The 2025-26 Ghana Premier League season will commence on 12th September 2025 and run until 23rd or 24th May 2026. The fixtures, as promised, were announced on Monday, 4th August 2025, in the early morning.
As clubs prepare for the upcoming season, which promises to be exciting, they have all learned the teams they will face.
Here, we analyse the top five derbies Ghanaian football fans should look out for in the upcoming season.
- The Super Clash (Hearts of Oak v Asante Kotoko)
The biggest derby in the Ghanaian football calendar is undoubtedly the Super Clash, which has divided families and friends for over half a century. Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko’s clash needs no introduction, as both teams always want to have the bragging rights over the other. Phobia’s home fixture in week five against their perennial rivals, Asante Kotoko, will be a make-or-break tie for the Accra-based club because they are yet to record a win over Asante Kotoko in two years. Hearts of Oak’s last victory against Asante Kotoko in the Ghana Premier League came on 5th March 2023 when Caleb Amankwah’s second-half strike ensured a narrow 1-0 win. Fans of Phobia are not happy with the winless run against Kotoko, as it will be over 30 months without a win by the time the game is played. Kotoko recently defeated Hearts of Oak 2-1 in the President Cup at the Accra Sports Stadium, helping them to have an immense mental advantage over their rivals. Both teams will kick off the new season with new head coaches, with Phobia appointing Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, while Abdul-Karim Zito was confirmed as the permanent head coach of Fabulous during the pre-season. The return leg will be played in Kumasi in Week 30.
- Volta Derby (Hohoe United v Heart of Lions)
Hohoe United, formerly Liberty Professionals, champions of Zone 3 of the Access Bank Division One League in the 2024-25 season, will have a full taste of the Ghana Premier League. The Hohoe-based club will fully know how cruel and beautiful life is at the top flight since changing the name from Liberty Professionals. The two teams will entertain football fans in the Volta Region in round 17- the last match day of the first round. Heart of Lions’ second-place finish last season was all down to self-belief and discipline, and they are determined to challenge for the title under the guidance of veteran head coach Bashir Hayford, who has suddenly turned them into title contenders. The two teams will meet on the final day of the season, where it will probably be a dead rubber then.
- Western Derby (Samartex v Medeama)
Two recent champions, Medeama (2022-23) and Smartex (2023-24), made football fans in the Western Region long existing dream became reality after keeping the Ghana Premier League title for 24 months. Their astonishing achievements have made them tougher opponents, with both aiming for another league title in the imminent season. Matchday 13 in Samraboi at the Nsenkyire Park will be the first game between the two Western giants. There is not much animosity between the two teams, but bragging rights between the citizens of Samraboi and Tarkwa add something special to it. Round 30 at the TNA Park in Tarkwa is the date for the return leg, where the fixture could determine the positions of the two clubs.
- Ashanti Derby ( Nations FC V Asante Kotoko)
Nations FC is officially Asante Kotoko’s bogey side in the Ghana Premier League. The Abrankese club have recorded three wins and one draw in the two seasons they have spent so far in the Ghana Premier League. The club defeated Asante Kotoko home and away in the 2024-25 season and has a complete mental edge over the Kumasi-based club. Asante Kotoko, under Karim Zito, will try to end the miserable record against Nations FC. The first fixture of the season will be played in Week Nine at the Dr Kwame Kyei Sports Complex in the second week of November. The return leg will be played in Oseikrom in Week 26, where it could play a part in the positions of the teams on the league log. Kasim Mingle has enjoyed life against Asante Kotoko at Nations FC and would love to continue. Nations were in contention for the title last season, but due to horrible decisions, they lost their moment and collapsed suddenly.
- Bono Derby ( Aduana Stars v Berekum Chelsea
There are so many derbies in the Bono Region as four teams are to compete in the 2025-26 Ghana Premier League season. Berekum Chelsea, Aduana Stars, Young Apostles and Techiman Eleven Wonders will all aim to finish within the top six or seven, but they will need a massive effort before they can achieve that. Fixtures between these clubs are always fiercely contested, especially when the games are fixed in the early or middle part of the season. Aduana Stars and Berekum Chelsea are unquestionably the established clubs among the four Bono sides in the top flight, hence making their fixtures more appealing than the others. The Ogya Boys will be busy in weeks 10 and 11 as they will travel to Kumasi to face Asante Kotoko and will welcome Samuel Boadu’s Chelsea, respectively. The return leg will be played at the Berekum Golden City Park. Aduana Stars won four points against Chelsea and are preparing to improve upon their abysmal 10th-place finish last season. Berekum Chelsea, on the other hand, were much disastrous even though they reached the semi-finals of the MTN FA Cup, but finished lowly 12th position in the league. Dormaa Ahenkro and Berekum will be buzzing as usual when the two Bono giants clash.
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