Senior Inspector of the Ghana Immigration Service and FIFA referee Charles Bulu has been appointed to officiate the 2026 Democracy Cup between Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak.
The highly anticipated fixture will be played today, Friday, 28 August 2026, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
Bulu, who combines his duties with the Ghana Immigration Service with a career as a professional referee, will take charge of the third edition of the Democracy Cup between the two traditional giants of Ghanaian football.
He will be assisted by Seth Abletor and Richard Nartey, while Julian Nunoo has been appointed as the fourth official.
The appointment places Bulu at the centre of one of the country’s most watched domestic football fixtures, with thousands of supporters expected to turn up for the encounter.
The Democracy Cup has become an important fixture in the Ghanaian football calendar, bringing together fierce rivals Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak in a match that attracts significant national attention.
The two clubs are expected to produce another competitive encounter as they renew their historic rivalry at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
Full list of match officials
- Referee: Charles Bulu
- Assistant I: Seth Abletor
- Assistant II: Richard Nartey
- Fourth Official: Julian Nunoo
Kick-off: 4:00pm
Venue: Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Kumasi
The match is expected to draw widespread interest from football fans across Ghana as the two most successful and widely supported clubs in the country go head-to-head in the 2026 Democracy Cup.
Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of The Accra Daily Mail, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
