President John Dramani Mahama has urged the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Ghana Referees Association to improve officiating in the domestic leagues, warning that poor refereeing is undermining the appeal of Ghanaian football.
The President made the call on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, when Nations FC and Medeama SC paid a courtesy visit at the Jubilee House following their qualification for CAF inter-club competitions.
According to the President, the standard of refereeing in the country is one of the major issues affecting the development and competitiveness of the country’s football.
“Unfortunately, refereeing is one of the things destroying our football,” he said.
He further called on the Referee Association and the GFA to collaborate to improve the officiating standards and restore confidence among supporters.
“Both the Ghana Football Association and Ghana Referees Association should look at how we can improve officiating,” he added.
Mahama noted that perceptions of predetermined results have contributed to the declining stadium attendance, with some supporters losing confidence in the fairness of matches.
He stressed the need for every game to be fairly officiated so that victories are earned on merit.
The President believes improving the standard of officiating will make the domestic leagues more competitive, attract supporters back to the stadiums, and ultimately restore confidence in Ghanaian football.
