Why Kotoko will play ASEC Mimosas in 2024 President's Cup - GHALCA explains

Ghana League Club Association president, Cudjoe Fiano has explained that choosing ASEC Mimosas for the 2024 President's Cup is a new model adopted for the competition.

Asante Kotoko will face the Ivorian giants in the 2024 edition at the Baba Yara Stadium on March 5, 2024.

Cudjo Fiano said the new format will change the narrative that GHALCA are using Kotoko and Hearts of Oak as their cash cow.

“We want to change our way of doing things. Ghanaians in recent times have been raising concerns about our frequent use of Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko in playing the President cup. In view of that, we decided to use a different team this time. People also think Kotoko and Hearts of Oak are cash cow, in the previous edition we played Free Gate meaning the enthusiasm is not there anymore.”

“We want to alter our style of running the President Cup. Obviously, some of our plans were ambitious. Some may think we are overambitious. We have plans of sitting down with any President at the helm and know the team they support, so we can organize the Cup competition on the club of their choice.

He further explained that the new style is inspired by the act of President Nana Akufo-Addo inviting other Presidents to celebrate Ghana's Independence day.

“In the case of Nana Akufo-Addo, we’ve realized he always invite a special guest (President of another Africa country) during the Independence Day celebration. Last year was Guinea-Bissau’s President. After contacting the Presidency, we got to know Ivory Coast’s leader Alhassan Ouattara will be the special guest for this year’s independence day. So we decided to pick the Champions of each country for the President Cup”

“Asec Mimosas will represent Ivory Coast. Medeama was supposed to represent Ghana but won’t be available at the time because of their CAF Champions League participation, so Asante Kotoko will replace them. For now, we have settled on Kotoko and Asec Mimosas”

Asante Kotoko is the most successful club in the annual fixture, winning the trophy eight times followed by Hearts of Oak with six titles. Kotoko last won it in 2019.

EE/EK