GFA Introduces Enhanced Matchday Safety and Security Protocols for 2025
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has announced the approval of its Enhanced Matchday Safety and Security Protocols 2025, aimed at improving safety standards at football venues across the country.
This decision, approved by the GFA Executive Council, forms part of the association’s broader commitment to protect players, officials, and fans during league matches and other football-related events.
To ensure the effective implementation of these protocols, the GFA has partnered with CAF Safety and Security to provide specialized training programs for club security officers.
“Each Club shall appoint a Club Safety and Security Officer (CSSO) to be responsible for their club’s safety and security matters on matchdays. Clubs who haven’t yet appointed the above role and submitted the individual for training shall not be allowed to honour their matches in their home venues,” the GFA revealed in a statement released on Wednesday, February 12, 2025.
The training sessions, conducted under the CAF Safe Stadium Initiative, will target:
- Regional Sports Security Officers (RSSOs)
- Matchday Security Coordinators (MSCs)
- Club Safety and Security Officers (CSSOs)
The Ghana Police Service has also been tasked with appointing a Regional Sports Security Officer (RSSO) for each region. On matchdays, the Matchday Security Coordinator (MSC)—usually the designated police commander—will oversee safety measures and coordinate security efforts.
The GFA has assured stakeholders that these protocols will be enforced rigorously. Clubs that fail to comply with the requirements, such as the appointment of a Club Safety and Security Officer (CSSO), risk being barred from hosting matches at their home venues.
The Enhanced Matchday Safety and Security Protocols 2025 follow recent concerns over violence at football venues, with the tragic death of an Asante Kotoko fan at Nsoatreman FC serving as a stark reminder of the urgent need for improved safety standards.
