The Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Wednesday, 3rd August 2022 announced betPawa, one of Ghana’s leading online sports betting companies, as the official headline sponsor of the Ghana Premier League.

The announcement was made at a special signing ceremony held at the Headquarters of the Ghana Football Association in Accra.

The partnership between betPawa and the Ghana Football Association is aimed at properly marketing and positioning the elite league to become an African phenomenon as one of the most successful and attractive leagues on the continent.

Signing on behalf of betPawa, international superstar and betPawa stakeholder, Mr Eazi, highlighted that “the company’s high appetite for growing and harnessing talents, creating opportunities and rewarding fans across its markets are a few of the many reasons for partnering with the GFA”.

On his part, the GFA President, Mr. Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, commended betPawa for the partnership. “On behalf of the Executive Council and the football fraternity in Ghana I wish to thank you for your support”, Mr. Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku said during the signing ceremony.

Mr. Okraku further pointed out that Ghana is blessed with a lot of football talents and evidence is seen through the display of soccer artistry across the various leagues.

The GFA President further stated that “for the country to be able to compete fiercely and on equal footing with other talents across the globe, there is the need for companies like betPawa and corporate Ghana to contribute to complement to the effort of the Government”.

BetPawa’s activities

BetPawa has over the years been activating a lot of Corporate Socially Responsible activities aimed at championing responsible gaming, an action which is high on the corporate agenda of the company, empowering customers to be economically independent and helping to imbibe the spirit of philanthropism in customers across its markets.

These CSR activities include the Dream Maker and WIN BIG, Give Back campaigns among many others.

The brand is poised to activate a lot of attractive and interactive activities to engage and reward football fans across the country in the course of the partnership.

The 2022/23 betPawa Premier League is scheduled to be launched on 2nd September 2022 with the league kicking off on the weekend of 9th to the 12th September 2022.

Meanwhile, Malta Guineas will sponsor the Women’s competition, which has had no headline sponsor since its inception in 2012, giving the clubs a huge boost.

First sponsorship in 4 years

The Ghana Premier League last had a headline sponsor in 2018, when Zylofon Cash agreed to a $10 million deal.

However, the five-year agreement was abruptly terminated, and the league has been without a title sponsor for the last four years.

For all his achievements since assuming office, one of the drawbacks of the Kurt era has been a lack of a sponsor for the Ghana League.

Currently, there are low levels of remuneration in the Ghana league, leading to an exodus of the league’s finest players at the end of every football season.

In the just-ended league, the top scorer, Yaw Annor, signed for Egyptian side Ismaily in a deal worth about $200,000.

There is a belief within the FA hierarchy that player exodus will be curtailed if teams in the local league are better positioned to pay decent wages.

The sponsorship deal will augment the media rights money that clubs get from the FA’s agreement with pay-tv service provider, StarTimes.