The world football governing body FIFA has officially approved the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) request to extend the presidential term limit from two terms to three.
This change brings the GFA’s presidential term in line with the standards followed by both FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), resolving a previous inconsistency where Executive Council members could serve three terms, but the President was limited to two.
This decision follows a lengthy review process that began over three years ago, sparked by numerous proposals from GFA members calling for changes to the association’s statutes. To handle these proposals, a Statutes Review Committee was formed under the leadership of Dr. Randy Abbey. The committee involved a broad range of stakeholders, including clubs from the Premier League, Division One League, Women’s Premier League, and Regional Football Associations.
After gathering and discussing the proposals in various stakeholder meetings, the committee presented them to FIFA and CAF for assessment and guidance. FIFA ultimately endorsed the extension of the presidential term limit and also supported elevating the Women’s Representative on the Executive Council to the position of 2nd Vice President of the GFA, promoting greater gender equity and representation.
However, FIFA advised against other suggested changes, such as expanding the size of the Executive Council, stressing the importance of a more measured approach to such governance reforms.
The authority to amend the GFA Statutes rests solely with the GFA Congress, as outlined in the governing documents. Any amendments must be approved by at least half of eligible voting delegates present, with a three-quarters majority required for adoption.
With FIFA’s approval secured, the GFA plans to present the presidential term extension to the next Congress on August 12, 2025, where members will vote in accordance with established procedures. If ratified by the required majority, the new three-term limit for the presidency will be officially incorporated into the GFA Statutes, aligning the leadership terms with FIFA and CAF regulations.
