Gumani FC Crowned 2026 MTN SavannahFest Champions
Gumani FC has completed a remarkable turnaround to win the 2026 MTN SavannahFest Football Gala, just a year after finishing fourth in the competition.
Gumani defeated Sakasaka FC 2-0 in the final at the NOBISCO Football Park in Tamale to lift the championship trophy and take-home GH¢20,000 in prize money.
Sakasaka FC received GH¢10,000 as runners-up, while Sabonjida FC finished third after beating Shishegu FC 1-0 and received GH¢5,000.
Gumani coach Abdul Latif Wakil attributed the triumph to lessons from last year’s campaign and improved preparation ahead of this year’s competition. He said the team returned to the community after last year’s fourth-place finish to assess its performance and identify areas that needed improvement.
Wakil believes the MTN SavannahFest gala can also become a pathway for young footballers if scouting is introduced in future editions. He has called on MTN Ghana to consider inviting football scouts to identify outstanding players and connect them to opportunities with professional clubs.
Meanwhile, MTN Retail Experience Manager for the North, Kwami Aseye Akude, says the expansion of the tournament demonstrates the company’s commitment to bringing communities together and creating opportunities for local talent.
Akude noted that the 2026 edition featured 16 teams, twice the number that participated in the previous year.
He said the festival was particularly significant as it formed part of activities marking MTN Ghana’s 30th anniversary, describing this year’s celebration as bigger and better than previous editions.
“This is one of the ones that I can say has been very big and better than the ones we have done over the years. We hope that next year we will make it bigger and better than this year,” he stated.
The month-long SavannahFest featured a football gala, music concert, health walk, free health screening and community clean-up exercise.
With Gumani FC now crowned champions, MTN Ghana says it will work to make next year’s edition bigger and better.
