In a significant move, the GFA Elite Football Academy has taken its inaugural steps at Winkogo, situated in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The first cohort of students has been admitted to Bolgatanga Senior High School, marking the beginning of an ambitious venture by the Executive Council to establish a Technical Centre in Winkogo. This strategic decision aims to tap into the rich reservoir of talent within the school sector in the three Northern regions of Ghana – Northern, Upper East, and Upper West.

The policy, endorsed by the Executive Council, involves partnering with schools in the aforementioned football zones to set up academies. Junior High School players will be meticulously assessed, and selected talents will find placement in Senior High Schools strategically located across the country.

President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku’s unwavering commitment to restoring Ghana’s position as an African football powerhouse is a driving force behind this groundbreaking initiative. The administration, under the banner of the GFA Elite Academy, aligns itself with the FIFA Talent Identification and Development program, underscoring its determination to nurture football talent from the grassroots level.

Bolgatanga has been chosen as the pilot project location, signaling the commencement of a broader scheme by the Ghana Football Association to establish academies in all ten football regions of the country. These academies, in collaboration with the best schools in each region, will offer a holistic education alongside a rigorous elite football development program.

This inclusive concept, welcoming both boys and girls, specifically targets the identification and cultivation of the finest football talents aged between 15-16, ensuring that hidden gems in the Ghanaian football landscape are unearthed and given the opportunity to shine. The GFA Elite Football Academy stands as a beacon of hope for the future, promising a transformative impact on football development in the region.