The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has reaffirmed its commitment to grassroots football development with significant progress in its Elite Academy project, a flagship initiative designed to nurture young football talent while integrating formal education as a key pillar of player development.

Addressing delegates at the 31st Ordinary Session of Congress at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram, President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku highlighted the steady growth of the programme and its role in building a structured, nationwide talent pipeline.

“The Elite Academy project continues to record steady growth, with sustained investment focused on nurturing young football talents while integrating formal education as a core component of development,” Okraku noted.

The Bolgatanga Academy in the Northern Belt remains the flagship of the initiative, standing out as the only academy with a fully integrated male and female programme. It has now enrolled its second cohort, comprising 22 boys and 12 girls, joining the first-generation group of 27 boys and 15 girls currently in SHS 2.

In the Middle Belt, the Prempeh College Academy is now fully operational, accommodating 22 boys who have begun both technical training and academic studies in line with the national Elite Academy curriculum.

Preparations for the Southern Sector Academy in partnership with Achimota School are at an advanced stage, with the first intake of students scheduled for this year. This milestone will complete the Academy’s three-sector regional structure, ensuring balanced talent development across the country.

The GFA’s Elite Academy model is designed not only to develop football skills but also to instill discipline, provide quality education and create a strong foundation for both football and life beyond the game.

GFA Communications