Ghana Must Rebuild Football’s Foundation to Unlock Commercial Growth – Mawuko Afadzinu
Chief Consultant at Brand Cipher, Mawuko Afadzinu, has called for a fundamental reset in Ghana’s football ecosystem, arguing that the country’s inability to build a strong foundation has significantly weakened the business side of the game.
Speaking at the Sports Business Series held at the conference room of the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon on Friday, July 10, as part of activities for the 2026 All Star Festival, Afadzinu stressed that football development and commercial success cannot be separated.
Drawing a comparison between Ghana and England, he remarked that it is “50 times much easier to watch the English Premier League in Ghana than in London,” highlighting the overwhelming accessibility and popularity of foreign football among Ghanaian fans.
According to him, while Ghanaians consume the Premier League with remarkable ease and enthusiasm, the country’s domestic game continues to struggle to attract similar attention, support and commercial value.
Afadzinu noted that this imbalance has contributed to the decline of the financial ecosystem surrounding Ghanaian football, making it difficult for clubs and stakeholders to maximise revenue opportunities.
“We didn’t have the foundation and that’s why the money side of our football is gone,” he said, emphasizing that sustainable investment can only be achieved by first strengthening the structures that support the local game.
He urged football administrators, clubs, corporate institutions and policymakers to focus on developing a solid football ecosystem capable of attracting fans, sponsors and long-term investment.
The Sports Business Series formed part of the 2026 All Star Festival, bringing together sports administrators, business leaders, marketers and industry experts to discuss how sports can become a powerful driver of economic growth and sustainable development.
The fifth edition of the festival is being celebrated under the theme The All Star Experience, blending football, entertainment and family-friendly activities into a unique sporting event.
The festival will climax on Saturday, July 11, at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon with a series of activities, including the highly anticipated All Star football match.If you’d like, I can also make it read more like a newspaper feature with stronger quotes and analysis, or rewrite it in a wire-service style.