The Borteyman Sports Complex in Accra was filled with excitement on Saturday, August 30, 2025, as young refugees from across Ghana showcased their skills in the maiden Refugee Football Scouting Tournament.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Amahoro Coalition in partnership with Samaritan Angels, and supported by the Ghana Refugee Board and Challenges Ghana, was designed to use football as a tool for social inclusion, youth development, and sustainable livelihood pathways for refugees living in Ghana.
The tournament created a structured platform for young refugees to display their talent before scouts, team owners, and even former Black Stars players.
Organizers noted that the event aimed not only to nurture sporting potential but also to create meaningful opportunities that can steer refugee youth away from crime and towards productive futures.
“I think what we’re achieving is that we’re providing a platform, our goal is not to necessarily achieve anything from Amahoro, our goal is to provide the platform for these young boys and girls to have the opportunity to bring their talents together,” founder of Amahoro Coalition, Isaac Fokuo, told JoySports in an interview.
“All we do is that we bring private sector access, people that we know, people that we get in touch with who are connected, we bring together and say what can we do for these young people and that’s it. All we do is walk side by side with them,” he added.
Key stakeholders from football, including former Asante Kotoko Chief Executive Officer Nana Yaw Amponsah, Black Stars goalkeepers coach, Fatawu Dauda, Hearts of Oaks head coach
Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, Emmanuel Agyeman Badu and refugee development circles attended the event, including Samaritan Angels, which brought its expertise in youth scouting and development, with links to club owners across Ghana’s football divisions.
The Ghana Refugee Board also emphasized the importance of initiatives that support the well-being and long-term prospects of displaced persons.
By the close of the tournament, 17 players had caught the eye of scouts. These selected boys will now join football academies in Ghana, where they will receive professional training and potentially pursue opportunities abroad.
Organizers plan to make the Refugee Football Tournament an annual event, underscoring its role in using sport as a vehicle for inclusion, empowerment, and transformation within refugee communities.