The 50th Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Awards—the Golden Jubilee edition celebrating five decades of sporting excellence—kicked off on November 15, 2025, at 6:00 PM GMT at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) in Accra.
This prestigious event honors outstanding achievements in Ghanaian sports across various disciplines, including football, athletics, boxing, and more. It’s a landmark night, with 50 sports personalities, legends, heroes, and heroines being recognized on stage.
President John Mahama—who was the special guest, graced the occasion by delivering remarks on Ghana’s sporting legacy and future.
Other notable attendees were football icons Abedi Pele and son Dede Ayew (Black Stars captain), all-time top scorer Asamoah Gyan and brother Baffour Gyan, boxing legend Azumah Nelson, and National Sports Authority Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah.
Headline act was by dancehall star Stonebwoy; whilst spoken word poetry was delivered by Wonder Mandel.
Theme for the event was: “Honouring the Best to Inspire the Rest,” with a focus on nominees like Abedi Pele and Azumah Nelson in special categories.
The full nominees were revealed in October 2025, covering categories like Athlete of the Year, Footballer of the Year, and Sports Journalist of the Year.
Below is the complete list of winners across all categories, based on official announcements. Special honors went to 50th Anniversary Ambassadors, including Margaret Simpson (Athletics), Azumah Nelson (Boxing), Abedi Ayew Pele (Football), Michael Essien (Football), Kwadwo Asamoah (Football), Stephen Appiah (Football), Samuel Osei Kufour (Football), Adwoa Bayor (Football), and Alberta Sackey (Football).
Major Categories:
Sports Personality of the Year: Rose Yeboah Amoanimaa (Athletics) – For her record-breaking high jump feats at the Olympics and African Games.
Footballer of the Year (Male): Mohammed Kudus (West Ham United) – Dominant Premier League season with goals and assists.
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Footballer of the Year (Female): Evelyn Badu (FC Rubis) – Key contributions to Ghana’s WAFCON campaign.
Athlete of the Year (Male): Benjamin Azamati (Athletics) – Sprinting star with multiple continental medals.
Athlete of the Year (Female): Grace Stark (Athletics) – Emerging hurdling sensation.
Coach of the Year: Kwesi Appiah (Former Black Stars Coach) – Tactical mastermind behind national team successes.
Home-Based Footballer of the Year (Male): Benjamin Asare (Hearts of Oak) – Midfield dynamo in the Ghana Premier League.
Home-Based Footballer of the Year (Female): Jennifer Owusu (Police Ladies) – Defensive rock for the champions.
Sports Journalist of the Year: Bright Kankam Boadu (Joy Sports) – In-depth coverage of African sports events.
Technical Official of the Year: Daniel Laryea (FIFA Referee) – Flawless officiating in international matches.
Discipline-Specific Winners:
Boxer of the Year: Joseph Agbeko – Veteran comeback with knockout victories.
Basketballer of the Year: Frank Osei (All Stars) – Leading scorer in the National League.
Swimmer of the Year: Ama Serwah (Ashanti Aquatics) – Multiple gold medals at African Championships.
Hockey Player of the Year: Michael Nii Ayeh (Black Bombers) – Captain’s leadership in international tours.
Tennis Player of the Year: Emmanuel Quah (Ghana Tennis) – Junior circuit dominance.
Table Tennis Player of the Year: Bernice Bossman (National Team) – African Games medalist.
Weightlifter of the Year: Clarence Akuffo (National Team) – Commonwealth Games qualifier.
Team Awards:
National Team of the Year: Black Queens (Women’s Football) – Strong showings in qualifiers and tournaments.
Club of the Year: Hearts of Oak (Football) – Premier League title defense and cup wins.
Women’s Club of the Year: Police Ladies (Football) – League and Super Cup champions.
Special & Corporate Awards:
SWAG President’s Award: James Kwesi Appiah (For lifetime contributions to Ghana football).
Meritorious Award: Theophilus Sampah (GBC Sports) – Pioneering coverage of underrepresented sports.
Corporate Award: Access Bank Ghana – Outstanding support for sports development initiatives.
Lifetime Achievement: Azumah Nelson (Boxing legend) – For global impact on Ghanaian boxing.