KFC Ghana announces sponsorship of GFA ahead of big year for Black Stars and Black Queens

KFC Ghana has announced a new sponsorship partnership with the Ghana Football Association (GFA), supporting the Black Stars during one of the most significant years in Ghanaian football history.

The partnership, which runs until May 2027, positions KFC Ghana alongside Ghana’s national teams as they compete on global and continental stages. It covers the 2026 FIFA World Cup, qualifying matches for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), and the 2026 Women’s AFCON in Morocco, where the four winning quarter-finalists will qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

Why does this matter?

Making their fifth World Cup appearance, the Black Stars will compete in Group L alongside England, Croatia and Panama when the tournament begins in June 2026 across the United States, Canada and Mexico. “This is a landmark year for Ghana football, and we are proud to stand alongside the Ghana Football Association and the Black Stars as they represent the nation on the world’s biggest sporting stage,” says Hloni Mohope, Chief Marketing Officer at KFC Africa.

“The tournament starting in mid-June is an opportunity for Ghana to showcase its footballing excellence to a global audience. KFC Ghana is committed to supporting the team’s preparations and celebrating Ghana’s football journey with fans across the country.”

GFA Director of Marketing Jamil Maraby says the partnership exemplifies the kind of commercial transformation the GFA is driving. “KFC is a globally recognised brand with deep roots in African communities, and its commitment to supporting Ghana football during this critical year aligns perfectly with our vision to elevate the Ghana Football Association to one of the world’s most identifiable sports brands,” he says. “This is the calibre of partnership that opens doors for the Black Stars on the global stage.”

What does the partnership cover?

The partnership comes as Ghana’s men’s and women’s teams prepare for an intense international calendar that GFA President Kurt Okraku has described as one of the busiest in Ghana’s football history.

After the World Cup, Ghana will play in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers between September 2026 and March 2027. The Black Stars have been drawn in Group C alongside Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia and Somalia. A total of 24 teams will qualify to play in the final tournament, to be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from 19 June to 17 July 2027.

The nation will also be one of 16 participants in the 2026 Women’s African Cup of Nations in Morocco from 26 July to 16 August 2026. In the group stages, the Black Queens will play Cameroon, Mali and Cape Verde. The winning AFCON quarter-finalists will qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, to be hosted by Brazil from 24 June to 25 July 2027.

What are the Black Stars’ ambitions?

Under head coach Carlos Queiroz, the Black Stars are targeting a return to the World Cup knockout stage for the first time since 2010, when they reached the quarterfinals. The team missed out on the knockout stage in 2014 and 2022 and did not qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia.

Queiroz, who took over the team after Otto Addo’s departure, recently wrote to Black Stars supporters: “When the mission is to serve the pride, prestige, and football soul of Ghana, pain becomes a privilege, sacrifice becomes duty, and commitment becomes our identity. “We are ready to fight together for every ball, every moment, for our dream. One team. 33 million hearts. One heartbeat.”

What else can Ghanaians expect?

The KFC-GFA partnership will launch with a retail campaign in late June 2026, with additional communications and promotional activities planned throughout the 12-month partnership period. “Football brings people together, and we want to ensure Ghanaian fans can celebrate their team’s journey at every stage,” says Mohope. “We’ll be rolling out activations that allow supporters to show their Black Stars pride while enjoying their favourite KFC meals.”

ENDS

About KFC Africa

KFC has been part of Africa’s story since 1971, when the first restaurant opened in Johannesburg. Today, with more than 1,500 restaurants across 22 sub-Saharan countries, it stands as the continent’s leading quick service restaurant brand and home of the Original Recipe® fried chicken that millions love.

At KFC Africa, we feed more than hunger, we feed potential. Every meal served is part of a bigger purpose: creating a seat at the table for everyone and ensuring that potential isn’t just seen, it’s nurtured. That commitment comes to life through initiatives that make a measurable difference. Our Streetwise Academy, backed by Services SETA accreditation, equips team members with skills to thrive across frontline leadership, HR, and operations, achieving a 75percent promotion and retention rate that proves the power of investing in people.

Our Add Hope programme delivers over 30 million meals to vulnerable children each year, while Mini Cricket, South Africa’s largest grassroots sports programme, reaches more than 120,000 young players guided by over 10,000 coaches. Beyond food, initiatives such as the Ikusasa Lethu scholarships and youth potential programmes across Africa open pathways to education, livelihoods, and brighter futures.

With over 40,000 team members powering our business, KFC Africa is proud to be an employer of choice, officially certified as a Top Employer across Africa for excellence in people practices, leadership, and workplace culture. This recognition reflects our commitment to cultivating careers, fairness, and integrity while serving millions daily. Because when individuals rise, families strengthen. Communities grow. Nations transform. That’s the undeniable impact we are proud to serve.

About the Ghana Football Association

The Ghana Football Association is the governing body of football in Ghana, with a history rooted in the early development of the game on the Gold Coast. Football first spread from Cape Coast to other parts of the country, including Saltpond, Winneba, Accra and Kumasi, before becoming one of Ghana’s defining national passions.

The Ghana Amateur Football Association was formed in 1958, with Ohene Djan becoming chairman of the Ghana Football Association from 1958 to 1966. Ghana’s senior national men’s team, the Black Stars, qualified for their maiden FIFA World Cup in 2006 and went on to qualify again in 2010 and 2014, while the Black Satellites won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2009. Today, the GFA continues to lead the development, organisation and promotion of football across Ghana, from domestic competitions to national-team success.