FIFA gives GFA greenlight for term-limit expansion to align with CAF and world governing body
World football governing body FIFA has formally granted approval to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to extend the presidential term limit from two terms to three, Ghanaguardian can confirm.
This landmark amendment aligns the GFA’s leadership structure with the governance frameworks of both FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It also resolves a long-standing inconsistency in the GFA statutes, where Executive Council members were eligible to serve three terms, while the President, who is also a council member, was previously limited to just two terms.
The push for statutory reform began over three years ago, when the GFA received numerous proposals from its members advocating for updates to the Association’s governance documents. In response, the Executive Council established a Statutes Review Committee, chaired by Dr. Randy Abbey, to evaluate and consolidate the proposals.
The committee welcomed inputs from a broad range of stakeholders, including clubs from the Premier League, Division One League, Women’s Premier League, and Regional Football Associations (RFAs). After extensive consultations and stakeholder meetings, the committee’s final recommendations were submitted to the Executive Council.
The draft proposals were then forwarded to FIFA Governance, in collaboration with CAF Governance, for review and feedback.
With FIFA’s approval secured, the proposed amendment will be placed on the agenda of the next GFA Congress, scheduled for Tuesday, August 12, 2025. In line with GFA’s legal framework, only Congress has the authority to adopt or amend statutes.
Key legal provisions that govern the amendment process include:
Article 27(a): “Congress shall have the following areas of authority: (a) Adoption or amendment of the Statutes and the Standing Orders of Congress.”
Article 34(1): “The GFA Statutes and the Standing Orders of the Congress shall only be amended by Congress.”
Article 34(4): Requires more than 50% of voting members to be present for any amendment vote to be valid.
Article 34(5): A three-quarters majority of present, eligible voting members is required to pass any amendment.
The approved proposal will now undergo a vote during the August 2025 Congress. If adopted by the required three-quarters majority, the term extension will officially become part of the GFA’s governing statutes.
This move is viewed by many as a key step in strengthening institutional consistency and aligning Ghanaian football governance with international standards.
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