Ghana is backing the men in the middle too, naming 22 up-and-coming officials for the inaugural KIVO U-17 Regional Colts Champions Cup.
Ghana is investing in the next generation of whistle-blowers as well as the next generation of stars. Twenty-two Catch Them Young Referees, drawn from the country's 10 administrative football regions, have been picked to officiate the inaugural KIVO U-17 Regional Colts Champions Cup.
The tournament kicks off on Sunday, November 8, 2026, and wraps up on Sunday, November 15, 2026. It brings together the 10 regional U-17 Colts champions and the three GFA Elite Academies, with the competition designed to help scouts and coaches identify emerging talent.
The officials have already started work. A training programme began on Friday at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram, where the referees are sharpening their technical knowledge and practical match-management skills ahead of the demands of a high-intensity youth competition.
All 22 referees will be involved across the tournament, giving them valuable game time in a competitive setting as they build their careers. Their selection is part of the Catch Them Young Referees initiative, a programme created to spot, nurture and develop promising refereeing talent nationwide.
For Ghanaian football, the message is clear: developing great players means developing great officials alongside them. With a first-of-its-kind tournament as the stage, the next wave of referees and the next wave of young talents will be growing together.
