Beach soccer referees lament over inadequate match compensation

Beach Soccer officials in Ghana have expressed their dissatisfaction with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) regarding inadequate match-day allowances.

They argued the GH₵700.00 allocated for three games is meager and have warned of a potential boycott without prior notice.

In a much-anticipated announcement, the aggrieved referees were stunned when the GFA announced an increase in the allowances of football referees at its 31st Ordinary Congress on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram.

“FIFA-accredited referees in the Ghana Premier League (GPL) will earn GH₵2,500 per match, non-FIFA GPL referees GH₵2,000, and referees in the Division One League (DoL) and Women's Premier League (WPL) GH₵1,000 per match,” the FA’s statement details.

Speaking to the referees, the officials are located in the Greater Accra Region, Western Region, Central Region, Volta Region, and Eastern Region; however, they officiate games outside their regions of residence, exposing them to financial and travel risks.

"During the day, three games take place at a venue, with a single referee overseeing all of them for a fee of GH₵700.00. The GH₵700.00 includes transportation and accommodation where we are assigned to officiate. Each game consists of three periods, each lasting 12 minutes, totalling 36 minutes. Depending on the breaks that occur, a game can extend to an hour," the referees explained.

The referees also expressed dismay about an irregular payment system, stating that allowances are accumulated after officiating several games, and most referees could not track the number of games they officiated.

“The authorities pay us through mobile money, not before or immediately after the game, but after officiating several games. Some of our members cannot track their payments because of improper documentation,” the referees complained.

The office to receive the referees’ grievances remains a mystery, as they stated that there is no identified leadership to address their concerns, including media publicity and season briefing.

“The 2025/2026 Beach Soccer league started with week one on 24 August, yet authorities didn’t organise a briefing session for the referees. No sponsorship to even telecast any of our games on TV, unlike football. The team owners themselves do Facebook livestream during the games,” the referees complained.

The referees fear the sports will fall into a ditch for lack of media publicity, a role that the GFA is reluctant to play.