The President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku, has appealed to the government to allow Colts clubs across the country to use government-owned astroturf facilities free of charge. Editorial Standards
He made the appeal on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, during the launch of the 2026/27 Colts Football League season, where he highlighted the difficulties grassroots clubs face in accessing suitable and affordable pitches for training and competitive matches.
Ghana has witnessed significant investment in the construction of astroturf facilities by successive governments, private investors, corporate organisations, and other stakeholders.
These facilities were introduced in several communities to improve access to playing fields and support sports development.
However, according to the GFA President, the availability of pitches remains a major obstacle for Colts clubs, despite the growing number of artificial turf facilities across the country.Okraku said Ghana currently has a little over 1,000 Colts clubs participating in grassroots football, but many of them continue to struggle to secure venues for their matches.
“Our Colts clubs are struggling. Today, we have a little over a thousand Colts clubs across the country, but our Colts clubs cannot find pitches to play on,” Okraku said.
The Colts system has traditionally served as an important foundation for football development in Ghana. Editorial Ethics & Independence
It provides young players with opportunities to acquire technical skills, gain match experience, and compete in organised football before progressing to higher levels of the game.
However, the cost of accessing playing facilities has become a growing concern for club owners, many of whom operate with limited financial resources and depend on community support, registration fees, and modest sponsorship arrangements.
Okraku noted that hiring a pitch for a standard 90-minute game could cost between GH¢500 and GH¢1,500, creating a substantial financial burden for grassroots clubs that may have several matches and training sessions to organise.“At the moment, Colts club owners are struggling. You want to play a 90-minute game on a pitch, and you have to pay between GH¢500 and GH¢1,500,” he added.
The GFA President also pointed to the gradual disappearance of traditional playing grounds as another challenge facing grassroots football.
He explained that some of the open spaces and community fields historically used by Colts clubs have been taken over by investors for other forms of development.
“The pitches that we used to play on, the pitches that I used to play Colts on, have been taken over by investors,” he said.
The loss of traditional football grounds has reduced the number of freely accessible spaces available to young players, particularly in densely populated communities where land is increasingly being used for commercial, residential, and other infrastructure projects.
While acknowledging the investments made in constructing astroturf facilities, Okraku argued that government-owned pitches should serve a broader public-interest purpose by supporting youth football and community development.
“By the grace of God, we’ve seen some investment in the construction of astroturfs across the country by private individuals and by governments.
Now, my appeal is simple. Let us make the government-owned astroturfs available for free to our Colts clubs,” he said.“We appreciate the investment in the construction of the astroturf, but we want to use those facilities for our Colts clubs for free.”
The proposal, if adopted, could reduce the financial pressure on Colts club owners and make it easier for teams to organise matches in safe and standardised environments.
It could also encourage more young people to participate in organised football by improving access to facilities within their communities.
However, the management of free access would require clear guidelines to ensure fairness, proper scheduling, maintenance, security, and accountability.
Authorities may also need to establish systems to prevent overcrowding, misuse, or unequal access among clubs. Corrections Policy
The appeal comes as the GFA begins the 2026/27 Colts Football League season, with the association seeking to strengthen grassroots football and preserve the competition as an important pathway for nurturing young football talent in Ghana.
The success of the Colts system depends not only on the availability of players and coaches but also on access to suitable pitches, equipment, officiating, medical support, and sustainable financing.
Okraku’s call has therefore placed renewed attention on the need for closer collaboration between the government, the GFA, local authorities, facility managers, and community football organisers to ensure that investments in sports infrastructure translate into meaningful opportunities for young players.