FIFA gives Ghana 18 May deadline to end league, PLB in a fix

The Ghana Premier League Board (PLB) has been left in limbo over the start of Ghana's football season after FIFA directed the country's football authorities to end their league by 18 May next year. World soccer governing body has communicated to its affiliated national associations to draw the curtains on their local football calendar by the said timeline in the wake of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

The 2014 World Cup will be held from June 12 to July 13 in Brazil, but FIFA has directed all local competitions to end 24 clear days to the opening ceremony of the 20th edition of the Mundial.

According to FIFA, the only exemption is for the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which has until May 21, due to the final of the UEFA Champions League. 

This development will serve a pain in the neck of the PLB, and its mother body, Ghana Football Association (GFA) as it races against time to meet the directives of the global body.

The PLB has been silent on the date for the commencement of the 2013/2014 Premier League despite releasing a partial calendar last week. 

This is due to the fact that the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), organizers of the annual Top Four has gate-crashed the plans of the PLB after naming September 1 for the kick-off of the pre-season tournament.

With this, the premier league can only take off in October, meaning the PLB has barely eight months to organise the 240-game competition.

This will certainly serve a tall mountain for a PLB inconsistent with deadlines to climb as the immediate past season went through an 11-month period characterised by the usual altering of the calendar at will.

Another hurdle for the PLB is the participation of the local Black Stars in next year’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) in South Africa, which will mean the elite division going on break for the duration of the competition; January 11 to February 1.

GNA Sports gathers that the GFA and PLB are set to meet to discuss thoroughly on the FIFA directive and plan accordingly for the 2013/2014 season.

According to FIFA, players expected to participate at the World Cup must observe a mandatory rest from May 18 till May 26, before joining their team’s preparations for the Mundial.


GNA