Leading telecommunications giant MTN has extended its single-team sponsorship to a comprehensive national football partnership.

This comes after the telco giant signed a two-year $2 million partnership with the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

Quite different from the former $2 million partnership signed three years ago ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, ago, which covered just the senior men's football team, the Black Stars.

The new deal signed on Thursday, August 14, at MTN Ghana’s Head Office in Accra includes the Black Queens, the Black Satellites (U20), and the Black Starlets (U17), in addition to the Black Stars, making the South African company GFA's headline sponsor of four male and female national teams.

The partnership takes effect from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2027. Speaking in reaction to the extended sponsorship deal, GFA President Kurt Okraku mentioned that MTN has relieved the Association of one major challenge, i.e in terms of finances, by their new expanded deal.

“The biggest challenge of the full association has been solved by MTN. Most often, I don't really tell my story, but you need to occupy this seat for two days or one day to fully understand the problems that we go through in bringing talents like the Starlets up to become the John Paintsils and the Fatau Daudas. It's not easy,” he stated.

The GFA boss also mentioned that the recent sponsorship will go a long way to motivate players to give their best in competitions.

Okraku remarked, "It's not easy. This investment by MTN would ensure that these young boys, Black Queens, and Satellites would have the best of preparations that would put them in the competitive mood for the big championships. It will put our players on the right continent and on the right stage to compete with the best.”

CEO of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, shared his outfit believe in Ghanaian football talents citing the sport tendency of unittying and telling the culture of a country to the rest of the world.

Mr Blewett highlighted that, “At MTN, we believe in Ghana, in the talent of the youth, in the unmatched power of sports to connect people, and in football’s unique ability to tell a nation’s story to the world.”

“This sponsorship deepens the bond between the people of Ghana, the GFA, the ministry, and the entire sports fraternity. It’s about national pride, youth empowerment, gender inclusion, and building a sustainable future for football in our country.”

He also shared his excitement about the milestone of moving from sponsoring just the senior national team to including about three others.

“What excites us the most is that this partnership is broader and more inclusive than anything we’ve done before. By embracing all national teams—male and female, junior and senior—we affirm that every Ghanaian player deserves the opportunity to shine”.

Due to football's tendency to connect a nation, MTN stated that they are "...proud to be part of the journey to take our teams to greater heights.”

MTN Ghana has been a longstanding supporter of Ghanaian football, playing a pivotal role in both domestic and national team development. Since the 2010–11 season, MTN has served as the headline sponsor of the MTN FA Cup, helping to revive and sustain one of the country’s most historic football competitions.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Monday August 4, officially released the fixtures for the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League season.

This allows fans and teams to know what to expect in the upcoming season.

The season is set to kick off on the weekend of September 12, 2025, and will conclude on the weekend of May 23–24, 2026.

Under a 34-matchday timetable, the 18 teams in the league will each play every other team twice, once at home and once away, to ensure fairness and balance.

Defending champions Gold Stars FC will start the season with a title defence fixture against Bechem United at the Duns Park in Bibiani, setting the tone for what promises to be another thrilling season of top-flight football in Ghana.

Asante Kotoko will clash with Berekum Chelsea in their opening encounter, while Hearts of Oak will start the campaign with a home clash against newly promoted Hohoe United.

Match Day 1 also features intriguing away assignments for former champions: Medeama SC visit Young Apostles, while FC Samartex make a trip to face Vision FC.

Premier League returnees Swedru All Blacks FC and Eleven Wonders FC begin their campaigns on the road, visiting Nations FC and Basake Holy Stars, respectively. Heart of Lions, last season’s runners-up, will host Dreams FC in their first fixture, while Karela United entertain Aduana FC.

The first leg of the iconic clash between Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko SC is scheduled for Match Day 5 at the Accra Sports Stadium, with the reverse fixture set for Match Day 22 at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.

On Match Day 9, Nations FC will play against Asante Kotoko at home and visit the Porcupine Warriors' home for a return leg in Kumasi for Match Day 26 in the Ashanti Derby.

Hohoe United will host Kpando Heart of Lions on Match Day 17, before making the trip to Kpando for the reverse fixture on the final day of the Premier League, Match Day 34, marking the return of the Volta derby after several years.

A string of Brong Ahafo regional battles is set to heat up the calendar.

Young Apostles will face Bechem United on Match Day 5, Berekum Chelsea on Match Day 7, and Aduana FC on Match Day 16. Return fixtures are set for Match Days 22, 24, and 33, respectively. Aduana FC are also scheduled for a match against Bechem United on Match Day 9 and Berekum Chelsea on Match Day 11.

Bechem United is scheduled to lock horns with Eleven Wonders on Match Day 14 and Berekum Chelsea on Match Day 17. Eleven Wonders will travel to Berekum Chelsea on Match Day 16 for a clash at the Golden City Park.

Medeama SC will host FC Samartex on Match Day 6, with the reverse fixture scheduled for Match Day 23. On Match Day 15, Medeama will welcome Basake Holy Stars, before travelling for the return leg on Match Day 32. Meanwhile, FC Samartex will face Basake Holy Stars away on Match Day 14, with the return leg of the Western Derby set for Match Day 31.

The 2025/26 Premier League season is set to begin on September 12, 2025 and end on the weekend of May 23/24, 2026.

The eight-month schedule is in alignment with the 23rd FIFA World Cup 2026, slated for June 11 to July 19, 2026.

The FIFA World Cup will start about seventeen days after the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League season ends.

This helps ensure that all elite domestic competitions end before the beginning of the global showpiece.

With the 31st Ordinary Session of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Congress, scheduled for Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at the Ghanaman Centre of Excellence in Prampram, the Football Association has confirmed that the Premier League will start as planned and finish in May 2026, following FIFA’s official calendar.

Matches will mostly be played on weekends, while midweek games will be used to make up for any matches that were postponed—just like in the 2024/25 season.