ACCC

Flying Start for GRA Hockey Teams at 2026 ACCC

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Hockey teams have enjoyed impressive starts at the ongoing Africa Cup for Club Championship (ACCC) in Harare, Zimbabwe, recording important wins in their opening group games. In the men’s division, GRA showed resilience in a tough opening encounter, edging Hotspurs of Zambia 1-0, with Andy Adjetey scoring the decisive goal. In their second match played yesterday, the GRA men delivered a dominant display, thrashing Bulawayo 8-1. Goals came from Henry Quartey, Ernest Obeng Opoku, Peter Mantey, Mohammed Ibrahim, and Luke Damalie, who netted a hat-trick to earn the Man of the Match award. Speaking after the game, Damalie said the team remained focused despite the impressive start. “The team is focused and determined to continue with the winning formula. We are taking each game one step at a time. We remain committed to the task ahead and are happy with this win because it has boosted our morale going into the next game,” he said. In the women’s division, the Royal Ladies of GRA, who are the defending champions, also opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Lakers of Kenya. The goals were scored in each half by Vivian Narkuor and Elizabeth Opoku, with Narkuor going on to win the Player of the Match award. They followed up yesterday with another composed performance, coming from behind to defeat Bulawayo 6-2. After conceding the opening goals, the Ghanaians rallied strongly through their captain, Elizabeth Opoku, who scored a hat-trick. Additional goals came from Vivian Narkuor and Mavis Berko, with Mavis being named Woman of the Match. In her post-match interview, Berko acknowledged the challenge posed by the hosts but emphasised the team’s championship mentality. “Bulawayo gave us a run for our money, but our vision to return the trophy to Ghana pushed us through. Our management, the playing body and the entire country are behind us. Champions don’t have it easy defending titles, but our teamwork and winning mentality earned us the victory and the three maximum points,” she said. The Ghanaian teams will be back in action today against Hippo Hockey Club of Zimbabwe in their third group matches as they continue their quest for continental glory. Source: Ghanaian Times | January 26, 2026

ACCC

GRA hockey teams target continental glory at Africa Club Championship in Zimbabwe

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) hockey teams have arrived in Harare, Zimbabwe, ahead of the Africa Cup for Club Championship, with the Head of the GRA Sports Unit, Mr Ebenezer Frimpong, leading preparations and expressing confidence in a strong continental showing. The Africa Cup for Club Championship is scheduled to take place in Harare from January 24 to February 31, 2026, and will bring together top club sides from across the continent to compete for honours. Speaking from the team’s hotel in Zimbabwe, Mr Frimpong said the GRA teams were fully focused on the task ahead and determined to represent both the Authority and Ghana with distinction. “The journey to another Africa success starts tomorrow… As the Head of GRA sports unit, we owe the Authority and Ghana success in this continental competition,” he said. Mr Frimpong, who previously served as head coach of the national hockey team between 2015 and 2023, said the teams had gone into the competition well prepared, both physically and mentally, following months of structured training. “Everything looks good at the moment. We don’t have any major injuries in camp,” he noted, adding that the coaches and technical teams had undergone coaching education, leadership and psychological training ahead of the tournament. He explained that preparations had been comprehensive and deliberately designed to meet the demands of high-level competition. “The teams have covered physical, technical, tactical, psychological, and theoretical training, focusing on intensity, volume, and stress management,” he disclosed. Mr Frimpong also paid tribute to the leadership of the Ghana Revenue Authority for its sustained support of hockey and sports development, stressing that institutional backing had been critical to the teams’ progress over the years. “The success story of GRA hockey teams and the sports unit … will be incomplete without the mention of the leadership’s immense support and commitment to using sports as a tool for national development,” he said. With a Master’s degree in Sports Management and currently pursuing a PhD, Mr Frimpong brings a wealth of academic and practical experience to his role. He has also served on the Africa Hockey Federation’s Athletes Committee and Umpires Committee, experience he says is proving valuable in guiding the teams at continental level. “My rich experience and knowledge in sports will be brought to the table. The teams have prepared through general, specific, and pre-competition phases, with focus on nutrition and sports performance. They are ready to take on the challenge and make Ghana proud,” he said. The GRA hockey teams will be hoping to translate that preparation into success as the Africa Cup for Club Championship gets underway in Harare. Source: GraphicOnline  | Jan – 25 – 2026

ACCC

Lakers bounce back with win over Hippo as USIU-A open ACCC campaign in style

The Kisumu-based club had lost their opening match to defending champions Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). Kenya’s representatives at the Africa Cup for Club Champions (ACCC) in Harare registered mixed, but encouraging results in the opening days of the continental tournament. Lakers Hockey Club bounced back from an opening defeat to claim a commanding victory, while USIU-A announced their arrival with an impressive win in the men’s competition. Lakers began their women’s campaign on a difficult note, losing 2-0 to defending champions Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). Despite a competitive first half, the Kenyan champions were unable to match GRA’s intensity in the closing stages. Head coach Austin Tuju attributed the defeat to fatigue. “We had the match-up until mid-second quarter. Maybe fatigue had a lot to do with our slack performance in the third and fourth quarters. We expect better performances, and we are going for nothing but wins in our next matches,” said Tuju. On the second day of competition, Lakers produced a dominant display to defeat Hippo Hockey Club of Zimbabwe 4-1, reigniting their campaign. Milicent Adhiambo starred with a brace, while Alice Owiti and Debra Otieno added a goal each. The victory kept Lakers firmly in contention in the four-team women’s pool, which also includes Bulawayo and GRA. In the men’s competition, USIU-A convincingly opened their campaign with a 4-1 victory over Kampala Hockey Club of Uganda. Goals from Brian Ogenche, Borris Lukorito, Lawrence Makhatsa and Robinson Omutekete sealed a confident performance for the Kenyan students, who are competing in a demanding Pool A alongside Egyptian giants Sharkia and Portfouad, School of Excellence (Namibia) and Kampala. Coach John Kabuu was pleased with the opening result, but called for sharper finishing. “Good start for the boys. We can only build from that. We need to be more clinical upfront in the forthcoming games,” said Kabuu. The win gave USIU-A early momentum as they navigate one of the toughest groups in the tournament. Both Kenyan sides face crucial fixtures as the group stages intensify. Lakers will finish their round-robin matches against Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) on Monday, 26 January, USIU-A Sunday, take on Portfouad (Egypt) on Monday, 26 January. They will then face SoEHC (Namibia) on Wednesday, 28 January, before closing their pool matches against Sharkia (Egypt) on Thursday, 29 January. The top teams from the pools will progress to the classification and semi-final rounds scheduled for 30 and 31 January. With Lakers now back on track and USIU-A off to a strong start, Kenyan hopes remain alive in both competitions. For Lakers, consistency will be key in their bid to challenge women’s defending champions GRA, while USIU-A’s young squad will be tested against the experience and structure of Egypt’s top clubs. As the ACCC enters its decisive phase, Kenya’s representatives will be aiming to convert promising early signs into sustained continental success. Source: mozzartsport.co.ke | 26.01.26

ACCC

GRA Hockey teams in Zimbabwe for Africa Cup Club Championship

The men and women’s hockey teams of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Wednesday left for Harare, Zimbabwe, to represent Ghana at the 2026 Africa Cup Club Championship (ACCC), scheduled for January 24-31. They secured the slots after impressive performances in the domestic league. The men’s team finished second in the Salpholda Hockey League, while the women’s team were crowned champions to earn qualification to the continental showpiece. The Royal Ladies head into the tournament as defending champions of the women’s division and are aiming to defend their title and chase a historic sixth continental crown. They will open their campaign against Lakers Hockey Club of Kenya, before taking on Bulawayo Hockey Club and Hippo Hockey Club, both from Zimbabwe. The GRA men’s team has been drawn into Pool B, where they will face Hotspurs, Bulawayo Hockey Club, and Hippo Hockey Club, all from Zimbabwe. The men are targeting a podium finish this year after previously ending their campaigns at the classification stage. Speaking ahead of departure, women’s Head Coach, Ida Marmon, expressed confidence in her squad’s readiness and ambition. “We are going to bring the trophy back. By God’s grace, we will return with it. The girls have trained well and I can confidently say they are 100 per cent fit for the competition,” she assured. Madam Marmon added that she was not burdened by pressure heading into the tournament. The Men’s Head Coach, Victor Sowah, is also confident his side would shine at the championship, saying, “So far, I believe we have done everything required in terms of preparation. The responsibility now lies with us to go there and perform according to plan,” he stated. Addressing expectations, Coach Sowah noted that the men’s competition was always competitive and that reflected in the kind of training the team went through. He acknowledged the defensive lapses observed during the league season but assured that corrective measures have been taken. Coach Sowah commended the GRA administration for their immense support, adding that “the best way to appreciate the effort from management is to win the championship in both categories.” Source: Ghanaian Times | January 23, 2026

FIH announces match schedules for FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

FIH announces match schedules for FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

22 Jan, 2026 The match schedules for the upcoming FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers that will be played in Chile (City of Santiago), Egypt (Ismailia) and India (Hyderabad) have been confirmed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and are available via the links below: City of Santiago, Chile (28 February – 8 March 2026) – Match schedule available here Women: Australia, Japan, Ireland, Chile, France, Canada, Malaysia and Switzerland Men: France, Ireland, Korea, Wales, Scotland, Canada, Poland and Chile Hyderabad, Telangana, India (8 – 14 March 2026) – Match schedule available here Women: England, India, Scotland, Korea, Italy, Uruguay, Wales and Austria Ismailia, Egypt (1–7 March 2026) – Match schedule available here Men: England, Malaysia, Pakistan, Egypt, Japan, Austria, China and USA The Qualifiers represent the final stage of qualification for this year’s FIH Hockey World Cup, which will be hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands (15-30 August 2026). Seven teams per gender will qualify through these events, which promise to be among the highlights of the FIH calendar next year. The teams finishing first, second, and third in each tournament will secure their place at next year’s FIH flagship event. The highest world-ranked team among those finishing in fourth place in each event will be the seventh team to qualify (see Qualification System here). The teams qualifying through these tournaments will join an impressive line-up of 18 teams (9 per gender) that have already qualified, either through the FIH Hockey Pro League, the Continental Championships, or as hosts.worl For more information about FIH and hockey in general, please download the Watch.Hockey app or follow the FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and website. #HWC2026 #MadeForHockey Source: FIH.hockey