StarTimes Begins Settlement of Outstanding $800k Debt to GFA

StarTimes Ghana has begun the process of settling the outstanding balance of over $800,000 owed to the Ghana Football Association (GFA), according to the company’s Public Relations Officer, Eli Kondoh.

The Chinese pay-TV broadcaster had entered into a five-year broadcast agreement worth $5.25 million with the GFA in 2020 to televise the Ghana Premier League. However, with the expiration of the deal, the broadcast rights for the 2024/25 season were awarded to AFA TV and Globe TV.

Speaking to Joy Sports, Kondoh confirmed that a portion of the outstanding debt has already been paid in recent weeks, reaffirming the company’s ongoing commitment to Ghanaian football.

“If you’re owing somebody in excess of five million dollars and you pay as much, and it’s left with a little over eight hundred thousand dollars, it means that a lot of money has gone into the whole project,” Kondoh stated. “Just a few weeks ago, some amount of that outstanding balance has already been paid. So it means that StarTimes remains committed to the project of building Ghana football.”

While renewal negotiations between StarTimes and the GFA were officially abandoned in May 2025 due to the unsettled debt, the broadcaster has expressed openness to returning in a different capacity.

“It might not be specifically the Ghana Premier League—or maybe just an aspect of the league—but there are talks ongoing. It could be production,” Kondoh disclosed. “So the talks are still in progress, and once they are finalised, I’m sure you’ll get hold of it, and then we can communicate to the viewers exactly the details of the new terms that might come up.”

The GFA had previously announced the termination of renewal discussions with StarTimes, citing the broadcaster’s failure to fully honour the financial terms of the initial contract. This prompted a shift in the association’s broadcast strategy.

However, the recent efforts by StarTimes to clear the remaining debt and maintain dialogue with the GFA suggest that a renewed partnership—perhaps in a redefined role—remains on the table.