The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has outlined the procedure to acquire the licence to participate in the 2023-24 CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup competitions.
The most crucial amongst the listed requirements is for every club to have a women's football team to be able to acquire the licence.
As part of the moves to empower women and the promotion of women's football, CAF insists that any men's team without a women's team will be ineligible to participate in CAF inter-club competitions starting from the 2023-24 season.
A circular from CAF Club Licensing Board to the member associations highlights the requirement for clubs to women's team in order to qualify to play in the 2023-24 CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup respectively.
However, in Ghana, the only top-flight side to boast of a women's football team is former 2000 African champions, Hearts of Oak, but they aren't in the position to secure a spot in the continental competitions next season.
Medeama SC, current leaders of the Ghana Premier League and second-placed Bechem United are the two teams likely to book their place in the CAF Champions League, but none of these clubs have a women's football team.
Also, in the FA Cup, where the winner will represent Ghana in the CAF Confederation Cup, has Dreams FC and King Faisal Babes in the final to be played this month.
None of the FA Cup finalists have established a women's football team, meaning they don't meet the requirements to be able to get the licence to participate in the Confederation Cup next season.
However, clubs who wish to participate in the CAF Club competitions can affiliate with an entity that operates a women's first team club.
Clubs are, therefore, obliged to join forces with either one of the women's premier league teams to be able to be given the licence into the CAF inter-club competitions next season.
Below the requirements to acquire a licence for the 2023-24 CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup:
