Accra, June 20, GNA - The Ghana Premier League is expected to witness massive changes effective next season with the adoption of the FIFA Club licensing system.

This follows a directive from the world soccer governing body, Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) for the implementation of the system by its members.

Kwesi Nyantakyi, President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) told GNA Sports that the introduction of the licensing system will serve as one of the major changes to next year's elite division. "With the Club licensing, clubs will need certain level of personnel, infrastructure and capital in order to play in the Premier League.

He likened it to the reforms that hit the banking sector a few years ago that led to some financial institutions merging.

"It happened in the banking and financial sectors sometime ago, and banks had to merge.

"These are massive changes and people who cannot cope will have to fall out. Do not be surprised that clubs will have to call for mergers to keep them alive."

Ahead of the implementation of the Club licensing system, Sir Dave Richards, Chairman of the Football Association (FA) Premier League Board will visit Ghana as guests of the GFA later this week. Sir Richards, who controls the most talked about league in the world, the English Premier League, will hold several meetings with various stakeholders geared towards upping the standard of the Ghanaian elite division.

He will also help in the formulating of guidelines aimed at raising the level of the Ghana Premier League in the areas of marketing, sponsorship and broadcast right. Sir Richards, who is also Chairman of the International Committee of the England FA has been Chairman of the EPL since 1999.