The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has officially presented FIFA badges to 22 referees and assistant referees during a ceremony held at the GFA Headquarters in Accra on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.
This comes after FIFA's recent announcement of Ghanaian officials selected to officiate international matches in 2025. The approved list includes 10 centre referees, 10 assistant referees, one futsal referee, one beach soccer referee, and one video assistant referee (VAR).
Among the badge recipients, 12 are men, and 8 are women. These referees will hold the prestigious badges for one year, after which the badges will be returned to FIFA for renewal or reassignment.
The FIFA badges are awarded annually to top-performing referees based on their performance in the previous year, as assessed by FIFA's Classification and Assessment Committee. Officials who excel in the FIFA Test and match officiating are ranked and approved for the honour.
GFA President Kurt E.S. Okraku, General Secretary Prosper Harrison Addo, and Referees Appointment Committee Chairperson Christine Enyonam Zigah presented the badges to the officials during the event.
This recognition highlights Ghana's continuous efforts to develop high-calibre referees capable of representing the nation on the global stage.