The Ghana Football Association (GFA) will host the FIFA Member Association (MA) Elite Refereeing Course at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram from July 9 to July 14, 2026, as part of FIFA’s ongoing commitment to improving refereeing standards across its Member Associations.
The six-day programme will bring together 37 match officials, including referees and assistant referees, for an intensive training programme combining classroom instruction with practical on-field sessions.
The course is designed to enhance participants’ technical knowledge, decision-making, match management skills and physical fitness in line with the demands of modern football.
FIFA has appointed two experienced instructors to lead the programme. Egyptian referee expert Essameldin Abdelfattah Hassan Abdelhamid will serve as the Technical Instructor, while Bento Tomas Navesse of Mozambique has been named Fitness Instructor.
The pair will oversee comprehensive technical and physical development sessions aimed at equipping officials with the latest refereeing standards and best practices. They will be supported by all 12 FIFA Futuro III Instructors, who will provide additional expertise and mentorship throughout the course.
Participants will receive training in key areas including decision-making, game interpretation, positioning, communication, teamwork, match control and the fitness requirements needed to officiate at the highest level.
The course will be held at the GFA’s state-of-the-art Technical Centre in Prampram, a facility that has become a leading venue for football development programmes in Ghana and across Africa. Its modern infrastructure provides an ideal setting for both theoretical learning and practical training sessions.
Hosting the FIFA MA Elite Refereeing Course highlights the Ghana Football Association’s continued investment in referee education and development.
The initiative is expected to strengthen the capacity, confidence and professionalism of Ghanaian match officials, preparing them for both domestic competitions and international assignments while contributing to higher officiating standards across the game.