The Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) has held a high-level strategic meeting with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to discuss strategies aimed at ending Ghana football’s prolonged absence from the Olympic Games.
The meeting brought together the management team of the Black Queens and the technical leadership of the national U-23 team, the Black Meteors, to map out a collaborative roadmap towards qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, United States.
President of the GOC, Richard Akpokavie, said the engagement was timely and necessary as the sporting body seeks to have football represented at the Games.
“The last time football was at the Olympics was in the 2004 Athens Games; therefore, we had to meet to see possible collaboration for our mutual benefits,” Mr Akpokavie said.
He commended the GFA for clearly outlining the qualification timeline and assured the association of the GOC’s full support throughout the qualification process.
Leading the GFA delegation, its General Secretary, Prosper Harrison Addo, thanked the GOC for engaging the teams and emphasised the importance of close collaboration between the two institutions.
He said since the GOC holds the ultimate mandate for Ghana’s participation in the Olympic Games, working closely with the GFA was essential to achieving the objective.
Mr Addo explained that the Black Queens would begin their Olympic qualification campaign in June 2026, with the process running through December 2027 across five rounds of matches.
The Black Meteors, meanwhile, are scheduled to begin their qualification campaign between November 2026 and March 2027, with their immediate target being qualification for the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.
He said the 2027 U-23 AFCON would serve as the key gateway to the 2028 Olympics, with the two finalists earning automatic qualification.
He added that two African teams from both the men’s and women’s competitions would ultimately represent the continent at the Los Angeles Games.
Chef de Mission for Team Ghana to the LA2028 Olympic Games, Rev. Richmond Quarcoo, also assured the GFA management team of his office’s active partnership.
He said his office remained open to close and hands-on coordination with the GFA as Ghana seeks to secure qualification for both teams.
The meeting brought together key officials from both institutions.
The GFA delegation was led by Mr Addo and included management committee members Eugene Nobel Noel, Chairman; Frederick Agbenyo, Vice Chairman; Nana Kwame Dankwah; Michael Boakye; Ishmael Hamidu; and Janice Bossman, Head of Business Development.
The GOC delegation comprised Mr Akpokavie; Muniru Kassim Mohamed, Secretary General; Ernest Danso, Third Vice President; Rev. Quarcoo, Chef de Mission for LA2028; Charles Osei Asibey, Director of Communications; and Kenneth Odeng Adade, Press Officer.
The two institutions resolved to put in place a structured blueprint and work together to ensure that no effort is spared in Ghana’s bid to end its long Olympic football absence.
