Twenty-three Ghanaian referees have been awarded FIFA badges for the 2026 football season.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) presented the badges at a brief ceremony held at its Accra headquarters on January 21.

The contingent includes 10 Centre Referees, 10 Assistant Referees, one Futsal Referee, one Beach Soccer Referee, and one Video Assistant Referee (VAR), reflecting Ghana’s growing presence across multiple football disciplines.

Leading the list is Daniel Nii Laryea, who earned dual recognition as both a Centre Referee and VAR. Portia Oppong also made history as Ghana’s first FIFA-approved Beach Soccer referee, while new Assistant Referee Richard Kwaku joins the ranks.

FIFA badges are awarded annually to the highest-ranked referees based on performance assessments, fitness, and technical evaluations.

In Ghana, nominees are first evaluated by the GFA before final approval by FIFA, which ensures strict adherence to medical and technical standards.

Speaking at the ceremony, GFA Vice-President Mark Addo congratulated the referees and urged them to act as ambassadors of Ghanaian football.