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The Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association (GNACOFA) has launched the inaugural Cocoa Cup Soccer Tournament, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at promoting sustainable cocoa production and supporting cocoa farmers in Ghana. The tournament, scheduled to take place in Brazil in March 2027, seeks to harness the power of football to educate consumers, especially young people, about the origins of cocoa, its economic importance, and the need for sustainable sourcing.
The Cocoa Cup is more than just a football tournament; it’s a social, economic, and cultural intervention designed to strengthen the cocoa value chain and celebrate farmers’ contributions. GNACOFA President Ing. Stephenson Anane Boateng emphasized cocoa’s central role in Ghana’s economy, supporting 800,000 farm owners and 700,000 sharecroppers, generating approximately US$2 billion annually in foreign exchange.
“Football presents an unmatched opportunity to connect with consumers,” he said. “This approach is expected to stimulate demand and strengthen support for cocoa farmers and the entire sector.”
He added that the tournament would also highlight critical issues facing the cocoa industry, including land reclamation, farmers’ pensions, child labour, and the broader Green Earth agenda.
Although Australia will not compete in the maiden edition, it will participate as an official observer. Other proposed observer nations include Canada, Nigeria, Cameroon, India, Singapore, Luxembourg, and additional eligible countries.
Participating clubs were selected according to their home countries, forming a roster representing three cocoa-producing and four cocoa-consuming nations.
Ampratwum described Brazil as the perfect host—both a “boutique producer-consumer nation” and a country with world-class football infrastructure.
He reflected on cocoa’s heritage, recalling Tetteh Quarshie’s introduction of cocoa to Ghana and Sir Gordon Guggisberg’s influence in mechanising production. He lamented that many children in cocoa-growing communities still grow up without ever tasting cocoa products:
“This is an unfortunate reality we seek to correct, however trivial it may appear.”
He stressed that the Cocoa Cup project will benefit consumers as well as producers, ensuring access to healthier cocoa products and promoting awareness of cocoa’s nutritional value.
The tournament will feature continental playoffs, with Ghana’s opening match set for February 1, 2026, featuring arch-rivals Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak. GNACOFA has also formed its own football team, GNACOFA Stars, to engage youth and attract talent to the cocoa sector.
