Power to the Youth: President Simeon-Okraku meets new MTN Elite U19 Championship Committee as preparations intensify

The 2nd CAF Vice President and The President of the Football Association, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has met with the newly constituted MTN Elite U19 Championship Committee as preparations for Ghana’s premier youth football tournament gather momentum.

The meeting, held on Friday, September 19, 2025, at the GFA Headquarters, introduced Hon. Eric Edem Agbana, the dynamic Member of Parliament for Ketu North, as the new committee chairman, succeeding Abdul Salam Yakubu.

President Simeon-Okraku commended Hon. Edem Agbana for his willingness to serve Ghana football at a crucial developmental level and praised the committee’s dedication to nurturing the next generation of talent.

The MTN Elite U19 Championship, now proudly sponsored by telecommunications giant MTN, is a flagship initiative designed to unearth, nurture and elevate young footballers from the grassroots. The competition provides a dedicated platform for second-division players to showcase their abilities and attract attention from elite academies, national youth teams and professional clubs.

Set to feature players born between January 1 and December 31, 2007, the championship aligns with the Football Association’s long-term vision of structured, inclusive football development. The committee has been mandated to review and, where necessary, refine eligibility criteria to ensure the highest standards of competition and talent identification.

Hon. Agbana expressed gratitude for the confidence placed in his leadership and pledged to guide an effective talent-identification program that will set a new benchmark for youth football development in Ghana.

Supporting him are Vice Chairman Enoch Agyare Addo and members Edem Kofi Ansah, Michael Kwabla Fiaduse, and Samuel Owusu Amoah. Technical and administrative support will be provided by Daasebre Adu-Asare (Regional Football Associations Coordinator), Maxwell Caesar Kemeh (Competitions Department), Henry Asante Twum (Director of Communications), and Patrick Akoto (Senior Communications Manager and Media Attaché in the Office of the President).

President Simeon-Okraku highlighted the championship’s alignment with the GFA’s broader Power to the Youth policy and key initiatives such as the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS), Elite Academies, and the Catch Them Young Refereeing Project. He emphasized that the MTN Elite U19 Championship is a critical step in building a sustainable football ecosystem grounded in early talent identification, technical development, and equitable opportunity.

A series of media activities, including a grand launch, will be announced in the coming weeks as the committee intensifies preparations for what promises to be the biggest youth football festival in Ghana.

The committee announced plans to establish a Technical Study Group, led by the GFA’s Technical Directorate, to produce a comprehensive technical report on the MTN Elite U19 Championship. In addition, the technical teams of Ghana’s National U19 and U20 sides will attend the tournament to scout outstanding players for potential progression into the national youth setup, ensuring that exceptional talent is identified and nurtured for future international competitions.

It was further agreed that Regional Football Association (RFA) chairmen will be invited to a dedicated session to review and refine the competition’s regulations and format. This collaborative engagement, along with other planned initiatives, is aimed at enriching the MTN Elite U19 Championship and strengthening its role as a premier platform for youth football development in Ghana.

The MTN Elite U19 Championship will be hosted at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence, with the tournament’s semi-finals and final scheduled to take place at the McDan AstroTurf in Teshie.

Through this strategic championship, the GFA continues to create meaningful pathways for young footballers, ensuring that Ghana’s future stars are discovered, developed, and positioned for lasting success on the domestic and international stage.

GFA Communications