The Ghana Education Service (GES) has formalized a partnership with the Ghana Federation of American Football (GFAF) to train 200 coaches, referees, physiotherapists, team managers and media personnel across all 16 regions, as Ghana positions itself ahead of flag football’s debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The capacity-building activities are scheduled to run from May 4 to December 2026, with the federation outlining a four-phase framework culminating in a national flag football exhibition. The programme kicked off with GFAF certification activation, followed by international body certification, guided practicals with regional team formation and equipment distribution.
The programme will be led by Chadwick Louisville, Senior Coaching Advisor of GFAF and Head Football Coach of West Potomac High School in Virginia, in the United States.
The initiative builds on earlier groundwork. In May 2025, GFAF and GES held a 10-day National Coaching Clinic at the University of Ghana Rugby Stadium, bringing together 16 regional Physical Education coordinators from across the country for intensive training in flag football rules, skill development and game strategy.
GFAF Secretary-General Mohammed Osman Nkosi said the programme is designed to build capacity, systems and a talent pipeline ahead of the 2028 Olympics, where flag football will make its historic debut. The federation is currently led by National Football League (NFL) players Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Brian Asamoah II.
GES Director of Physical Education and Sports Michael Ntow Ayeh reaffirmed the service’s backing, stating that the joint effort is focused on equipping Physical Education teachers with the skills and modern teaching approaches needed to strengthen sports delivery in schools.
Flag football, a fast-paced, non-contact format of American football, will make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, played across two 20-minute halves on a 70-yard field. The sport’s inclusion has driven a surge in grassroots investment by federations across Africa and beyond seeking to qualify for the competition.
