women’s Footballer of the Year

- Home-Based Player of the Year

- Foreign-Based Player of the Year

- Ghana Footballer of the Year

Additionally, the scheme includes special awards such as:

- The Living Legend Award

- The Thumbs Up Award

- The Ghana Dream Team

The Ghana Football Awards not only celebrate the achievements of individual players and teams but also highlight the broader contributions of various stakeholders to the development and success of Ghanaian football. This annual event has quickly become a key fixture in the Ghanaian sports calendar, reflecting the passion and dedication of all those involved in the beautiful game.