FIFA Pauses GFA Plan to Expand Executive Council Representation
Osikanitv.com has reported that FIFA has temporarily denied the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) request to increase the number of members on its Executive Council from 12 to 22.
The goal of the proposed modification was to improve representation among Ghanaian football’s many stakeholders as part of a larger revision of the GFA Statutes.
The plan aimed to add further seats for one representative from constituent organizations like referees, school football, and other related groups, eight remaining Regional Football Association (RFA) chairpersons, and one woman chosen by the Women’s Premier League clubs.
FIFA, however, has recommended against moving forward with the expansion at this time, stating that additional evaluation and a more methodical approach to future major structural changes are required. The international governing body underlined that although inclusion is a worthwhile objective, the timing and procedural alignment need careful consideration.
Only two of the numerous ideas that the GFA made as part of its agenda for law change were accepted by FIFA. In accordance with CAF and FIFA governance rules, the GFA President’s term restriction will be increased from two to three terms. A discrepancy in the current statutes that allowed Executive Council members to serve three terms while limiting the President to two is also fixed by this.
The elected Women’s Representative on the Executive Council will now serve as the 2nd Vice President of the GFA. This aligns with FIFA’s mandate for meaningful female representation and reinforces the GFA’s commitment to gender equity and the strategic advancement of women’s football.
These developments are the result of a three-year-long review process, initiated when the GFA received a wide array of proposed statutory amendments from its membership. In response, the Executive Council formed a Statutes Review Committee, chaired by Dr. Randy Abbey, to oversee the review and harmonization of the proposals.
The committee ensured a broad-based stakeholder consultation, engaging clubs from the Premier League, Division One League, Women’s Premier League and the Regional Football Associations to contribute to the reform dialogue. The consolidated proposals were then submitted to FIFA Governance in collaboration with CAF Governance for evaluation.
Now that FIFA has endorsed two key proposals, the GFA is set to present them for ratification at its upcoming Congress on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.
