Samartex Replace Hearts of Oak in 2026 GHALCA Top Four Tournament
FC Samartex 1996 have been selected to replace Hearts of Oak in the 2026 GHALCA Top Four Tournament after the Phobians withdrew from the competition.
GHALCA Chairman John Ansah confirmed Samartex’s inclusion following Hearts of Oak’s decision to pull out on Tuesday, August 11.
Hearts of Oak cited a clash between the tournament schedule and other commitments already on their programme, explaining that participating could disrupt their preparations for the upcoming Ghana Premier League season.
The Accra-based club had reportedly approached GHALCA with a request to move the dates of the tournament. However, the association decided to retain the original schedule.
Ansah explained that maintaining consistency with the announced dates was important, particularly for preserving the confidence of the competition’s sponsors and partners.
“We have decided to replace Hearts of Oak with FC Samartex, who finished fifth on the league log last season,” Ansah told Asempa FM.
Samartex’s inclusion means the club will now get the opportunity to test its squad ahead of the new campaign while competing against some of the country’s leading sides.
Ansah also clarified why Nations FC will not be brought into the competition despite securing qualification to represent Ghana in the CAF Confederation Cup.
“We have been sticking to the top four teams for the past three seasons now, and so even though Nations FC will play in the CAF Confederation Cup, they did not finish in the top four,” he added.
The decision maintains GHALCA’s established criteria for selecting participants, with Samartex earning their place by virtue of finishing fifth in last season’s league standings.
The 2026 GHALCA Top Four Tournament is scheduled to run from August 26 to 30, with Samartex now set to join the competition following Hearts of Oak’s withdrawal.
