The Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Football Association (GARFA), Samuel Aboabire, has hailed the inaugural Roc Cup youth tournament as a major step towards unearthing the next generation of African football talent, insisting the initiative must be sustained to unlock opportunities for young players and deliver long-term economic benefits.

GARFA provided key logistical and technical support for the successful staging of the six-day tournament, organised by Roc Nation Sports International (RNSI) at the University of Ghana Stadium from February 23 to 28.

The competition brought together 10 youth teams from five West African countries, creating a platform for promising players to showcase their potential before an impressive gathering of international scouts.

In the final, SOAR Academy of Guinea edged Racing Club d’Abidjan of Côte d’Ivoire 1-0 to claim the inaugural title, with Mr Aboabire—who also serves on the Ghana Football Association Executive Council and the Black Stars Management Committee—presenting medals and the trophy to the champions.

One of the tournament’s most significant outcomes was the strong presence of talent scouts from over 30 leading European clubs, including Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Genk, Antwerp, Lyon, Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen.

According to Grant Veitch, Director of African Football Recruitment at RNSI, several players have already received invitations to travel to Europe for further assessments following recommendations by the attending scouts.

Speaking to the Graphic Sports after the tournament, Mr Aboabire—popularly known in football circles as “Kataa”—expressed delight at the level of talent on display and the opportunities the event has created for the participating youngsters.

“We are very happy to be partners in the organisation of this maiden Roc Cup tournament. The level of talent discovered and the competition we witnessed was an excellent demonstration of the huge reservoir of potential footballers waiting for an opportunity,” he said.

Mr Aboabire stressed that GARFA remains committed to supporting similar initiatives aimed at developing young players and providing a clear pathway to professional careers.

“We are always ready to assist in hosting more such tournaments. I believe this presents a great opportunity to unearth talent, including those in the diaspora, and to create careers that can bring massive economic benefits to these young players and their families,” he emphasised.