The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has received with warmth a delegation from the South African Football Association (SAFA) on a working visit to deliberate and solicit for Ghana’s support for SAFA’s bid to host the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Chairperson of the South African bid for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, Tumi Dlamini and Advisor, Dr. Misheck Mituze were received at the GFA Secretariat by General Secretary, Prosper Harrison Addo, Esq.

Also present were Chairman of the GFA Club Licensing Board Dr. Kwame Baah-Nuakoh, a Member of the Club Licensing Board, Mike Bonsu, GFA Chief Finance Officer, Collins Dei, Director of Legal, Marian Sewaah Mensah, Club Licensing Manager, Julius Ben Emunah and Women’s Football lead at the Communications Department, Matilda Dimedo.

General Secretary, Prosper Harrison Addo welcomed the South Africa delegation saying both countries have always shared cordial relationship even beyond football and the GFA is ever ready to endorse and further assist South Africa in any regard.

Chairperson of SAFA’s bid for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, Tumi Dlamini urged Ghana to see the bid as an Africa bid and not just for South Africa. She informed the GFA that the bidding committee was an all-inclusive one with the likes of former Sierra Leone FA President, Aisha Johassen, playing a part.

‘‘Ghana is the first Association I am visiting since my appointment and I find it significant because when you talk about African Unity, the first country that comes to mind is Ghana and the first person that comes to mind is Kwame Nkrumah. So it is significant and also very symbolic for me to have come to ask for your support. Also, going forward, I would like to work, of course, with all Associations on the continent. I hope that you will continue to be our friends as we move through the bid process’’ she said.

‘’We want to ensure that we as Africans put our players, teams and Women’s football on the map and also beyond football, we believe there are many other benefits as all our countries are going through post Covid 19 recovery process and we need tourist in our countries to promote our cities and even though its taking place in Southern Africa, we want to use it to promote all of Africa’’ she remarked.

GFA Club Licensing Board, Dr. Kwame Baah-Nuakoh added SAFA should also consider pulling along the likes of Adjoa Bajor and former Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan, who recently retired from football due to his exploits during the 2010 Men’s World Cup in South Africa. He admonished South Africa to demonstrate readiness through infrastructure while assuring the delegation that the GFA is ready to play any role to assist in winning the bid for the continent.

Brazil is also bidding for the tournament, alongside joint efforts from Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany, the United States and Mexico with FIFA planning to announce a host at its Congress on May 17 next year.

South Africa hosted the Men's World Cup in 2010, and many of the venues would likely be used again if it is successful with its women's bid.

GFA COMMUNICATIONS