The President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, has revealed that a total of $742,000 from the FIFA Forward Programme was invested in the construction of the first-ever FIFA-standard football pitch in the Upper East Region.

The newly completed facility, which also hosts the region’s first GFA Elite Football Academy, was officially inaugurated on Tuesday, April 15, at a ceremony held at the GFA premises.

The landmark project marks a major milestone in the GFA’s mission to expand football infrastructure across the country, particularly in underserved regions.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Mr. Okraku praised FIFA for its unwavering support of Ghana’s football development agenda.

“The office in France, in Paris, has been very supportive of the Ghanaian FA in our agenda to fix the fundamentals or the very foundation of our football,” he stated.

“Today, our brothers and sisters in the Upper East Region have access to a FIFA-certified, full-standard football pitch.

This facility also houses the very first GFA Elite Football Academy in the region.”

He added, “I’m sure someone will ask, ‘How much did that cost?’ Today, I can say it was funded by FIFA at a cost of $742,000.”

In a related development, the GFA also presented eight Nissan 4×4 pick-up vehicles to Regional Football Associations across the country.

The vehicles are intended to support grassroots football development efforts and improve mobility and operations at the regional level.

Mr. Okraku reiterated his commitment to strengthening the foundation of Ghanaian football, stressing that investing in infrastructure and logistics is key to achieving long-term success.

“This is only the beginning.

We remain committed to reaching every corner of the country with the resources and infrastructure needed to elevate our game,” he said.