Emmanuel Lawson makes history as Ghana’s first FIFAe licensed coach

Emmanuel Lawson has made history as Ghana’s first FIFAe-licensed coach after successfully completing a specialised international training programme organised by FIFAe, the global governing body for competitive eFootball.

The Ghana Football Association announced that Lawson, who serves as the eFootball Manager of Ghana’s national esports team, the Black Asteroids, earned the FIFAe Coaching Certificate following his participation in the FIFAe Summit held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from December 17 to 19.

The certification was awarded after Lawson completed an intensive online coaching course delivered over an extended period and designed to meet FIFAe’s professional standards for international competition. With the qualification, he becomes the first Ghanaian to be formally licensed within FIFAe’s coaching framework, marking a major milestone for the country’s growing esports ecosystem.

The programme covered key areas including esports team management, player development, tactical preparation, mental conditioning, performance analysis and the professional standards required at elite eFootball tournaments.

Lawson has been at the forefront of Ghana’s esports development as manager of the Black Asteroids, guiding the national team’s competitive structure and technical direction since the Ghana Football Association formally embraced esports as part of its football development strategy.

Beyond esports, Lawson also works as Finance Manager at the GFA and has been part of the Association’s finance department for more than five years, combining administrative leadership with technical expertise in digital football.

The GFA described the achievement as a significant step in strengthening Ghana’s presence in global esports, particularly as competitive gaming continues to gain recognition within international football structures.