Ghana FA announce imminent meeting for start of 2020-21 football season

Ghana’s football hierarchy is set to convene on Thursday to discuss modalities for the start of the 2020-19 football season, the football association (GFA) has announced.

The football governing body’s Executive Council are already looking forward to next term, three days after a premature termination of the 2019-20 campaign due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Premier League (GPL) is expected to feature heavily in the discussions.

“The Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) will meet on Thursday, July 9, 2020, to fix a date for Congress and also discuss matters related to the new season,” the GFA announced on its official website on Friday.

“This follows the decision of the Council to cancel the 2019/20 football season and prepare for a new one.

“Matters to be discussed include date and agenda for Congress, date for player registration and modalities leading to the start of the 2020-21 season.

“The football calendar has not been fully completed since the 2016-17 season when Aduana Stars FC won their second Ghana Premier League title and Asante Kotoko pipped their arch-rivals Hearts of Oak to lift their 9th FA Cup title.

“The GFA Executive Council, on Tuesday, June 30, 2020, took the decision to cancel the 2019/20 football season due to the Covid-19 pandemic."

After two months of standstill of the top-flight due to the raging coronavirus disease, the GFA took a firm decision on Tuesday to end the term for good, amid uncertainty about a return date.

The league was at the match week 15 stage, with Aduana Stars atop the table.

The cancellation came two weeks after the GFA revealed it was engaging the Government of Ghana over the possible resumption of the football under strict safety protocols such as playing matches behind closed doors, having had a first request rejected.

There had been calls from some quarters for the prompt return of the league following the comeback of some national leagues in England, Spain, Germany and Italy after similar coronavirus-induced temporary suspensions.

With Ghana's ban on all contact sports, including football, expiring on July 31, a new football season, in the absence of a worsened coronavirus situation, is likely to commence in September/October.