40 UK-based players take part in GFA talent identification programme

Forty young footballers of Ghanaian descent participated in the Ghana Football Association's inaugural UK Talent Identification Programme as efforts continue to strengthen the country's future national teams.

The programme, held in Bromley, brought together players aged between U15 and U20 who are currently developing in some of England's top Category One academies.

Participants represented leading clubs including Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Everton, allowing Ghana's technical team to assess some of the most promising dual-national talents available in the United Kingdom.

The initiative was organised by the GFA in collaboration with Coach Hene Sporting Club, Ghanaians in the UK, and Prince Lamona Consult.

The exercise was supervised by GFA Technical Director Professor Joseph Kwame Mintah and FIFA Talent Coach Stuart McLaren, who worked alongside coaches from Coach Hene Sporting Club to evaluate players throughout the programme.

The scouting exercise forms part of the Football Association's long-term strategy to identify talented players of Ghanaian heritage at an early stage and create stronger links between them and Ghana's national teams.

Many of the players involved are currently progressing through elite academy systems that have produced Premier League footballers and internationals, making the programme an important opportunity for Ghana to monitor their development.

The GFA has increasingly focused on expanding its talent identification network beyond Ghana's borders as competition for dual-national players continues to grow among national associations across Europe.

The programme also provided players with an opportunity to showcase their abilities directly to Ghana's technical team while learning more about the pathway to representing the country internationally.

Following the successful first edition, the Football Association is expected to continue monitoring participants as part of a broader talent development project aimed at strengthening Ghana's future youth and senior national teams.