To ensure the fairness of the upcoming 2025/26 Premier League season, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) is working closely with the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to combat illegal betting and protect legitimate wagers.
GFA President Kurt Simeon-Okraku met with CID Director Lydia Donkor at police headquarters for high-level talks, focusing on the three major challenges facing Ghanaian football: illegal betting, match manipulation, and football hooliganism.
According to GFA officials, Okraku stated, "In preparing for the new season, we hope to further strengthen our cooperation with the police to jointly combat match manipulation and illegal gambling, ensuring match safety and eradicating violence and hooliganism." He emphasized that the GFA is committed to maintaining the integrity of the matches while providing a safe and transparent environment for players, referees, and fans.
The Premier League season will start on September 12. This joint action is an important part of GFA's broader stakeholder engagement strategy.
Crackdown on Illegal Gambling, Protection for Legal Bets
Okraku and Donkor jointly committed to a comprehensive crackdown on illegal gambling before the 2025/26 Premier League season and to safeguard regulated legal bets.
Donkor welcomed the collaboration and highlighted the national significance of football: "Football is not only a precious resource for the nation but also a symbol of unity, development, and pride. The police will continue to fight alongside the GFA through CID to address challenges such as sports corruption, stadium violence, and illegal gambling."
The GFA and CID are particularly focused on illegal gambling, as it directly threatens fair competition. Although the regulated gambling industry continues to grow as a legal sector and supports sports financing, authorities are explicitly targeting unlicensed operations to maintain the credibility of the events.
Fans, players, and licensed gambling operators can look forward to an honest, fair, and professionally managed season, where fair competition and match integrity are prioritized.
