Ridge City FC CEO, Cleopatra Nsiah Nketiah, has called for greater investment in women’s football clubs in Ghana, arguing that the country’s struggles at major tournaments are linked to weak player development structures.
Speaking at an American Spaces session on “U.S. Soccer Playbook: Capacity Building of Ghanaian Coaches for Female Athletes” at the U.S. Embassy on Wednesday, September 9, she said Ghana focuses too much on preparing for tournaments instead of developing players consistently.
Madam Nketiah believes Ghana should have at least 200 women’s football clubs providing regular opportunities for players to develop.
“One of the biggest challenges in women’s football in Ghana is that we wait till there’s a tournament, we get the players, and then we don’t understand why they’re not good enough to win tournaments,” she said.
“There should be at least 200 women’s football clubs in Ghana. It’s a fact that I’m sure people in football don’t even know.”
She criticised the lack of sustained investment in existing clubs, saying Ghana cannot build a strong national team without developing a wider pool of talent.
“We are not building. We are not helping. We are not growing. We’re not developing,” she added.
She said the current system leaves national team coaches searching for players whenever a major tournament approaches, rather than selecting from a strong and established talent pool.
“And then, when there’s a tournament, you’re going around looking for players. If people invested in the clubs that existed, if we stopped pretending that we’re supporting women’s football and actually supported women’s football, I think when the World Cup comes, the coach’s headache will be, ‘Which players should I take?’”
She called for sustained investment in clubs and coaches to create a stronger pathway for female players and improve Ghana’s chances of success at international tournaments.
The session also featured former American professional footballer Kofi Sarkodie and World Cup champion Amy Griffin, who shared insights into the development of women’s football in the United States and how Ghana could adapt some of those approaches.
