GHANA LEAGUE TEAMS WITH NAME CHANGES AND NEW OWNERSHIP

By: Isaac Amponsah (Dr Ike) and Aaron Kintoh 

The Ghana Premier League welcomes its 2025-26 new season, starting this Friday. Matches will be played across all league centers in the country from Friday to Sunday.

FACTSGH.COM has conducted comprehensive research on teams that have undergone name changes and ownership transfers since the Ghana League's inauguration. Here's a list of some of the affected teams:

1. Great Lions' Name Change to Boye Sowahs Zebi

Great Lions changed its name to Boye Sowahs Zebi, Accra. The new name, Boye Sowahs Zebi, Accra, was used for the first time in the 1985 season and was retained for three seasons (1985, 1986, and 1987). Unfortunately, the team was relegated at the end of the 1987 season after placing 13th with 12 points.

2. Army Football Club's Name Change to Defence Stars

The name "Army Football Club" was first used in the Ghana League for the 1963-64 season, and it was later changed to Defence Stars. The new name, Defence Stars, was used for the 1964-65 football season.

Impact of the Coup d'Etat
The 1966 League season was affected by the coup d'etat on February 24, which led to some clubs withdrawing from the competition due to the unemployment of some players. Notably:

- Accra Real Republicans, a club associated with Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, was dissolved.

- Sekondi Independence, a club linked to Ambrose Yankey, a personal aide to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, was also dissolved.

- Defence Stars, the army team, withdrew from the competition as some of their players were soldiers in active service and involved in the coup.

Later Developments:
- In the 1975 season, Defence Stars were promoted to participate in the Ghana League.

- In the 1976 season, Defence Stars changed its name to SS 1974, which was used for four seasons (1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979). Unfortunately, SS 1974 was relegated in the 1980 season.

3. Obuasi Goldfields Sporting Club's Name Change
The name "Obuasi Goldfields Sporting Club Limited" was used from the 1985-86 season of the Ghana League. The club was then renamed Ashanti Gold Sporting Club Limited, effective April 16, 2004.

• Reason for the Name Change:
The name change was necessitated by the merger between Ashanti Goldfields Corporation (AGC) and AngloGold of South Africa, resulting in the formation of AngloGold Ashanti Limited.

• New Name Usage:
The new name, Ashanti Gold Sporting Club Limited, was used starting from the 2004 season.

4. Kessben FC's Name Change to Medeama Sporting Club

• The name "Kessben FC" was used since 2007-08 season. In January 2011, Kessben FC changed its name to Medeama Sporting Club after businessman Moses Armah "Parker" completed a takeover of the club in 2010 and relocated its base from Abrankese to Tarkwa.

• Approval and New Name Usage:
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) approved the name change, which reflected the new owners' ambitions. The new name, Medeama Sporting Club, was used for the second round of the 2010-11 football season.

5. Stay Cool FC's Name Change to Zaytuna United FC

• The name "Stay Cool FC" was used in the 2003 Ghana Premier League season, but the team was relegated that same season.

• Name Change and Relaunch:
In 2004, the club changed its name from Stay Cool FC to Zaytuna United FC and launched another campaign for the premiership. They later qualified again for the top-flight league and used the new name Zaytuna United FC for the 2007-08 football season. Unfortunately, they were relegated again that same season.

6. Feyenoord's Name Change to West African Football Academy (WAFA)

• The name "Feyenoord" was used for the first time in the 2004 season of the Ghana Premier League. However, in 2014, Feyenoord changed its name to West African Football Academy (WAFA) to reflect its expanded scope and operations.

Reasons for the Name Change
The rebranding was driven by several factors:

- Expansion of Scope: To widen the academy's reach and nurture talents from across the entire West African sub-region, not just Ghana.

- Acquisition of New Facilities: The academy acquired the facilities of the Red Bull Academy in Sogakope and relocated from Gomoa Fetteh.

- Broader Mission: The new name, WAFA, better reflected the academy's broadened geographical scope and mission to develop young football stars from neighboring countries, including Togo, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast, in addition to Ghana.

7. Saint Mirren's Name Changes

The name "Saint Mirren" was used in the 2008-09 season of the Ghana Premier League, but the team was relegated at the end of that season.

Name Changes
The club underwent two name changes:

- Saint Mirren FC was renamed Sporting Mirren FC.

- Later, on January 10, 2018, the club officially changed its name to Accra City Stars FC, reflecting its location in Accra.

Current Status: 
The new name, Accra City Stars FC, has not been used in a Ghana Premier League football season.

8. Wa All Stars' Name Change to Legon Cities FC

The name "Wa All Stars" was used for the first time in the 2007-08 season of the Ghana Premier League.

Rebranding to Legon Cities FC
In 2019, Wa All Stars was rebranded as Legon Cities FC due to a change in ownership and a strategic decision to establish the club in Accra.

Reasons for the Name Change
The name change was driven by:

- Change in Ownership: New ownership led to the rebranding.

- Strategic Relocation: The new owners aimed to relocate the club's identity to Accra, specifically linking it with the prestigious Legon area, home to the University of Ghana.

- Brand Identity: The name change to Legon Cities FC was intended to build a new brand identity associated with the University of Ghana and the surrounding area in Accra.

9. Liberty Professionals' Name Change to Hohoe United

The name "Liberty Professionals" was used for the first time in the Ghana Premier League in the 1999 season. The team played in the top-flight league for 19 seasons before being relegated at the end of the 2020-21 season.

Name Change
In June 2023, Liberty Professionals sold its Division One slot to new owners, led by Hon. John Peter Amewu, and the club was renamed Hohoe United. The Ghana Football Association (GFA) approved the name change after receiving the necessary documents.

Recent Development
In June 2025, Hohoe United was crowned champions of Division One League Zone 3 and secured promotion to the Ghana Premier League.

Additionally, the 2025-26 Ghana Premier League season is about to kick off, featuring these teams and more. The league has a rich history, and teams continue to evolve with changes in ownership and names.