Young Apostles Request Referee Change for Nations FC Clash

With their Ghana Premier League status on the line, Young Apostles FC have stepped off the pitch and into the boardroom, formally asking for a change of referee for their crunch matchday 32 clash with Nations FC.

The club has written to the Ghana Football Association, requesting that referee Juliet Appiah be reassigned from the high-stakes fixture scheduled for this weekend.

This is not a routine administrative note. It comes on the back of lingering frustration from Young Apostles’ matchday 29 meeting with Swedru All Blacks, a game the club believes was marred by contentious officiating. In their letter to the GFA General Secretary, Young Apostles pointed to specific decisions in that encounter which, they say, inflamed tempers in the stands and heightened tension around the stadium.

The memory of that afternoon clearly still burns. The club fears a repeat in a match that could define their season.

Another layer has sharpened their concerns. Nations FC are based in the Ashanti Region, the same region where referee Juliet Appiah is reportedly based. Young Apostles argue that, in the current climate, that detail alone is enough to fuel suspicion among supporters and pile pressure on the officials before a ball is even kicked.

They are not framing this as a personal attack. The club stressed in its correspondence that the move should not be read as an accusation against Appiah’s integrity, but as a proactive step to shield the league from unnecessary controversy and to keep emotions in check on a day when nerves will already be frayed.

"Our sole interest is to ensure the sanctity of the competition and a serene, secure sporting environment for both teams, officials, and fans," their statement read.

Relegation battles often twist on a single whistle. Young Apostles want to make sure that, when theirs blows this weekend, no one is still arguing about who held it.