By Tilda Acorlor
The Volta Regional Ministers’ Cup has been rebranded as “VOLTA CUP”. Volta Regional Minister Mr. James Gunu said the change is to ensure the tournament outlives successive administrations and builds a lasting legacy for football development in the region.
The Regional Minister said this at a joint press briefing with the Volta Regional Football Association (VRFA) Chairman, Mr Daniel Agbogah in Ho on Thursday.
“Last year we played the Volta Regional Ministers Cup. We want to have it annually, but this year we have decided to change the name of the game from Regional Ministers Cup to Volta Cup, because we believe that regional ministers will come and regional ministers will go, but Volta Region remains Volta Region,” Mr. Gunu stated.
The Minister said the vision for the rebranded competition extends beyond football.
“Football is not only the passion of the nation and the region, but football is also not only a profession. Football has become a business, and we believe that if we can groom young talents who will play international football, they will become breadwinners for their families, they will be able to transform their communities, the region, and the entire country,” he said.
Mr. Gunu added that the ultimate goal is to produce future Black Star players.
“So the next time we are going to the World Cup, we will see some young talents who will come out of this Volta Cup to be playing with the national team, the Black Stars, in the World Cup.”
He also confirmed that top performers from this year’s tournament will get the opportunity to feature in trial matches in Portugal this November.
VRFA Chairman Mr. Daniel Agbogah said the tournament, initially slated for February, was postponed to allow for a more profitable and legacy-driven model.
“A new date has been set, and there’s a new model for the program. The Minister made us aware that he wants the Regional Ministers Cup to be profitable to the participants, and so we needed to have a comprehensive discussion about it, and so to come up with something that will be a legacy for the region,” Mr. Agbogah said.
The 2026 edition will serve as the official selection exercise for Volta Region’s U19 team for the GFA Elite U19 Championship.
“We have drawn players across the region. During the league, we selected the best players. So over 80 players have been picked from the various zones. We have divided the region into eight zones, and so eight teams will be participating in the program, and so it’s on a knockout basis,” he explained.
“Selection will be made from that exercise, and then the players that are picked from the exercise will be camped for the subsequent programs,” he added.
Mr. Agbogah said the region is targeting success both locally and internationally.
“We will go to the national U19 tournament, the Elite Championship, with a team to test the strength of the team. In any case, we really want to win that tournament too before November comes, and then we will take the team to Portugal with the support of the Minister and his partners who are on board.”
He said Volta will use the GFA Elite Championship from 24th to 30th August to “test the strength of the team” ahead of the planned Portugal trip.
The Volta Regional Minister’s Cup was first introduced on 14th February 2025, with a mandate to promote unity and love while hunting for the next big football talent from the Volta Region.
