Women's football in Ghana
{{Short description|Historical summary of women's football in Ghana}}
{{Outdated as of|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox sport overview
| boxwidth = 250
| title = Women's football in Ghana
| image =
| imagesize = 240px
| image_alt =
| caption =
| union = Ghana Football Association
| country = Ghana
| sport = football
| noncountry =
| teamlabel1 =
| nationalteam = Women's national team
| teamlabel2 =
| repteam =
| first =
| registered =
| clubs =
| national_list = Ghana Women's Premier League
| club_list = Ghana Women's FA Cup
| intl_list = Olympics
FIFA Women's World Cup(National Team)
Africa Women Cup of Nations(National Team)
| match =
| league =
}}
Ghana is traditionally a powerhouse of African Football but the sport is believed to be dying due to lack of corporate sponsorship.{{cite web|url=http://pulse.com.gh/sports/features/opinion-the-ugly-truth-about-womens-football-in-ghana-id4888643.html|title=Opinion: The Ugly Truth about women's football in Ghana|first=Pulse|last=Staff|date=6 April 2016 |access-date=28 February 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ghanastar.com/news/the-yawning-disregard-for-women-football-in-ghana/|title=The Yawning Disregard For Women Football In Ghana|first=Alex|last=Ohene|date=23 January 2017|access-date=28 February 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.newsghana.com.gh/naa-ashorkor-advises-women-to-support-womens-football/|title=Naa Ashorkor Advises Women to Support Women's Football - News Ghana|first=News|last=Ghana|date=2 March 2016|access-date=28 February 2017}}
Although popular amongst girls, many experience prejudice and discrimination.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/mar/27/mavis-appiah-female-coaches-ghana|title=Mavis Appiah ploughs lonely furrow for female coaches in Ghana|first=Suzanne|last=Wrack|newspaper=The Guardian |date=March 27, 2018|via=www.theguardian.com}}{{cite web|author=Chris Matthews |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/ghana-s-girls-make-a-play-for-the-football-big-leagues-a6744431.html |title=Ghana's girls make a play for the football big leagues | Africa | News |work=The Independent |date=22 November 2015 |access-date=2015-11-23}}{{cite news|title= Steep odds against Ghana's female footballers|publisher= aljazeera|url= http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/08/steep-odds-against-ghana-female-footballers-20148101114522872.html|access-date=2014-08-13}}{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2020/06/26/women-football-ghana-lgbtqi-activism/|title=Football in Ghana can be an avenue for LGBTQI+ activism|date=June 26, 2020}}{{Cite web |date=2024-09-08 |title=From outcasts to stars: the rise of women's football in Ghana |url=https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/womens/u20womensworldcup/colombia-2024/articles/ghana-female-football-development |website=FIFA}}
Domestic football
After several years the Ghana FA implemented a Ghana Women's Football League.{{cite news|title= Zone Three Women's League commence|publisher=Modern Ghana|url= http://www.modernghana.com/sports/297317/2/zone-three-womens-league-commence.html |access-date=2012-07-30}} In 2022 the GWFL has finally gained television sponsorship.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allforxi.com/2022/6/16/23171128/broadcasting-rights-have-changed-the-perception-of-womens-football-in-ghana|title=Broadcasting rights have changed the perception of women's football in Ghana|date=June 16, 2022|website=All For XI}}
Since 2016, the Ghana Women's FA Cup is played as the top knockout tournament of the Ghanaian association football.{{Cite news|title=Free gates for Sanford Women's FA Cup final|url=https://www.graphic.com.gh/sports/sports-news/free-gates-for-sanford-women-s-fa-cup-final.html|access-date=2021-05-17|website=Graphic Online|language=en-gb}}
In 2024, to promote women's football in the country, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) launched Football4Girls{{Cite news |date=December 2024 |title=Aboabo No. 4 Presby Primary School headmistress commends GFA's Football4Girls Initiative |url=https://www.ghanafa.org/aboabo-no-4-presby-primary-school-headmistress-commends-gfas-football4girls-initiative |work=Ghana FA}} and Girls for Goals{{Cite news |date=December 2024 |title=Launch of Girls for Goals program in Keta in the Volta Region |url=https://www.ghanafa.org/photos-launch-of-girls-for-goals-program-in-keta-in-the-volta-region |work=Ghana FA}} programs across the country.
National team
Alberta Sackey and Adjoa Bayor are considered one of the best female players to come from Africa.{{cite news|title= Ghana's golden queen|publisher= BBC|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/3625553.stm|access-date=2012-07-30}}
See also
{{Portal|Football in Africa}}