MTN are new Headline Sponsors of Four National Teams and Elite U-19 Championship

MTN Ghana has sealed a landmark sponsorship agreement with the Ghana Football Association (GFA), becoming the headline sponsor for all four of the country’s national football teams—the Black Stars, Black Queens, Black Satellites, Black Starlets and the Elite Under-19 Championship for the next two years.

The partnership, valued at $2 million, was officially announced on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at a colourful ceremony held at the MTN House in Accra. The deal will run until August 2027 and aims to provide vital financial and logistical support to aid the teams’ development, training and preparations for upcoming competitions.

MTN Ghana Chief Executive Officer Stephen Blewett expressed pride in backing what he called “the country’s biggest brand—the Black Stars, alongside our other national teams.”

“At MTN, we believe in Ghana — in the talent of its youth, in the unmatched power of sports to connect people, inspire hope ,and in football’s unique ability to tell a nation’s story to the world,” Blewett said.

He traced MTN’s enduring relationship with Ghanaian football to the company’s sponsorship of the MTN FA Cup, which began in the 2010–11 season.

“For over a decade, we have been privileged to walk alongside Ghanaian football as the headline sponsor of the MTN FA Cup. Together with the GFA, we have revived one of Ghana’s most historic competitions, creating a stage for young players to dream, to work, and to shine,” he noted, highlighting the tournament’s growth into one of the country’s most competitive events, featuring 18 Premier League sides, 48 Division One League teams, and 44 Division Two clubs.

Blewett emphasised that MTN’s commitment extends far beyond one competition.

“We have stood with Ghanaian football through landmark moments—from mobilising supporters for the Black Stars’ first FIFA World Cup in 2006, rallying fans for subsequent tournaments, sponsoring supporters to cheer the team at multiple AFCON tournaments, including last year’s in Côte d’Ivoire. MTN has always stood behind Ghana’s national pride,” he said.

Announcing the expanded partnership, Blewett declared: “I am proud to announce that MTN will be the headline sponsor for all four national teams — the Black Stars, the Black Queens, the Black Satellites and the Black Starlets — for the next two years. This is more than a sponsorship. It is about national pride, youth empowerment, gender inclusion, and building a sustainable future for football in this country.

“What excites us most is that this partnership is broader and more inclusive than anything we have done before. By embracing all national teams , male and female, junior and senior ,we are affirming that every Ghanaian player deserves the opportunity to shine.

“With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, we are reminded of one truth: Ghana has never lifted that trophy. But that is not a scar — it is a spark. It is the fire that drives us to work harder, train longer and dream bigger. At MTN Ghana, we want to see Ghana win the World Cup. That is our dream, our mission, and our commitment.”

Blewett concluded with a rallying call to all stakeholders of the game.

“Through our renewed partnership with the Ghana Football Association, we are determined to give our national teams every possible advantage — the resources, the preparation, the exposure and the unwavering support needed to go all the way. We may not have held the World Cup yet, but with unity, preparation, and the belief of 33 million Ghanaians, we can change that. And when Ghana lifts that trophy, it will not just be a football victory — it will be the victory of a nation and a continent that refused to stop believing.”

GFA President Kurt Okraku hailed the agreement as a “timely boost” that will strengthen the teams’ competitiveness on both continental and global fronts.

The national teams already have key targets in sight. The Black Queens, fresh from winning bronze at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, are aiming for success at the next WAFCON and qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Meanwhile, the Black Stars, having missed out on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, are focused on securing a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

This renewed corporate backing marks an important chapter for the Ghana Football Association as it continues to attract support for both domestic competitions and national teams.

GFA Communications