Accra, July 31, GNA - The winner of this year's Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) Top Four soccer tournament will earn 15,000 Ghana Cedis. The amount represents over fifty percent increase of previous editions, which will also have the runners-up pocketing 10,000 Ghana cedis.

The finalists will each be entitled to medals while all four clubs receive an undisclosed appearance fee.

Emmanuel Adotey, Chairman of GHALCA told GNA Sports on Thursday that preparations for the tournament fixed for August 24 to October 12 have reached an advanced stage. He said his outfit has concluded all contractual issues governing the tournament as preparations head for the final lap. The GHALCA Chairman added that his outfit has secured a 130,000 Ghana Cedis sponsorship from Optimum Media Prime (OMP) for the tournament, excluding the co-sponsorship package from other institutions.

Mr Adotey said as a novelty, all parties agreed that Kumasi Asante Kotoko will receive a bigger percentage of the gate proceeds. "All the Clubs have agreed that Asante Kotoko would receive 10 percent higher of the gate proceeds." The League Champions, Kotoko supposedly pulls the largest soccer following in the country and that apparently influenced the decision to gift them higher proceeds".

In the past there have been clashes between the organizers and Asante Kotoko on the disbursement of gate proceeds with the latter clamouring for the elephant share following the huge patronage of matches by their fans.

Dansoman-based Liberty Professionals, Berekum Arsenal and Kpando Heart of Lions are the other participants for the Top Four tournament. For this year's event, the top two Clubs after the end of the round-robin will meet in the grand finale at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Kumasi on October 12.