Former Ghana international Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has questioned the decision to schedule Ghana Premier League (GPL) matches at the same time as high-profile English Premier League fixtures, arguing that Ghana’s domestic competition must find ways to avoid direct clashes with major European games.
Speaking on GTV Sports+, Agyemang-Badu stressed that the Ghana Premier League cannot realistically expect to attract a larger television audience when its matches are scheduled against some of the biggest fixtures in European football.
“You cannot compete with the EPL. You cannot compete with La Liga. So you put the GPL at 3 PM when Man United are playing Man City at the same time? For Christ’s sake, let’s be real,” Agyemang-Badu said.
His comments highlight the growing debate around how the GPL can improve its visibility, television audience and commercial appeal in an increasingly competitive football market.
According to Agyemang-Badu, Ghanaian football authorities and broadcasters need to be more strategic with fixture scheduling rather than placing domestic matches directly against high-profile European encounters that already command huge followings among Ghanaian supporters.
He suggested that GPL matches could be moved to alternative time slots, particularly on Saturdays, when major European leagues dominate television schedules.
The former Black Stars midfielder believes earlier kick-off times could give the domestic league a better opportunity to capture the attention of football fans before the major European fixtures begin.
Agyemang-Badu has also previously raised concerns about other challenges confronting the GPL, including player salaries, the quality of playing pitches and the difficulty clubs face in retaining their best talents.
He argues that these issues are interconnected. Better facilities and improved financial incentives could help clubs retain talented players, while keeping recognizable players in the league could in turn help attract supporters to stadiums and increase the competition’s commercial value.
His latest comments therefore add fixture scheduling to the list of areas he believes require serious attention if the Ghana Premier League is to strengthen its appeal.
Rather than attempting to compete directly with the world’s most-watched domestic leagues, Agyemang-Badu’s proposal is for the GPL to identify viewing windows where it can establish its own audience.
The debate now places responsibility on the Ghana Football Association and broadcast partners to consider whether future GPL fixtures can be scheduled in a way that gives the domestic league greater visibility without unnecessary clashes with major European football.
