Daniel Mackorley, the CEO of McDan Group, has disclosed that his company would have considered sponsoring the Ghana Premier League if not for the widespread issue of gambling within the sport.
With the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League season set to kick off in September, the league is currently without a headline sponsor following the conclusion of Betpawa’s three-year partnership. This has left the league in search of new financial backing, a challenge exacerbated by concerns over gambling and match-fixing.
In an interview with Asempa FM, Mackorley expressed his reservations about the integrity of the league, pointing to the negative impact of gambling:
“I can’t sponsor the league because the gambling is too much. The match-fixing is collapsing our game. You’ll watch a game, and how a goalkeeper concedes a goal is funny; it’s because someone must bet to win,” he explained.
Mackorley called for reforms to clean up the sport and restore its credibility, which he believes is crucial for attracting serious investors:
“Football is a beautiful game, but our players can’t sustain long careers under these conditions. Let’s work to sanitize our football.”
As the new season approaches, Ghana Football Association President Kurt Okraku has assured fans and stakeholders that efforts are being made to secure a new sponsor for the league.
