Ghana Women's Premier League

Ghana Women’s Premier League (GWPL)
Organising bodyGhana Football Association
Founded2012
CountryGhana Ghana
ConfederationCAF
Number of clubs18 (18 from 2021/2022)
Level on pyramid1
Domestic cup(s)Ghana Women's FA Cup
International cup(s)CAF W-Champions League
Current championsAmpem Darkoa Ladies (3 titles)
(2022)
Most championshipsHasaacas Ladies (4 titles)
WebsiteOfficial Website

The Ghana Women’s Premier League (GWPL),[1][2][3] also known as the Malta Guinness Women's Premier League for sponsorship reasons, was launched in 2012 as the National Women's League (NWL) and is a top division league for women's soccer in Ghana.[4][5] In November 2021, Hilary Boateng was appointed by the Ghana Football Association as the chairperson of the Women's Premier League Committee.[6]

History

Up to 2006, regional areas had active women's soccer leagues. In 2006, a zonal league was created, that played out a national champion for the first time. Ghana was divided into 3 zones that played a league stage. Each zone then advanced 2 teams to a national stage.[7]

A format was played in 2012–13. The league is played in 2 divisions. After the league stage, both division winners meet in a championship final. The first final was won by Hasaacas Ladies 2–1 over Fabulous Ladies at the Accra Sports Stadium.[8] A part of the soccer equipment was sponsored by FIFA.[9]

The 12 teams of the initial season were divided into 2 zones of 6 teams.[9]

Southern Zone Northern Zone

In 2021, the Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association decided to expand the League from its format 16 clubs to 18 clubs beginning from the 2021–22 season, meaning 9 teams for the respective zones to allow for a minimum of 16 league matches in a season.[10]

Format

There are 16 clubs in the Women's Premier League, 8 in the southern zone and 8 in the northern zone. During the course of a season (from December to July) each club in each zone plays the others twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents', for 16 games in each zone making it 32 games all together.[9] Teams receive three points for a win and 1 point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. At the end of the zonal league both top placed clubs and zonal winners meet in a championship final to decide the national champion.[9][4]

Promotion and relegation

A system of promotion and relegation exists between the Premier League and the Division 1 League.[9] The lowest placed teams in zones of the Premier League are relegated to the Division 1 League, and the top teams from zones in the Championship promoted to the Premier League. The number of clubs was increased from 16 to 18 in 2021–22 season.[10]

Finals

The list of champions and runners-ups:

Season Champions Result Runners-up Top scorer Best player Best goalkeeper Most promising player
2012–13[11] Hasaacas Ladies 2–1 Fabulous Ladies Agnes Aduako

Samira Suleiman

(14 goals)

Samira Suleman not awarded
2013–14[12] Hasaacas Ladies 0–0 a.e.t.

(5–3 pen.)

Fabulous Ladies Agnes Aduako

(17 goals)[13]

Janet Egyir[13] Susan Atsem[13] not awarded
2014–15[14] Hasaacas Ladies 1–0 Ampem Darkoa Samira Suleiman Janet Egyir[15] Beatrice Ntiwaa

Nketia[15]

Princella Adubea[15]
2015–16[16] Ampem Darkoa 1–0 Hasaacas Ladies Princella Adubea[17]

(19 goals)

Grace Asantewaa[17] Evelyn Yeboah[17] not awarded
2017[18] Ampem Darkoa 1–0 Lady Strikers Princella Adubea

(16 goals)[19]

Priscilla Okyere[19] Kerrie McCarthy[19] not awarded
2018 League abandoned due to the Anas exposé
2019***[20] Hasaacas Ladies 3–2 Ampem Darkoa Pepertual Agyekum

(9 goals)[21]

Grace Asantewaa[21] Evelyn Yeboah[21] Constance Serwah

Agyemang[21]

2019–20 League cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21[22] Hasaacas Ladies 4–0 Ampem Darkoa Ophelia Serwaa

Amponsah[23]

(17 goals)

Constance Serwah

Agyemang[23]

Grace Banwa[23] Comfort Yeboah[23]
2021–22[24] Ampem Darkoa 1–1 a.e.t.

(5–4 pen.)

Hasaacas Ladies Princess Owusu[25]

(15 goals)

Grace Acheampong[25] Safiatu Salifu[25] Stella Nyamekye[25]

2019*** Ghana Women's Special Competition

Winners by club

Clubs City/ Region Years Winners
Hasaacas Ladies Sekondi-Takoradi, Western Region 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2020–21 4
Ampem Darkoa Ladies Techiman, Bono East Region 2015–16, 2017, 2021–22 3

Sponsorship

Electroland Ghana Ltd, distributors of NASCO electronic appliances, has been a partner and sponsor of the Women's Premier League since 2019–20 season.[26][27] The company sponsors the Player of the Match award, the monthly awards which includes the Player of the month and Coach of the month awards along with the annual and end of the season awards Player of the season, Top Scorer, Discovery of the year award, Best Goalkeeper and Coach of the season awards.[28][29][30]

In October 2020, the Ghana Football Association signed a four-year partnership deal with Decathlon Ghana which includes Decathlon providing 1,000 Kipsta balls and other complementary sports products per year to the league from the 2020–21 season onwards.[31][32] The deal was extended for another four years in November 2024.[33]

In February 2022, online gambling company Betway signed a sponsorship deal with the Ghana Football Association as a Development Partner of the Ghana Women's Premier League. As a development partner, amongst their roles would be to provide a season-long mentorship and leadership programme for officials, administrators and coaches of the women's soccer clubs. Betway provides training equipment and warm-up kits to all participating clubs in GWPL.[34] The sponsorship was extended in February 2023.[35]

Title sponsors

From its inception, the league did not have a title sponsor and was simply referred to as National Women’s League.[36] In 2018, FreshPak, a subsidiary of Groupe Nduom, were announced as the league's first ever title sponsor worth GH¢500,000 over the next 2 seasons.[37][38] In August 2022, the Ghana Football Association announced Malta Guinness as the league's title sponsor worth GH¢10 million for 3 years from the 2022–23 season onwards.[39][40]

Period Sponsor Name
2012–2017 No title sponsor National Women’s League
2018–2019 FreshPak Products FreshPak National Women’s League
2019–2022 No title sponsor Ghana Women's Premier League
2022–present Malta Guinness Malta Guinness Women's Premier League

Media coverage

In February 2020, the Ghana Football Association signed a broadcasting right sponsorship deal with StarTimes Television for 6 years starting from the 2019–20 Ghana Premier League season. As part of the deal StarTimes dedicated $100,000 in the first year as a visibility support to the Ghana Division 1 League and women's soccer especially the Ghana Women's Premier League. They dedicated $50,000 for the following 5 years.[41]

As part of the deal, StarTimes Sports and shareholders Max TV broadcast the 2020–21 Ghana Women's Premier League Final and 2020–21 Ghana Women's FA Cup Final.[42]

References

  1. ^ "Ghana Women's Premier League 2020/21 fixtures released". Ghana Football Association. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  2. ^ "First round of Women's Premier League in numbers". Ghana Football Association. 9 April 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Statement on reported pockets of violence at Women's Premier League match venues". Ghana Football Association. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  4. ^ a b "2016/2017 National Women's League Officially Launched". Modern Ghana. Ghana News Agency. 20 April 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  5. ^ "2016/17 National Women's League launched". GhanaSoccernet. 20 April 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  6. ^ "GFA names members of Women's League Committee". Ghana Football Association. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  7. ^ "Zonal Women's league launched". ghanafa.org. 22 December 2006. Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  8. ^ Kadiri, Rashidat (7 April 2013). "Hasaacas Ladies 'do-the-doo' against Fabulous Ladies". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d e "New chapter for women's football in Ghana". Ghanasoccernet. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Women's Premier League to expand in 2021/22 season". Ghana Football Association. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  11. ^ Anaman, Fiifi (8 April 2013). "History in the making – Hasaacas Ladies become Ghana's first ever National Women's League Champions". Goal. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  12. ^ "Fabulous fail to find their spot as Hasaacas retain title". ghanafa. Ghana Football Association. 1 June 2014. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  13. ^ a b c "Fabulous fail to find their spot as Hasaacas retain title". Ghana Football Association. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  14. ^ "PHOTOS: National Women's Championship final between Hasaacas Ladies and Ampem Darkoah Ladies". GhanaSoccernet.
  15. ^ a b c "Hasaacas Ladies defender Janet Agyiri wins 2015 Best Player of the National Women's Championship". GhanaSoccernet. 2015-12-27. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  16. ^ "Ampem Darkoa beat Hasaacas Ladies to win league". www.pulse.com.gh. September 4, 2016.
  17. ^ a b c Laryea, Beatrice (5 September 2016). "Ampem Darkoa win National Women's League title". Graphic Online. Graphic Communications Group Limited. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  18. ^ "Ampem Darkoa beat Lady Strikers 1-0 to retain National Women's League title". GhanaSoccernet. 2017-10-08. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  19. ^ a b c Quaye, Genevieve Naa Amerley (11 October 2017). "Ampem Darkoa Ladies Retain NWL Title". My Ghana Links. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Hasaacas Ladies win the Normalization Committee's women's special competition". Happy Ghana. 2019-04-15. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  21. ^ a b c d Duncan, Jude (15 April 2019). "Hassacas Ladies wins NC Women's Special Competition". Citinewsroom. Citi FM (Ghana). Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  22. ^ Association, Ghana Football. "Match Report: Hasaacas Ladies beat Ampem Darkoa to lift Premier League title". www.ghanafa.org. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  23. ^ a b c d "Champions Hasaacas Ladies win two NASCO Women's Premier League awards". GhanaSoccernet. 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  24. ^ "Ampem Darkoa beat Hasaacas Ladies 5-3 on penalties to win Women's Premier League title". GhanaSoccernet. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  25. ^ a b c d "NASCO to award outstanding players & coach for 2021/2022 Women's League season". Ghana Football Association. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  26. ^ "NASCO announce sponsorship package for Women's Premier League". Ghana Football Association. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  27. ^ "NASCO announce sponsorship package for Women's Premier League". MyJoyOnline. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  28. ^ "NASCO to award Women's Premier League Coach & Players of the season". Ghana Football Association. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  29. ^ "Champions Hasaacas Ladies win two NASCO Women's Premier League awards". GhanaSoccernet. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  30. ^ Ashitey, Vincent (1 July 2021). "NASCO to celebrate Women's Premier League players today". Prime News. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  31. ^ "GFA signs 4-year partnership agreement with Decathlon as sports retail partner". Ghana Football Association. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  32. ^ Larweh, Kwame (23 October 2020). "GFA signs partnership agreement with Decathlon Ghana". Graphic Online. Graphic Communications Group Limited. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  33. ^ "Decathlon Ghana extends partnership with Ghana Football Association". GhanaSoccernet. 26 November 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  34. ^ "Super Group-owned Betway Sign Sponsorship with GFA for Ghana Women's Premier League". Ghana FA. Ghana Football Association. 1 February 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  35. ^ "Betway extends sponsorship with GFA for Ghana Women's Premier League". Ghana FA. Ghana Football Association. 6 February 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  36. ^ Dzakah, Christine (16 April 2018). "A dawn of new light: Ghana Women's football league secures long-awaited sponsorship". AIPS Media. International Sports Press Association. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  37. ^ "FreshPak sponsors National Women's League". Ghana Football Association. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  38. ^ Koranteng, Daniel (4 April 2018). "2017/2018 Freshpak National Women's League launched". CitiNewsroom. Citi FM (Ghana). Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  39. ^ "Malta Guinness unveils flagship sponsorship of Women's Premier League: GHc10million investment over the next 3 years". Ghana FA. Ghana Football Association. 5 August 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  40. ^ "PHOTOS: Unveiling of Malta Guinness as headline Sponsor of Women's Premier League". Ghana FA. Ghana Football Association. 5 August 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  41. ^ "GFA announce breakdown of Star Times sponsorship fees". Ghana Football Association. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  42. ^ Danquah, Christian (25 June 2021). "Max TV to telecast Women's Premier League final". Max TV. Retrieved 20 October 2021.