Ghana awarded IRL Full Membership

Rugby League Federation Ghana has been approved as the 15th full member of International Rugby League following the 2025 Annual General Meeting on December 18.

The historic achievement caps a 13-year journey that began through a collaboration between sponsors Hector and Sara Giwa-McNeil and the British government, which, in collaboration with European Rugby League, integrated the sport into its local leadership development initiatives and led to the creation of the governing body in 2014. Within six years of joining the rugby league family, Rugby League Federation Ghana went on to achieve affiliate membership and is now the first NF to achieve full membership under the policy introduced in 2019. The policy is intended to promote strongly governed, financially prudent, operationally proficient, self-sufficient members running well administered competitions, all of which will contribute to growth.

IRL Chair Troy Grant said: “On behalf of the IRL Board, I would like to congratulate RLFG for this fantastic achievement. It is a fantastic story. Since the project began in 2012 the Ghanian rugby league community has gone from strength to strength and is an absolute testimony to what can be achieved with good governance. They have worked diligently over many years to grow their organisational infrastructure in a sustainable manner and the scope of their activity is very impressive. From schoolboys and schoolgirls in multiple areas of the country, right the way through to the national teams, domestic pathways exist and a true rugby league community has been created and nurtured. Everyone involved should be very proud of this accomplishment. RLFG is in many ways a pioneer and we look forward to seeing other aspirational full members follow in their footsteps.”

All of RLFG’s extensive activity is covered by the NF’s prolific communications team and a wide digital footprint. including the rl-ghana.com website.

Governance

Rugby League Federation Ghana is overseen by an experienced Board of Trustees that empower executive authority to a Board of Directors which, along with RLFG staff and committees, runs the day-to-day operations of the NF. Ghana has six clubs, four of which are legal entities: Accra Panthers RLFC, Bulls RLFC, Nungua Tigers, Skolars RLC (named in honour of McNeil, the founder of London Skolars RLFC), Dragons and UG Titans. The National Sports Authority recognises RLFG as the NF for rugby league in the country.

Local activity

Ghana has had a 13-a-side club competition for six years. It introduced women’s rugby league in 2022 then youth – both boys and girls - in 2023. Fourteen teams participated in the 2025 season, with over 430 registered players. In the period between July 2024-June 2025 RLFG’s dozens of volunteers and trained schools educators delivered rugby league to approximately 2000 individual participants, via over 400 training sessions across 30 schools, six clubs and four regions (Greater Accra, Volta, Ashanti and Northern Region).

The NF also partners with local actors through a series of community programmes, such as Nineka Youth Foundation’s Youth Empowerment Camp; beach rugby league-beach clean up drives; and breast and prostate cancer screening initiatives.

Technical education

RLFG, which becomes the second Middle East-Africa full member, alongside South Africa, is also the first to achieve full compliance with the IRL's technical education system. It has two IRL Level 1 Coach Educators, three IRL Level 1 Match Official Educators – one of whom is a woman – seven accredited IRL Level 1 Coaches and 11 IRL Level 1 Match Officials (five accredited, having completed their professional development modules; six certified, having attended the level 1 course).

Representative programme

Ghana has fielded national teams since 2019, when its men’s team first participated in the MEA Championship in Nigeria. Ghana then hosted the MEA Championship in 2022. It fielded its first women’s team in 2023 and has an established domestic representative programme, with the Origins Cup and President’s Cup feeding the national selections.

RLFG President Juliana Storey said: "As President of the Rugby League Federation Ghana (RLFG), I am overwhelmed with immense joy and pride at the news that Ghana has attained Full Membership of the International Rugby League (IRL) under my stewardship. With the exception of South Africa, Ghana now stands as the first nation on the African continent to strive for and achieve this prestigious status within the global rugby league family.

"This remarkable achievement is the result of the hard work, commitment, and diligence of our dedicated stakeholders and highly determined individuals who worked tirelessly to meet every requirement and criterion set by the IRL. Their resilience, passion, and belief in the vision of rugby league in Ghana made this historic milestone possible.

"On behalf of the entire RLFG team, we pledge to uphold the highest standards expected of IRL members and to continue developing rugby league across Ghana and the wider African continent. We are committed to serving as a beacon of best practice, and as ambassadors who reflect the true values and spirit of the game, with the continued guidance and support of the IRL.

"We are deeply proud of this status and look forward to capitalising on the opportunities it presents—both now and in the future—for the growth and global recognition of rugby league in Ghana and beyond."

Other than Tonga Rugby XIII, which replaced an expelled Tongan organisation in 2024, Ghana becomes the first new IRL Full Member since Italy in 2017 - joining Australia, Cook Islands, England, Fiji, France, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Serbia, South Africa, Tonga, Ukraine and Wales.

RLFG's application spanned two full years. A number of other Full Member applications are being considered.