Ghana’s second tier league, the Division One has been launched to kick-off this weekend under a new sponsorship.

This year’s Division One League will have a total of 48 clubs competing under three zones with the top teams at the end of the season from each zone, qualifying automatically into the Ghana Premier League.

A new sponsor, GN Bank, a wholly owned Ghanaian financial outfit was also officially announced at the launch on Wednesday as the new headline sponsor of the Division One League for the next three years.

The bank’s CEO, Issah Adam, announced a total sponsorship package of GHS 2.1million (about $605,000) as sponsorship amount for the entire three-year period.

The new format of the Division One League gives it a more national character and the new sponsors see their partnership with the Ghana FA ‘as an opportunity for mutual benefits as they increase their branches and extend their footprints across all major towns and districts in Ghana.’