The 9th Ghana University Sports Association (Mini GUSA Games) climaxed last Thursday at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), with the University of Cape Coast (UCC) emerging as the overall best-performing university.
The week-long competition, which ran from May 5 to May 15, 2026, brought together student-athletes from 14 public universities across Ghana under the theme “Integrating University Sports with Academic Professionalism.”
Sponsorship and Patronage
The games were sponsored by Fenaam Industries Limited, producers of Peeva Beverage and Water, alongside support from Ekow Nunoo Enterprise.
The event was held under the distinguished patronage of the Vice-Chancellor of UPSA, Prof. John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, whose leadership was instrumental in the successful hosting of the competition.
Participating Institutions
Participating universities included Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Education, Winneba (UEW), University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), University for Development Studies (UDS), University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU), University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC), and several others.
Medal Standings
At the end of the competition, UCC topped the medal table with 21 gold, 18 silver and 11 bronze medals, recording a total haul of 50 medals.
KNUST placed second overall, while UEW finished third with 47 medals.
Football Drama
UEW dominated the football competition, clinching gold in soccer after a tense 1–0 victory over rivals UCC in the final at UPSA Park. The decisive goal came from a controversial penalty converted moments before halftime, sparking wild celebrations among UEW players and supporters.
Excellence Across Disciplines
Beyond football, UCC excelled across several disciplines, including table tennis, tennis, badminton, athletics women, volleyball women and men’s basketball. UEW also topped the Athletics Men category.
GUSA President Speaks
Speaking at the closing ceremony, President of GUSA, Shaibu Ibrahim Tanko, praised UPSA for successfully hosting the competition and commended athletes for their dedication and sportsmanship.
According to him, the competition was not only about winning medals but also about promoting unity, discipline, leadership and national integration among students.
He further applauded UPSA management, staff and students for their hospitality and commitment throughout the tournament.
Postponement of Main Games
In an interview on the sidelines of the event, Mr. Tanko explained that the Mini GUSA Games were organised following the postponement of the main GUSA Games, which were scheduled to be hosted by UEW.
“Mini GUSA is a period that we normally use to select our athletes for international competitions like the FISU Games. Unfortunately, this year, UEW, which was to host the GUSA Games, postponed it to next year, January,” he explained.
He added that the games were necessary to keep student-athletes active and competitive throughout the academic year.
“We did not want the students to stay the whole year without sports. You could see the excitement among them. They are happy that they are playing games,” he stated.
Challenges and Call for Investment
Mr. Tanko highlighted funding and inadequate sporting infrastructure as major challenges facing university sports in Ghana, particularly for racket games such as badminton and table tennis.
“Sports is very expensive, so if you are doing sports, you really need funding,” he said, calling on government and stakeholders to invest more in sports infrastructure and athlete development.
He stressed the need for more facilities to support disciplines such as badminton and table tennis, noting that organisers struggled to secure adequate playing spaces during the competition.
Awards and Closing
Winners in the various disciplines received medals, while universities that placed first overall were presented with trophies. UCC, as overall champions, received a giant trophy in recognition of their outstanding performance.
