Ghana Women's Premier League

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Ghana Women’s Premier League (GWPL)
Ghana Women's Premier League.png
Organising bodyGhana Football Association
Founded2012
CountryGhana Ghana
ConfederationCAF
Number of teams18 (18 from 2021/2022)
Level on pyramid1
Domestic cup(s)Ghana Women's FA Cup
International cup(s)CAF W-Champions League
Current championsHasaacas Ladies (4 titles)
(2021)
Most championshipsHasaacas Ladies (4 titles)
WebsiteOfficial Website
Current: 2020–21 Ghana Women's Premier League

The Ghana Women’s Premier League (GWPL)[1][2][3] previously known as the National Women's League (NWL) is the top division league for women's football in Ghana. It was first launched in 2012.[4][5] Contested by 18 clubs in two zones (southern and northern zone), it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Ghana Women's Division One. Seasons run from December to July with each team playing 16 matches (playing all 8 other teams in their zone both home and away). Most games are played on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

The league is sponsored by several companies including Decathlon GH, Ghana’s branch of the French sports goods retailers, Decathlon who are the official sports products sponsor and NASCO who sponsors the match day, monthly and annual awards.[6][7]

In November 2021, Hilary Boateng was appointed by the Ghana Football Association as the chairperson of the Women's Premier League Committee.[8]

History[]

Up to 2006 only some regional areas had active women's football leagues. In 2006, a zonal league was created, that played out a national champion for the first time. Ghana was divided into three zones that played a league stage. Each zone then advanced two teams to a national stage.[9]

The current format was first played in 2012–13. The league is played in two 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.[10] A large part of football equipment was sponsored by FIFA.[11]

2012–13 founding teams[]

The twelve teams of the initial season were divided into two zones of six teams.[11]

Southern Zone Northern Zone

2020–present[]

In 2021, the Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) decided to expand the League from its current format 16 Clubs to 18 Clubs beginning from the 2021–22 season, meaning nine teams for the respective zones to allow for a minimum of 16 league matches in a season.[12]

Competition format[]

Competition[]

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.[11] Teams receive three points for a win and one 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.[11][4]

Promotion and relegation[]

A system of promotion and relegation exists between the Premier League and the Division One League.[11] The lowest placed teams in both zones of the Premier League are relegated to the Division One League, and the top teams from both zones in the Championship promoted to the Premier League. The number of clubs was increased from 16 to 18 in 2021–22 season.[12]

Championship finals[]

The list of champions and runners-ups:

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

Samira Suleiman

(14 goals)

Samira Suleman not awarded
2013–14[14] Hasaacas Ladies 0–0 a.e.t. (5–3 pen.) Fabulous Ladies Agnes Aduako

(17 goals)[15]

Janet Egyir[15] Susan Atsem[15] not awarded
2014–15[16] Hasaacas Ladies 1–0 Ampem Darkoa Samira Suleiman Janet Egyir[17] Beatrice Ntiwaa

Nketia[17]

Princella Adubea[17]
2015–16[18] Ampem Darkoa 1–0 Hasaacas Ladies Princella Adubea[19]

(19 goals)

Grace Asantewaa[19] Evelyn Yeboah[19] not awarded
2017[20] Ampem Darkoa 1–0 Lady Strikers Princella Adubea

(16 goals)[21]

Priscilla Okyere[21] Kerrie McCarthy[21] not awarded
2018 League abandoned due Anas Expose
2019***[22] Hasaacas Ladies 3–2 Ampem Darkoa Pepertual Agyekum

(9 goals)[23]

Grace Asantewaa[23] Evelyn Yeboah[23] Constance Serwah

Agyemang[23]

2019–20 League cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21[24] Hasaacas Ladies 4–0 Ampem Darkoa Ophelia Serwaa

Amponsah[25]

(17 goals)

Constance Serwah

Agyemang[25]

Grace Banwa[25] Comfort Yeboah[25]

2019*** Ghana Women's Special Competition

Winners by club[]

Clubs City/ Region Years Winners Last title
Hasaacas Ladies Sekondi-Takoradi, Western Region 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2020–21 4 2020–21
Ampem Darkoa Ladies Techiman, Bono East Region 2015–16, 2017 2 2017

Sponsorship[]

From its inception in 2012 till 2017, the league did not have a title sponsor and was referred simply to as National Women’s League.[26] However in 2018, FreshPak, a subsidiary of Groupe Nduom, were announced as the league's first ever title sponsors. The company disclosed a sponsorship package, worth GH¢500,000 over the next two seasons, starting from the 2018 season.[27][26][28]

Period Sponsor Brand
2012–2017 No sponsor[26] National Women’s League[26]
2018–2019 FreshPak

(a subsidiary of

Group Ndoum)[27]

FreshPak National Women’s League[27]
2019–present No sponsor Ghana Women's Premier League

Electroland Ghana Ltd, distributors of NASCO electronic appliances has been a partner and sponsor of the Women's Premier League since 2019–20 season.[29][30] 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.[31][32][33]

In October 2020, The Ghana Football Association signed a four-year sponsorship deal with Decathlon GH, Ghana’s branch of the French sports goods retailers, Decathlon to provide footballs and sports products for the women’s premier league for the next four years starting from the 2020–21 women’s league season.[6][34]

Media coverage[]

In February 2020, the Ghana Football Association signed a broadcasting right sponsorship deal with StarTimes Television for six years starting from the 2019–20 Ghana Premier League season.[35] As part of the deal StarTimes dedicated $100,000 in the first year as a visibility support to both the Ghana Division One League and women's football especially the Ghana Women's Premier League. They dedicated $50,000 for the following five years.[35]

As part of the deal, StarTimes Sports and shareholders Max TV broadcast both the 2020–21 Ghana Women's Premier League Final and 2020–21 Ghana Women's FA Cup Final.[36]

See also[]

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. ^ a b "GFA signs 4-year partnership agreement with Decathlon as sports retail partner". Ghana Football Association. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  7. ^ "VIDEO: Ghana FA to get 1,000 balls-a-year after signing Decathlon as official retail partner". GhanaSoccernet. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  8. ^ "GFA names members of Women's League Committee". Ghana Football Association. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Zonal Women's league launched". ghanafa.org. 22 December 2006. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  10. ^ Kadiri, Rashidat (7 April 2013). "Hasaacas Ladies 'do-the-doo' against Fabulous Ladies". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  11. ^ a b c d e "New chapter for women's football in Ghana". Ghanasoccernet. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Women's Premier League to expand in 2021/22 season". Ghana Football Association. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ a b c "Fabulous fail to find their spot as Hasaacas retain title". Ghana Football Association. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  16. ^ "PHOTOS: National Women's Championship final between Hasaacas Ladies and Ampem Darkoah Ladies". GhanaSoccernet.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ "Ampem Darkoa beat Hasaacas Ladies to win league". www.pulse.com.gh. September 4, 2016.
  19. ^ 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.
  20. ^ "Ampem Darkoa beat Lady Strikers 1-0 to retain National Women's League title". GhanaSoccernet. 2017-10-08. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  21. ^ a b c Quaye, Genevieve Naa Amerley (11 October 2017). "Ampem Darkoa Ladies Retain NWL Title". My Ghana Links. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  22. ^ "Hasaacas Ladies win the Normalization Committee's women's special competition". Happy Ghana. 2019-04-15. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  23. ^ 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.
  24. ^ Association, Ghana Football. "Match Report: Hasaacas Ladies beat Ampem Darkoa to lift Premier League title". www.ghanafa.org. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  25. ^ a b c d "Champions Hasaacas Ladies win two NASCO Women's Premier League awards". GhanaSoccernet. 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  26. ^ a b c d Dzakah, Christine (16 April 2018). "A dawn of new light: Ghana Women's football league secures long-awaited sponsorship". AIPS Media. . Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  27. ^ a b c "FreshPak sponsors National Women's League". Ghana Football Association. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  28. ^ Koranteng, Daniel (4 April 2018). "2017/2018 Freshpak National Women's League launched". CitiNewsroom. Citi FM (Ghana). Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  29. ^ "NASCO announce sponsorship package for Women's Premier League". Ghana Football Association. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  30. ^ "NASCO announce sponsorship package for Women's Premier League". MyJoyOnline. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  31. ^ "NASCO to award Women's Premier League Coach & Players of the season". Ghana Football Association. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  32. ^ "Champions Hasaacas Ladies win two NASCO Women's Premier League awards". GhanaSoccernet. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  33. ^ Ashitey, Vincent (1 July 2021). "NASCO to celebrate Women's Premier League players today". Prime News. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  34. ^ Larweh, Kwame (23 October 2020). "GFA signs partnership agreement with Decathlon Ghana". Graphic Online. Graphic Communications Group Limited. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  35. ^ a b "GFA announce breakdown of Star Times sponsorship fees". Ghana Football Association. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  36. ^ Danquah, Christian (25 June 2021). "Max TV to telecast Women's Premier League final". Max TV. Retrieved 20 October 2021.

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