Abedi Ayew 'Pele' closes FIFA Financial Governance Workshop in Accra

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Ghana football legend Abedi Ayew 'Pele' has emphasized the importance of financial education in football, citing his own experiences as a player and investor in the sport. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the three-day FIFA Financial Governance Workshop at the Marriot Hotel in Accra on Friday, January 31, 2025, Pele encouraged the Ghana Football Association to share the lessons learned from the workshop with local clubs.

The three-time African Footballer of the year joined representatives from 10 African Countries to close what has been a successful workshop in Accra.

‘’It’s a privilege to here, joining hands with you to close this immaculate program. I am an investor in the game and that singular decision to invest in football was purely based on the fact that I wanted to give back to society after my success on the pitch’’ he said.

‘’I played football to the highest level, met a lot of people who helped my cause and spent money on my career so having an education on Finance is very important’’.

‘’I will call on the Ghana Football Association to share lessons from this training with our clubs for us to understand the importance and value on best Financial practices to save our football’’.

‘’As Football Associations and Federations, we owe it a duty to educate our clubs on best financial practices. Let’s spread the word, and make good use of the lessons from this workshop to promote, develop and enhance the game’' the former Olympique Marseille player added.

The FIFA Financial Governance Workshop took off on Wednesday, January 29 and ended on Friday, January 31, 2025. Participating countries included, host Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Cape Verde, The Gambia, and Kenya.

The workshop covered key topics such as financial management, accountability, transparency, and efficient resource use within football organizations.

This training also provided participants with valuable insights and tools to fortify their organizations' financial foundations, ensuring long-term sustainability, accountability, and effective resource management in football.

The Head of FIFA Financial Governance, Christopher Suppiger led the facilitators for the three-day programme. Others included Lucca Piazza, Director, Reforms Implementation, Meryem Atouk, FIFA's Finance Services Manager; Andrea Portabella, Senior Capacity Development and Education Manager; Silmara Sousa, FIFA Regional Coordinator for Africa; and Raissa Toure, FIFA Division Office Coordinator.

Maxwell Caesar Kemeh, an experienced administrator at the Competitions Department, serves as the Local Liaison Officer for the workshop.

Abedi Ayew 'Pele' is a former Ghana captain who played for Lyon, Al Ain, 1860 Munich, Al Sadd, FC Zurich, Torino and Olympique Marseille where he won the UEFA Champions League in 1993. The former Real Tamale United player won 73 caps and scored 19 goals for Ghana during an international career that spanned 16-years.

The workshop participants were honored with a customized sash and a signed jersey, presented by the legendary Abedi Ayew 'Pele'.

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