The investment is set to enhance the development of local talent and support the league’s operations.

The three-year partnership will cover the 81-team league, the monthly GARFA awards, and the end-of-season promotional Middle League. For the first year, Soccabet will inject GH¢235,000, followed by GH¢265,000 in the second year, and GH¢300,000 in the final year.

The deal, brokered by a marketing consultant, Alhaji Fadi Fattal, saw a GH¢100,000 cheque presented to GARFA Chairman, Samuel Aboabire, at a brief ceremony last Tuesday. The amount serves as the initial payment for the league’s first season, with the remaining balance to be disbursed throughout the campaign.

At the ceremony, Soccabet’s Marketing Manager, Kobby Ampong, expressed the company’s long-standing commitment to grassroots football.

"At Soccabet, we believe in nurturing grassroots talent, which is why we’ve previously supported clubs like Accra Great Olympics and Bofoakwa Tano, as well as the Middle League. Celebrated players like Michael Essien and Stephen Appiah all started from the grassroots," Mr Ampong remarked.

"We were thrilled when the GARFA Chairman invited us to last year’s Middle League. They offered us free branding, and after watching just a few matches, we were blown away by the quality of football and the talents on display. That’s when we decided to strike this deal even before the league ended."

Landmark deal

For GARFA Chairman, this partnership is a monumental milestone for the association.

“In my over 30 years in football administration, this is the first time we’ve seen a sponsorship deal of this magnitude for the GARFA Division Two League. We are extremely grateful to Soccabet for this unprecedented support,” Mr Aboabire stated.

He credited the club CEOs, acknowledging their role in making the league more attractive. "Our clubs have done a tremendous job branding our league venues and players, which played a key role in securing this deal. Soccabet were impressed with the professionalism and talent on display during the Middle League," he added.

Last Tuesday’s event was a double victory for GARFA, as they also unveiled a new three-year ball sponsorship deal with Accra-based sportswear and equipment distributor, Ashlid Sports.

The agreement will see Ashlid Sports provide 1,800 footballs over the next three seasons, with an initial batch of 500 for the 2024/25 season already handed over to GARFA.

Each of the 81 clubs received five balls immediately after the ceremony at the Accra Sports Stadium.

As part of the deal, Ashlid Sports will supply 600 balls for the 2025/26 season and a further 700 in the third year, adding to the excitement as the new football season approaches.